Hikikomori: 5 Points On Phenomenon That Has Left 1.5 Million Japanese In Isolation

A person suffering from hikikomori refuses to go outside of the home.

A recent survey has revealed that 1.5 million working-age people in Japan are living as recluses. A fifth of them cited COVID-19 as the main reason for their withdrawal in the government survey, known as hikikomori.

Here are 5 points on hikikomori:

According to the BBC, the term was coined by Japanese psychologist Tamaki Saito in his 1998 book 'Social Withdrawal - Adolescence Without End'.
According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, hikikomori is diagnosed when a person displays severe socially avoidant behaviours for at least six months, causing distress and dysfunction.
A person suffering from hikikomori refuses to go outside of the home, to work or attend school, or even non-social reasons like buying grocery.
The cause of hikikomori is not well established. Some psychologists attribute the condition to stressful event that can trigger socially avoidant behaviour. Some studies find that hikikomori is correlated with dysfunctional family settings or having experienced trauma, as pr Encyclopaedia Britannica.
The phenomenon of social withdrawal has become increasingly prevalent in Japan in recent years. It is associated with feelings of anxiety, depression, and social phobia.