In this portrait by Maika Elan, we see Ikuo Nakamura, 34, a hikikomori who has locked himself in his room for seven years (Credit: Maika Elan, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190129-the-plight-of-japans-modern-hermits)
Origin
Hikikomori is a medical term describing extreme social withdrawal. Originating from Japan, thus Japanese sounding name - meaning literally “pulling inward, being confined”. It can be used both to describe the condition and an ill person.
Tamiko Saito, a psychiatrist who proposed the term in mid 90’, noticed a recurring behavior pattern of his young patients - locking themselves in their room and limiting social interactions to the absolute minimum.
Soon after the very first Saito’s publication on the issue, there was multiple media coverage of felonies committed by people who could be diagnosed as hikikomori. It didn’t help to raise healthy social awareness of the problem and only in recent years the topic is approached in a supportive and understanding manner.
Description
A typical hikikomori is a male (65% hikikomoris are male) in his thirties, living with his parents, unemployed, single, and sleeping their way through the day. The phenomenon is vivid in highly developed eastern countries - Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, although in past years the term was popularized in Western countries. It is estimated there are around 1 million hikikomoris in Japan, however, due to the nature of the illness, it’s hard to accurately estimate it.
The typical diagnosis consists of:
spending most of the day and nearly every day confined to home,
marked and persistent avoidance of social situations, and social relationships,
social withdrawal symptoms causing significant functional impairment,
duration of at least six months, and
no apparent physical or mental etiology to account for the social withdrawal symptoms.
A typical day of hikikomori is described in detail by a person who is ill himself in this video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu9Ty9fxTHE.
Hypothesis
In this portrait, we see Riki Cook, who is American-Japanese and lives alone in Chiba, Japan (Credit: Maika Elan, https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190129-the-plight-of-japans-modern-hermits)
As mentioned above, hikikomori is the social phenomenon observed mostly in Eastern countries, thus their high-demanding social structure is considered the root cause of the plague. Japanese kids are placed in a very competitive school environment from their early childhood with overwhelming pressure from both parents and society to have successful academic records. People who fail have little to no support and are marginalized by their peers.
Once they enter adolescence and face another failure in another very demanding field, e.g. a job market, they decide to withdraw from the rat race whatsoever. This usually happens in the mid-twenties, and due to Japan's harsh real estate market, they stay with their parents, who take care of basic needs like food or bills.
Treatment
As the number of hikikomori has been constantly growing, there is also a growing market of professional support offered by dedicated counselors. As social withdrawal also leads or is connected with other mental illnesses the treatment is lengthy and usually consists of regular therapeutic sessions with a psychologist.
Questions:
Do you think the hikikomori will become more prominent in the Western culture after the post-covid digitalization of our lives?
How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
Image sources:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190129-the-plight-of-japans-modern-hermits
Bibliography:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190129-the-plight-of-japans-modern-hermits
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxYs2Pv86WA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kpm01QPhJs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu9Ty9fxTHE
https://www.tofugu.com/japan/hikikomori/#:~:text=Japan's%20Ministry%20of%20Health%2C%20Labor,close%2C%20non%2Dfamilial%20relationships.
Comments
It became more prominent even before covid changed our lives. Now it will raise up significantly and won't stop as fast as we would like to.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
I feel I'm okay with it. First I had more time for myself as there was no need to traverse between home-job-school-home. But after some time I really feel tired of it. I lack some nature and movement and I cannot find any urge to do stuff. Most of the day I spent sitting in a chair with no good effect on my life. Doing nothing important in free time.
I don't think so, because this is an illness, not just the fact of staying at home. Our work may have become digitalized, but it doesn't mean that we lost the need to go outside and meet with people. Of course, there might be people who decide to lock themselves up after the covid situation, but in my opinion, it means that there has always been some kind of problem of that nature with a given person. I think that digitalization might be a good way for this kind of people, to start earning money even without leaving their room. And it might be a good part of the therapy, to work properly, but from home, without having contact with other people so much.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
It doesn't affect me that much, because I like just sitting in my room and doing things that I like. It saves a lot of time on commuting. One disadvantage is that my sleep routine is a complete mess, and it's really difficult for me to wake up early because I'm going to sleep pretty late.
Do you think the hikikomori will become more prominent in the Western culture after the post-covid digitalization of our lives?
It's hard to say really. I guess that this type of behaviour is already in Europe. And I'm afraid that it will become more common.
How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
Well I'm trying to mentain my social relations, but I was also going to a psychiatrist this year when I felt really down. It helped me a lot and I recommend it to everyone.
Thank you for your comment. Regarding digitalization (and social distancing), I think COVID was a giant leap, skipping a few years of development. The infrastructure of home delivery groceries is finally cheap and usable, theaters started to stream their plays and remote woking which completely blew up. I assume we were heading in this direction but would take it many more years to get to the point where we are right now.
I'm glad you're feeling relatively fine during the lockdown. Stay strong and healthy!
Thank you for your points! That's the other perspective I really wanted to hear in the comments here. I can't agree more that hikikomori is an illness, and people who are extreme extroverts would suddenly become alienated units. On the other hand, what I believe could be happening, people who are naturally leaned towards unhealthy, extreme isolation are now in an environment that can resonate with their hidden unhealthy tendencies.
I hope I don't shoot my foot with that example, but let me try. Imagine there is a country without nicotine products. Nobody smokes, nobody knows what effects it has on you. Genetically, there are people in this society that are very leaned to become addicts, but without any catalyst (like having a tobacco shop on every corner, as we do in Poland) they won't discover it, every.
The point I tried to make in my article, is that COVID isolation might be that catalyst, that will drive some people into a spiral of despair.
It's important to keep your relatives in check of how they are doing!
I hope this year you will fix your sleeping schedule, best luck!
