Hikikomori Japan's bedroom shut-ins

[adeadhikikomori]

I recently just saw a video on this and it was interesting because I have those symptoms too although not so severe because I realize I can't get better unless I want to get better (and that means stepping out of my comfort zone). In my opinion Hikikomori isn't a phenomenon, its just people suffering from mental illness/depression/anxiety.

Japan defines hikikomori as those who have lived in isolation in their rooms for at least 6 months have no physical injury or mental disorder as the cause of their isolation have no close friends or few friends (If any) and do not communicate with people besides the people they live with such as family members or maybe online friends. a hikikomori is always a neet and enabled by family or living off of government benefits unless they somehow are able to take classes or work online while not going out it is caused by society's stress and pressure very different than just regularly suffering with a mental disorder.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

first video

second video]]

New documentaries.

 

[FFurry]

Do hikikomori tend to have more friends online, despite few or none IRL? I am wondering because my experience is that people tend to be either social in both RL and online or asocial in both. On the other hand, it seems that the hikikomori playing video games online seem social there...

 

[GFS]

I used to spend weeks without going outside. My brother would tease me "Wow, you managed to walk from your room to the bathroom". (He wasn't being mean, it was his way to encourage me to go out).

Now I do go at work 6 days per week. But it's just home-work-home.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

Do hikikomori tend to have more friends online, despite few or none IRL? I am wondering because my experience is that people tend to be either social in both RL and online or asocial in both. On the other hand, it seems that the hikikomori playing video games online seem social there...

In my experience yes i do have online friends but i don't have any IRL friends left that i still see i lost all contact with my remaining IRL friends almost 2 years ago and now i just communicate with them online.

 

[MagickLynx]

If this was Britain, the government would force them out to work, they would find them work, no choice.. as they have no 'real' diagnosed illness. It's bizarre, i never realised how common it is in Japan.

 

[MagickLynx]

Mind you.. I'm not sure.. if it was agoraphobia, not sure how that would be treated by UK and other governments.. but is it agoraphobia? To me it just seems a severe depression?

 

[MagickLynx]

Those women going to the men's home is a big risk too, one was attacked, i see. Not good.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

If this was Britain, the government would force them out to work, they would find them work, no choice.. as they have no 'real' diagnosed illness. It's bizarre, i never realised how common it is in Japan.

I don't think that's entirely true keep in mind the term Neet comes from the UK. and there are a shit ton of Neets in the UK. some of which who probably fall under the definition of hikikomori and never leave their rooms hikikomori isn't strictly a Japanese only problem anymore because Japanese researchers have found cases of it existing in other countries and in some other asian countries where the condition is recognized it is the same condition but it has a different name for example in South Korea hikikomori is called the socially withdrawn youth and in China hikikomori is called the hidden youth same condition but with a different name.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

Mind you.. I'm not sure.. if it was agoraphobia, not sure how that would be treated by UK and other governments.. but is it agoraphobia? To me it just seems a severe depression?

Agoraphobia and hikikomori do share a lot of similarities but they are both two different conditions caused for different reasons. Agoraphobia is a Fear of places and situations that might cause panic helplessness or embarrassment while hikikomori is more of a coping strategy activated in response to the excessive pressure of social realization.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

Those women going to the men's home is a big risk too, one was attacked, i see. Not good.

True but at least they are trying to help them and not all hikikomori are violent.

 

[Winslow]

@adeadhikikomori
That phenomenon seems to be the result of the internet in that a continually increasing number of people prefer friends online rather than in real life. In fact, I heard a psychologist say that in the future that preferred-socialization online will become so widespread that it will become the norm.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

@adeadhikikomori
That phenomenon seems to be the result of the internet in that a continually increasing number of people prefer friends online rather than in real life. In fact, I heard a psychologist say that in the future that preferred-socialization online will become so widespread that it will become the norm.

This has been happening in Japan since the 70s so it technically isn't a technology problem and more so a problem with the society of Japan and how strict it is and social and societal pressure does exist everywhere. I am suffering with this condition in the west and it wasn't technology that caused me to end up the way i did it was after years of bullying pressure and stress from parents elders and peers and being let down hard by society the system and people in general countless times and failing to meet the expectations put on me by my parents and other elders and failing to fit in and adapt to society.

 

[Gonz]

Agoraphobia and hikikomori do share a lot of similarities but they are both two different conditions caused for different reasons. Agoraphobia is a Fear of places and situations that might cause panic helplessness or embarrassment while hikikomori is more of a coping strategy activated in response to the excessive pressure of social realization.

