Otsuchi , Japan ( CNN ) -- Kyoko Ogawa wore the brave face the world associated with Japan 's tsunami survivors . The March 11 catastrophe washed away all her earthly possessions . She watched as her hotel burned to the ground in a gas explosion triggered by the tsunami ; a hotel that had been in her family for generations . She was determined not to let the disaster break her . But after the elation of finding her son alive , the reality of losing her livelihood started to erode the calm facade . She was in turmoil . She was afraid to talk to other people about it because she knew everyone was suffering as much as her , if not more . They were `` ganbaru , '' she recalls -- enduring , holding on , withstanding , and living with the pain . She could n't be the only one to lose control . `` I was in shock because I realized that all that was precious to me was gone , '' she says , six months on from that terrible day . `` I did n't know what to do from then on . I became tormented . '' That was the start of a slippery slope down a dark trail of despair . It 's a familiar story in Otsuchi , northeastern Japan , where the devastating earthquake and tsunami turned much of the town in Iwate Prefecture into rubble . Today , much of that physical debris has been cleared away . But the emotional wreckage of the survivors is proving much more difficult to remove , as the mental scars from that day linger months later . In Ogawa 's case , depression could have had tragic consequences for her had she not met Suimei Morikawa , a volunteer psychiatrist who listened patiently to her troubles one day at an evacuation center . Morikawa became the difference between life and death . She says she probably would have ended her life if the doctor had n't been there for her . `` I was so moved by her approach to life , '' recalls Morikawa . `` She may have been suffering and wanting to end her life because she had lost so much , but she also desperately wanted to get over that . I was moved by her willingness to get out of her own situation . I just helped her a little . '' Concerns about suicide and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD ) are growing among mental health specialists working in the region . PTSD in particular , a condition which can push people over the edge if not addressed , can show up months after the initial shock . Suicide is also a major concern in Japan . According to the World Health Organization , Japan has the fifth highest suicide rate in the world . More than 30,000 suicides are reported each year , according to the country 's national police agency , with Iwate Prefecture -- one of the regions hit hardest by the tsunami -- having one of the biggest problems . Mariko Ukiyo , a psychologist and volunteer counselor , is part of a therapy group called `` Team Japan 300 . '' She and a number of other team members visit temporary villages in the devastated region hoping to treat symptoms of PTSD and ultimately prevent suicides . According to Ukiyo , loneliness and despair take hold when the survivors move from their evacuation center to temporary housing . `` It is only then that people see how their life has changed from their pre-disaster life , '' she says . `` The sense of loss and deep grief can overcome you quickly and if you are alone when that happens , you lose all hope for the future . I think this period is when they need help the most . '' But getting help to the victims is proving to be a challenge in Japan , a country with limited experience in mental health care historically . Ukiyo says the amount of psychological support received by tsunami victims now is a tenth of what the victims of 9/11 in the United States experienced . According to Ukiyo , the devastating 1995 earthquake in the city of Kobe started to raise awareness about the effects of post-traumatic stress -- particularly among the younger generation -- but many Japanese continue to find it difficult to talk about sorrow and loss because of the shame of appearing weak . Ukiyo 's strategy is to gather the residents in temporary housing for a regular get-together in a relaxed atmosphere . This gives her the opportunity to keep an eye on each of the participants , observing anyone that shows signs of severe distress . The hope is that what starts out as small talk will gradually evolve into people talking about themselves and their problems . But despite her efforts Ukiyo is not optimistic about the region 's future with trauma . `` We are only now starting to hear about sick or depressed people six months after the tsunami , '' she says . She believes suicide rates will only increase . Meanwhile , Kyoko Ogawa vows not to be another victim . She says Dr. Morikawa pulled her back from the brink and she is now making plans for the future . She wants to rebuild her hotel and give back to those who helped her . While Ogawa is a success story for Morikawa , he worries about those he will never reach in this devastated region . `` Now that I have met these people , I have grown attached to them , '' he says . `` It saddens me that there are still so many people suffering here . I ca n't stand the thought that there may be people who died because they had no-one to talk to . ''
Kyoko Ogawa became depressed after losing her hotel in March tsunami . She contemplated suicide after being afraid to talk to anyone about her troubles . She says a volunteer psychiatrist at an evacuation center saved her . Score: 7