Firstly, I hope you are doing much better now!
I'm always impressed when someone openly talks about their psychiatrist therapy, I think we need more people like you in society!!! I hope this topic wouldn't be such a taboo topic as it is right now, but I see a positive shift in recent years.
I hope you stay safe and healthy :)
2. I never lose any opportunity to meet with any of my friends. I try to prevent the situation when any of them feel lost or forgotten by me. I write messages without any reason just to keep in touch and refresh our connection. I have noticed this new habit is truly valuable and helps to stay sane me and my friends.
I don't it will happend in Europe. The mentality on the far east is a little bit different. I know that covid is forcing us to stay at home but there are still situations when you have to leave the "safe zone" so for example get groceries. In addition the thing aboout employment when it comes to hikkimoris - its their choice if they don't want to work. I can't tell either it's the mental problem or in many cases just being lazy.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
I can't work remotely so I have little of interaction with people at work. Basides studing at home and not meeting up with friends I don't feel much of a difference. I also can't stop working as the money is important to pay bills. So... Bascially... Becoming a hikkimori would cause a lot of problems. I must avoid that :)
I think our cultures are too different for that to happen. Parents here would never let their children to stay in home all day without doing anything productive, they would rather kick them from the house.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
I don't need to keep my mental health in check, I really like current situation and I wouldn't mind if I could live like this for a longer time. Not having to spend 4 hours per day on traveling to school, and just tuning in to classes with one click of a mouse feels amazing. This lifestyle suits me so well I will try to find a job that lets me do all the work from my home.
Staying all the time inside isn't healthy though, so I go for a short walk everyday. After such a thing I feel really refreshed and ready to stay in my house for longer.
@Leya
Thank you for your comment, Lena! It's a very interesting perspective, I haven't thought about while writing my post. It sounds reasonable, the definition might change, especially for western culture, taking post-COVID dropouts under its hood. Interesting!
That's a really healthy habit, wow! You must me a treasure for your friends are relatives :) Messaging without any reason, just of out the blue - I imagine that might be a strong panaceum for feeling loneliness.
2. I was trying to do something and not to think about problems that I have no influence on anyway. It didn't always work out, and I think my mental health suffered throughout the lockdown. All the pathos of the situation made me more nervous. I get tired of situations that are not important, but their very occurrence is a problem for me. I try to fight it.
Thank you for your comment. Not sure if you had, but in case you hadn't, the video I linked mentions many hikkikomrians do work. Probably not a majority, as most of the jobs require some heavy social interactions, but for a freelance graphic designer or writer... it's not a deal-breaker.
With covid, the home delivery of groceries become easier and cheaper. Many aspects of our lives became more socially distancing friendly.
Good, you stay active during the lockdown and don't lose hope :) Stay strong, Artur!
I agree with your point with your parents. Our social foundation just works heavily against becoming 'stereotypical' eastern hikikomori. Someone mentioned above in the comments, that post-COVID, the definition of hikikomori might change. Maybe it will be adjusted to our culture? Who knows :)
I'm with you on feeling just fine with the current situation, and I don't mind if the world keeps going like this for a longer time. I feel healthy and comfortable in my current situation. This actually makes me a bit worry if I'm not becoming a hikikomori myself, but as my job is very social I might be just fine... Hopefully :)
We see the world in a similar shade of gray :) I'm also seeing all of it going all wrong for us. With the rise of gaming in recent months, it's indeed way easier for me to have occasional contact with random friends or people, as the communities grew in size rapidly, always having a new interesting newcomer to chat with.
It's good you are self-aware regarding mental health. I hope the rest of the lockdown will go well for you, without making you nervous any more than necessary. Wish you all best!
1. Do you think the hikikomori will become more prominent in the Western culture after the post-covid digitalization of our lives?
I think it's really possible. Even I having a job and studying, suffered symptoms described above. I took 2-3 weeks of break in work, minimized studying and stayed at home sleeping almost whole day. I don't know if exactly the same image of hikikomori is possible in Poland but I think people are more and more tired of living. Many people I know are sucked into procrastination loop and need help. They usually take some medications to boost up their serotonin level.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
I kinda don't think much about my mental health. I know it's bad and getting worse but there is really nothing much that I can do. The only thing what's left is staying strong, focusing on current matters of living. Who knows how will the world look like after this whole pandemic situation and isolation.
I think there might be some cases of hikikomori in the Western culture after the pandemic, especially after seeing that a lot of work and learning can be done thanks to the internet.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
I've always been an introverted person, so the isolation isn't as hard for me as it is for other people, but still I keep in touch with my friends through the internet. It's a shame that it's hard to see other people these days, but it's not as bad as some people say, since we have a lot of ways of communication.
I'm pretty sure the covid situation will have a significant impact on hikikomori spreading speed and sooner or later it will become a massive social problem just like it is in Asia.
2. How do you keep your mental health in check during last year's social isolation? How does staying up home almost-all-the-time affect you?
To be honest I don't really feel like it affects me at all. Actually I enjoy staying at home because I don't have to commute and waste few hours everyday just to do that.
Sounds depressive. Like with many other mental illness - they are all slightly tangled together. You first do a checkup for the most common sickness (let's say depression), and if symptoms are too heavy then you only move to 'deeper' ones like hikikomori.
I'm glad you've taken steps to improve your mental state. Best luck!
@Grzegorz Rostek:
I got you there. I have a similar impression of isolation. it's overall fine, I'm not missing much human interactions. When they are easily accessible I surely reach out for them, but now - meh, I don't mind :)
@Maciej Karnicki:
Good you are finding yourself comfortable! Remember, our relatives might not be coping with the current situation as good as you (and me!) are, so remember to support them and do regular checkups on their well-being.
Best of luck!