So this is super interesting to me because I am, as I mentioned before, agoraphobic and my lifestyle and that of hikikomori seem nearly indistinguishable from the outside. In fact, for a long time after I first heard of the hikikomori phenomenon, I assumed that it was basically just a Japanese term for agoraphobia.

I’ve come to realize that’s not really the case. That, though the two conditions may express themselves in strikingly similar ways, it is the causes of that withdrawing behavior that differentiates them.

But, I wonder, is fear not also a part of the hikikomori experience? I mean, I get that it isn’t central to it the way it is with agoraphobics. But it seems, from reading the experiences of self-proclaimed hikikomori, that perhaps they can develop a type of agoraphobia on top of what they were already experiencing.

I mean, agoraphobics withdraw because of their phobia. But it seems that (and I admit that my understanding is very incomplete, which is why I am looking for your input) after withdrawing for a significant period of time, that many hikikomori may develop a phobia that hinders their ability to reintegrate into society.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

So this is super interesting to me because I am, as I mentioned before, agoraphobic and my lifestyle and that of hikikomori seem nearly indistinguishable from the outside. In fact, for a long time after I first heard of the hikikomori phenomenon, I assumed that it was basically just a Japanese term for agoraphobia.

I’ve come to realize that’s not really the case. That, though the two conditions may express themselves in strikingly similar ways, it is the causes of that withdrawing behavior that differentiates them.

But, I wonder, is fear not also a part of the hikikomori experience? I mean, I get that it isn’t central to it the way it is with agoraphobics. But it seems, from reading the experiences of self-proclaimed hikikomori, that perhaps they can develop a type of agoraphobia on top of what they were already experiencing.

I mean, agoraphobics withdraw because of their phobia. But it seems that (and I admit that my understanding is very incomplete, which is why I am looking for your input) after withdrawing for a significant period of time, that many hikikomori may develop a phobia that hinders their ability to reintegrate into society.

You are absolutely right in-fact many Japanese researchers argue that many hikikomori sufferers were not mentally ill prior to their isolation and only became mentally ill as a result of their isolation and even in the cases where a mental health disorder was present prior to their isolation most Japanese researchers agree that hikikomori is generally caused by factors other than mental or physical conditions and that they definitely can play a role and be a contributing factor in making someone become a hikikomori but that is not the root cause of the isolation. So yes after a long time of isolation a hikikomori could develop agoraphobia social anxiety or some other mental disorder in my case i have developed agoraphobia and paranoia due to my isolation and i've always had social anxiety and depression and while they certainly played a role in me becoming a hikikomori they were not the main reason behind my isolation.


Here is an interesting video Alan Teo talks about hikikomori.

Modern-Day Hermits: The Story Hikikomori in Japan and Beyond

 

[MagickLynx]

I don't think that's entirely true keep in mind the term Neet comes from the UK. and there are a shit ton of Neets in the UK. some of which who probably fall under the definition of hikikomori and never leave their rooms hikikomori isn't strictly a Japanese only problem anymore because Japanese researchers have found cases of it existing in other countries and in some other asian countries where the condition is recognized it is the same condition but it has a different name for example in South Korea hikikomori is called the socially withdrawn youth and in China hikikomori is called the hidden youth same condition but with a different name.

They have changed it so now the only way a UK person could do this is probably if they really had agoraphobia diagnosis or if they had some way to make their own living.. from home. But i know what you mean. It's interesting that it began in the 1970s.

 

[adeadhikikomori]

They have changed it so now the only way a UK person could do this is probably if they really had agoraphobia diagnosis or if they had some way to make their own living.. from home. But i know what you mean. It's interesting that it began in the 1970s.

Does the UK. no longer have enabling parents?

 

[MagickLynx]

Does the UK. no longer have enabling parents?

I'm pretty sure it does! I knew at least 2 who had such parents, but i no longer talk to them!

 

[adeadhikikomori]

I'm pretty sure it does! I knew at least 2 who had such parents, but i no longer talk to them!

So they the UK. doesn't have hikikomori unless someone finds a way to work online from home without going outside or enabling parents?

 

[adeadhikikomori]

A new government survey reveals the reality of middle-aged hikikomori between 40 to 64 years of age in Japan who still live in their rooms and depend on their parents who are between 50 to 83 years of age.

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