Hikikimori [View all]

[Locut0s]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikimori

I stumbled upon this phenomenon some years back looking for support and help vis-à-vis living as a shut-in. Over the past decade of my life I've spent a combined total of 2 years or more living as a near shut-in at different times, depending on my parents. I suspect a combination of severe depression, social anxiety, self esteem and other related issues are to blame in my case. At first I could find little support. There were plenty of resources for depression anxiety and the like but very little related specifically to the phenomenon of having cut one's self off from society. The concept of a shut-in in western culture comes closest but it also encompasses many other forms of disability that would lead someone to isolate themselves.

Then I happened to stumble across an interesting Japanese phenomenon called Hikkimori.

"
The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare defines hikikomori as people who refuse to leave their house and, thus, isolate themselves from society in their homes for a period exceeding six months.[1] The psychiatrist Tamaki Saitō defines hikikomori as "A state that has become a problem by the late twenties, that involves cooping oneself up in one’s own home and not participating in society for six months or longer
"

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While the degree of the phenomenon varies on an individual basis, in the most extreme cases, some people remain in isolation for years or even decades. Often hikikomori start out as school refusals, or futōkō
"

It seems that the unique mix of Japanese cultural traits, coupled with the decades long economic freeze in Japan lead to the problem being particularly prevalent in this country and to it's subsequent labelling and study.

It's my opinion though after having communicated with a large number of people on different mental health forums, though especially those dedicated to social anxiety, that this is a phenomenon that is far from limited to Japan. It may be most prevalent there but I've talked to people from the US, Australia, the UK, and elsewhere who have told me of their stories of self isolation, sometimes for years, relying on their parents or other relatives. I've talked to a couple in their 40s who have hardly left their house in the past decade. And most of these people did not have agoraphobia or some other similar diagnosis we tend to associate with this kind of thing in the west. Usually they had intense social phobias, depression and similar issues.

I'm not sure if bringing light to the issue outside of Japan and studying it would be beneficial or not. I can tell you though that for my own struggles and peace of mind what I have learned has helped me a lot!