Naikan began as a method to build mental strength and self-awareness, but has been extended for use as therapy for diseases such as alcoholism, anxiety, depression, and eating disorders. We have successfully applied Naikan therapy to diseases in which a behavior pattern underlies the symptoms, such as bronchial asthma and atopic dermatitis; lifestyle-related diseases including diabetes and obesity; as well as eating disorders. The process of confronting past behaviors and feelings of denial and avoidance promotes acceptance of the illness, which enables control of the symptoms. In addition, patients often experience deeper insights after becoming aware of somatesthesia, such as cutaneous sensations, when recalling memories that are important to them. A preliminarily study was also done to measure urinary oxytocin levels, which have been associated with affection and trust. These levels were found to increase, along with cutaneous sensations, during recollections involving significant others during Naikan therapy. Oxytocin is known to increase with low intensity contact of the skin, particularly between mother and child. Our results indicate a link between the recollection, somatic sensations, and the "healing" of Naikan Therapy.

  There are those who experience intractable and challenging symptoms such as anorexia nervosa, who are unsure “whether or not they want to eat” or “whether or not they want to go out,” for whom such uncertainty manifests as a painful state of immobility. A patient reflecting on her life stated, “As a child, it upset me to see my mother affected by my father’s harsh words.” Owing to such vivid childhood memories, she could not forget her mother’s distress. Her resentment toward her father for mistreating her mother, and her frustration toward her mother for not standing up for herself, seemed to weigh her down.

  In counseling, we worked on verbalizing matters of day-to-day life and emotional pain. The turning point came when her spouse’s job-related transfer made it difficult for her to come to the clinic and when she was recommended for hospitalization after her physical condition worsened. Feelings such as the excitement of being able to experience Naikan voluntarily, and the joy of having her parents experience Naikan on her behalf, were helpful in eliminating the sense of being held captive by suffering, and thus in recovering the strength to act freely. The proactive approach to Naikan Therapy and the modification of attachment-related emotional experiences helped to ease the patient’s immobility and improved her symptoms. Moreover, facing the symptoms provided her with an opportunity to improve her family relationships.

  Puberty and Adolescence are said to be the era of ‘Sturm und Drang,’ meaning heart-shaking and passion. This includes the notion that teens’ thinking, values and social relationships are undergoing change. They spend their time in a state of turmoil, so I think that music is the tool best suited for expressing their inner selves; and thus, that Naikan Music Therapy is a good means for supporting their independence.

  The purpose of this case study is to assess the effectiveness of Naikan Therapy for gambling disorder, by reporting on the treatment course of a man in his late 70s who has continued to abstain from gambling. The methods used were semi-structured interviews and psychological tests（YG Personality Test and TEG II）. The results were consistent with our findings previously reported in ‘Positive Recognition of Naikan Therapy’（2019）and "Continuation of Daily Naikan’（2019）. In addition, ‘isolated environment’and ‘items that caused trouble’ were also extracted as valid factors in this case. The results of the psychological test suggested a personality trait of being "selfish and unselfish, but also calm and quiet with low activity," and this personality trait is considered to have been a factor that supported his cessation of gambling. The positive relationships with the patient's doctor, staff, and peers also contributed to the patient's continued abstinence from gambling.