Saya (さーや), a former elementary school teacher and a mental health survivor from Kōchi Prefecture, is making a name for herself as a free spirit and a 2024 Mrs. of the Year JP Finalist. Her Instagram account, @saya362995, provides details of her remarkable journey of overcoming significant personal and health challenges.
Career and Health Journey
Saya’s career as an elementary school teacher, spanning 28 years, concluded when she retired on January 13, 2024, due to illness. Her history of health struggles dates back approximately 15 years:
* Initial Breakdown: Working excessively led to severe anorexia, dropping her to 35 kg at 162 cm. She was diagnosed with autonomic nervous dysfunction and then depression after a four-month medical leave.
* Recurrence and Transfer: After attempting to return to work, she relapsed after just three months, experiencing panic disorder, adjustment disorder, social personality disorder, and depression. She was transferred to a psychiatric hospital.
* Recent Struggles: Over the next eight years, she worked intermittently, experiencing continuous self-harm and skin-picking as a stress response (depressive state). She was also diagnosed with ADHD.
Physical and Mental Health Battles
Despite her seemingly energetic demeanor, Saya is registered with a Grade 2 Mental Disability Handbook and receives a Grade 2 Disability Pension.
Her physical health has also been severely impacted:
* Injury and Slump: She once suffered a compound fracture, rendering her unable to walk for a year.
* CPAP Use: She developed Sleep Apnea Syndrome when she was overweight and will require a CPAP machine for life.
* Chronic Pain: After being exhausted by power harassment at a previous school, she was later unable to move due to sudden, intense pain in her arm and head.
She spent three years mostly confined to bed, experiencing near-impossibility in standing, and suffered from muscle weakness that caused her to punch holes in walls. Standard pain medication for cancer treatment was ineffective, leading her to palliative care at a Kochi Medical University orthopedic surgeon.
* Current Concern: She is showing signs of fibromyalgia and is scheduled to see a specialist soon.
Finding a New Path
Saya describes herself as a “free spirit” who works part-time or in casual jobs to support herself and pursue her passions, as her health condition prevents her from working full-time. Her dream is to live freely and do what she wants.
She is a graduate of the WALKNISTA Master Course, a certified Advanced Rhythmic Instructor, and a 2024 Mrs. of the Year Japan Finalist. Her entry into the pageant world was serendipitous: she learned about @mrs_of_the_year through a local public relations magazine and decided to scan the QR code, which led her to the national competition.
Saya is currently working to manage her weight, having initially lost too much, which caused wrinkles. She has since gained some weight back and maintains a weight of 54 kg while focusing on toning.
She is also preparing to be the first overseas ambassador for Taiwan in the 2025 competition.
╔════════════════════════╗
🎤 Roppongi Times News is brought to you by the following sponsor
╚═══════════════════╝
✨✨ You, too, can be No.1 in America! ✨✨
Share your story with the world in English!
【 Roppongi Digital Global Publishing School 】
═════════════════════
