According to a survey released by the government of Japan this month, more than half a million young people have recoiled from society to lead reclusive lives.
The phenomenon, called “hikikomori,” is defined by the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry as people who haven’t left their homes or interacted with others for at least six months. Of the 541,000 people between age 15 and 39 who fit that description, 34% have spent seven years or more in self-isolation. Another 29% have lived in reclusion for three to five years.
Hikikomori (the term is used for both the condition and its subjects) surfaced as a phenomenon in Japan in the 1990s. At the time, some experts estimated that about one million people, mostly young men in their 20s, were spending their days locked up in their bedrooms, reading manga (comic books), watching TV, or playing video games. They refused to work or go to school and often didn’t communicate with family members, let alone friends.
There’s no standard course of treatment. Doctors believe the condition, which is not yet classified as an official disorder, is caused by a mix of psychological and societal influences. It’s far more common in men, who face more cultural pressure to succeed socially and professionally than women do. Full story...
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The phenomenon, called “hikikomori,” is defined by the Japanese Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry as people who haven’t left their homes or interacted with others for at least six months. Of the 541,000 people between age 15 and 39 who fit that description, 34% have spent seven years or more in self-isolation. Another 29% have lived in reclusion for three to five years.
Hikikomori (the term is used for both the condition and its subjects) surfaced as a phenomenon in Japan in the 1990s. At the time, some experts estimated that about one million people, mostly young men in their 20s, were spending their days locked up in their bedrooms, reading manga (comic books), watching TV, or playing video games. They refused to work or go to school and often didn’t communicate with family members, let alone friends.
There’s no standard course of treatment. Doctors believe the condition, which is not yet classified as an official disorder, is caused by a mix of psychological and societal influences. It’s far more common in men, who face more cultural pressure to succeed socially and professionally than women do. Full story...
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