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“Hikikomori” is a Japanese term that literally means “to be
alone” and is generally used to refer to those who make the decision to
withdraw from social life for long periods of time (ranging from some months to
several years), locking themselves in their own bedrooms, without any direct
contact with the outside world.
It’s a phenomenon that affects mainly young males between
the ages of 14 and 30, although the
number of isolated females might have been underestimated by the surveys
that have been carried out so far.
Currently there are over
500,000 confirmed cases in Japan, but according to the relevant authorities
the number might even reach one million people (1% of the entire Japanese
population). It is therefore an incredibly vast phenomenon, yet not many have
heard speak of it, especially outside of Japan.
Even in Italy, there is growing attention being paid to the
phenomenon. Infact, the hikikomori doesn’t even seem to be an exclusively
Japanese cultural sindrome, as was initially thought, but a social unease that
affects all economically developed nations on the planet. As a national
association we estimate that in our country there are at least 100,000 cases.
The causes can be varied:
- Character dependant: hikikomori are often intelligent children, but also particularly introverted and sensitive. This temperament contributes to their difficulty in establishing satisfying and lasting relationships, as well as how to effectively deal with the inevitable difficulties that life has in store;
- Familial: the father’s emotional absence and an excessive attachment to the mother are indicated as possible causes, especially in the Japanese context. The parents struggle to relate to their child, who will often refuse any sort of help;
- Scholastic: refusing to go to school is one of the first alarm bells of hikikomori. The scholastic environment is experienced in a particularly negative way. Often behind cases of isolation hides a story of received bullying.
- Social: hikikomori have a very negative view of society and particularly suffer pressures of social realization from which they try to escape in every way they can.
All this leads to an ever increasing demotivation and
difficulty of the subject in coming face-to-face with social life, until the
eventual total refusal of it.
Even internet addiction is often indicated as one of the
main causes responsible for the explosion of the phenomenon but it is not the
case: it represents a
consequence, not a cause of it.
The main objective of the association “Hikikomori Italia” is that of informing, raising awareness, and attempting to spark a critical reflection around this phenomenon. The aim is to understand, not cure. Face the problem without stigmatizing or judging it.
A second objective, though by no means less important, is
that of providing Italian youths who feel close to being hikikomori, as well as
the parents who have a child suffering this condition, the possibility of being
able to confront themselves with one another by means of online spaces (Forum | Chat | FB group) or personally
within our mutual help groups dedicated to parents.
If, like me, you wish to better understand what hikikomori
is and what its real causes are, I invite you to read the posts present within
this blog and to follow us on our social channels (Facebook | Instagram | YouTube).
Thank you.
President and founder of “Hikikomori Italia”
marco.crepaldi@hikikomoriitalia.it