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A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

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Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#21

Post by PaulHoule »

csa wrote: post #14
theprop wrote: post #10

"Outside Japan, there are just two case reports of hikikomori syndrome, one in Oman and one in Spain." I agree that this should be quite common around the world. In the U.S., there are a lot of 20-year-old men who live with their parents or have a part-time undemanding job and spend most of their time playing video games, etc. and don't intend to get married.

Most/all of what you describe is not hikikomori. The "pure" form of hikis will rarely even leave their rooms. The idea of a part time job is very much not something a pure hiki would do. There is a lot of social maladjustment in Japan -- I've never seen this to the same extent in the US or EU. It might be possible in some middle eastern countries due to extreme religious reasons (e.g., Oman), but the underlying reaso…

I dunno.

I do know people with panic disorder (and the associated agoraphobia) and social phobia who live on a "Non24" calendar (they might call you at 2am in the morning but not be awake at 3pm.) Depression, anxiety, drug use all compliate the equation, but it's hard to believe that this phenomenon is all that different from hikkiomori.

Many cultures take pride in an imagined exceptionalism and Japan is one of the leaders in that. It serves their ideology to believe that they have a disease that others don't.

I also have the impression that many people have subclinical agoraphobic or social phobic disorders. For instance, my dad was high functioning in many ways but he absolutely refused to go to any kind of retail space, including the store my mom worked at.

Social phobia has a strong association with bullying; some people survive bullying pretty well, but it has a devastating effect on many. Behind the misogyny of the tech culture you might find deep anger about how many smart people were shut out socially in high school. Some people find a pillar of stability that helps them get through it, but the experience of being in a hostile crowd can damage you profoundly.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#22

Post by csa »

PaulHoule wrote: post #21
csa wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most/all of what you describe is not hikikomori. The "pure" form of hikis will rarely even leave their rooms. The idea of a part time job is very much not something a pure hiki would do. There is a lot of social maladjustment in Japan -- I've never seen this to the same extent in the US or EU. It might be possible in some middle eastern countries due to extreme religious reasons (e.g., Oman), but the underlying reaso…

I dunno. I do know people with panic disorder (and the associated agoraphobia) and social phobia who live on a "Non24" calendar (they might call you at 2am in the morning but not be awake at 3pm.) Depression, anxiety, drug use all compliate the equation, but it's hard to believe that this phenomenon is all that different from hikkiomori. Many cultures take pride in an imagined exceptionalism and Japan is one of the l…

What you describe is definitely "an issue" -- I know people like this in the US.

This is not the issue that hikikomori is representing.

FWIW, I don't think that this is actually unique to Japan -- I just think that it has become easier to document in Japan because so many folks in Japan are starting to think that being a hiki is a good idea, and there is societal infrastructure there to support it.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#23

Post by [deleted] »

PaulHoule wrote: post #21
csa wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most/all of what you describe is not hikikomori. The "pure" form of hikis will rarely even leave their rooms. The idea of a part time job is very much not something a pure hiki would do. There is a lot of social maladjustment in Japan -- I've never seen this to the same extent in the US or EU. It might be possible in some middle eastern countries due to extreme religious reasons (e.g., Oman), but the underlying reaso…

I dunno. I do know people with panic disorder (and the associated agoraphobia) and social phobia who live on a "Non24" calendar (they might call you at 2am in the morning but not be awake at 3pm.) Depression, anxiety, drug use all compliate the equation, but it's hard to believe that this phenomenon is all that different from hikkiomori. Many cultures take pride in an imagined exceptionalism and Japan is one of the l…

[deleted]

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#24

Post by a3n »

codezero wrote: post #7
nyolfen wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

my experiences resonate with yours. i'm still a hermit but my withdrawal isn't nearly as total as it was from 18-22, when as you said i experienced total ego destruction and inability to cope with being an adult. i'm almost done with my bachelor's degree now (two weeks!), finally, at 28. i'm actually in the middle of writing a very long final essay about hikikomori for one of my classes this semester. go figure!

congrats to you, I got my BS at 28 as well, and was happy to do it then rather than when I was 22 :)

31.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#25

Post by EuroHikikomori »

I have been living as a Hikikomori for the last eight years. Every two years I leave my home for a few hours, but I spend the rest of the time in front of my computers.

I don't have any friends in real life or online and the only people I interact with are my parents.

Every meal is prepared for me so the only thing I have to do is my laundry once a month.

I often think about how fast time flies when living this lifestyle. A year feels like a month to me.

The sad part is that I have missed out on most things a normal person experiences. The twenties for most people is about experiences, creating lifelong memories, parties and fun. It feels like my twenties was over in the blink of an eye and left a book with empty pages. My youth has run into the sand.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#26

Post by nnfy »

EuroHikikomori wrote: post #25

I have been living as a Hikikomori for the last eight years. Every two years I leave my home for a few hours, but I spend the rest of the time in front of my computers. I don't have any friends in real life or online and the only people I interact with are my parents. Every meal is prepared for me so the only thing I have to do is my laundry once a month. I often think about how fast time flies when living this lifes…

The sooner you make a change, the fewer of your life's pages will be blank.

Think more of the future and less of the past. I know how it feels to think that you missed out on years of your young life, but you soon forget when you fill your present with positive experiences.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#27

Post by dajohnson89 »

csa wrote: post #22
PaulHoule wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dunno. I do know people with panic disorder (and the associated agoraphobia) and social phobia who live on a "Non24" calendar (they might call you at 2am in the morning but not be awake at 3pm.) Depression, anxiety, drug use all compliate the equation, but it's hard to believe that this phenomenon is all that different from hikkiomori. Many cultures take pride in an imagined exceptionalism and Japan is one of the l…

What you describe is definitely "an issue" -- I know people like this in the US. This is not the issue that hikikomori is representing. FWIW, I don't think that this is actually unique to Japan -- I just think that it has become easier to document in Japan because so many folks in Japan are starting to think that being a hiki is a good idea, and there is societal infrastructure there to support it.

Any sources on the claim that people are starting to think that being hiki is a good idea?

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#28

Post by nnfy »

It sounds like modern technology and culture are just more enabling of the kind of withdrawal that is typical of depression. In past decades it would be much more difficult for a human to willingly wall him or herself inside of a single room for extended periods; now we have the internet.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#29

Post by torgoguys »

...so is partly a matter that these parents are enablers?

At one time in my life, I'm sure I'd love to have done nothing but stay alone in my room for months of time sleeping and doing internet stuff, with my meals and such prepared for me and placed by my bedroom door, but there is no way my parents would have allowed that.

Re: A New Form of Social Withdrawal in Japan: A Review of ‘Hikikomori’ (2009)

#30

Post by toomuchtodo »

cpersona wrote: post #19
hikineet wrote: post #2

Hikikomori is not only a Japanese phenomenon. I was Hikiki for a year after dropping out of college. I lived with my parents playing WoW all night and sleeping all day. I had very few social interactions. What dragged me into that lifestyle was the complete destruction of my ego. I was simply unprepared to live as an adult. It's not much of a surprise I couldn't cope. In high-school I was coddled for being smart and…

I don't think you could have more perfectly described what I experienced. The only thing that kept me from completely succumbing to it was my family's economic situation. I was something of a functional hikiki, drowning on the inside but putting on a normal mask for the outside world.

Are things better now?
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