The Japanese government has published research suggesting 80% of the nation’s hikikomori may be mentally ill, with two thirds of those diagnosed having such serious conditions as schizophrenia or mental retardation.
A research group from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare cooperated with psychiatrists working at 5 mental health treatment centres over several years. They examined hikikomori cases involving subjects aged 16-35 who approached the centre for assistance.
Approximately 80% of the cases resulted in a firm diagnosis, and of those a third involved mental conditions such as schizophrenia or anxiety disorder, all of which were considered to require medication.
A further third involved mental retardation and developmental disorders.
The remaining third were considered to have generic “personality defects” or “maladjustment,” and were prescribed treatment centred on counseling.
Researchers guess there may be as many as 260,000 child hikikomori in Japan, and are urging that they receive attention from mental health professionals lest they develop into lifetime hikikomori.
The wider implications of even conducting such research suggest the government may be interested in addressing its inconvenient hikikomori problem by redefining what has traditionally been seen as a social phenomenon as a medical condition, an approach which could perhaps eventually culminate in involuntary treatment for hikikomori.
I guess I’m a retarded schizophrenic? Well, that’s not much different from what they used to call me anyway…
I personally give me credence to the Shame culture and crushing effects of Capital industrialization on many forcing many people to "drop out" of the system and stay lock-ins.
You have to worry about public shame, your shame and the shame of your family, the stress of k-12 school grades, the stress of trying to get a job and of keeping one. The stress and expectation of getting a GOOD job. It's no wonder some people simply collapse under the pressure.
Why would Japan have many more shut-ins than many other places. Doesn't that insult the ultra-nationalistic feelings about their so called "race".
I agree that shame culture is in many ways at many times overestimated, but I think blaming economics and social cultural aspects that are pretty well understood and supported is better than calling such people a bunch of retards.
I totally agree with you, people who are overwhelmed by society’s demands end up breaking down. Not everyone lives an easy successful life, or can reach their dreams when billions of others are also pursuing the same thing. You can only do so much in life.
I have to point out that most of those ‘successful’ people also have done things that would be abhorrent to other people, like cheating people out of money, land, etc.
It is possible to create value or limit value destruction entirely by commuting, and I assure you if half of hikkikomoris did that, Japan would have a hell of a problem with them.
Technically, if they contributed raw, easily visible, money to Japan, Japanese society wouldn’t have a problem with them.
Moneymaking isn’t as transparent as it used to be.
>>How do you know that hikkis contributed nothing to society?
Because if they were, Japan wouldn’t have any problem with them.
2Anonymous@18:39,
How do you know that hikkis contributed nothing to society? They could be coding something open source for all we know while staying anonymous.
Unless such a being absolutely does not interact even online it always contributes smth to society however piece of trash or genius he/she are. Even those that do not interact may be of use unlike pets that almost always useless to humans besides looks.
And yet these people have contributed to a society’s growth mainly from their business, or interaction with others, which ultimately lead to society benefiting.
Contrast that to hikkis who, um, what, feed off their parents?
I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own
^ Myhbusters FTW
….. Wow …… That’s incredibly blunt … I like it.
I was an American “hikkomori” and I tested borderline genius. Guess us 20%ers don’t count, huh?
Guess we don’t. Also I find it funny that you have to cite an intelligence test to be certain of your mental aptitude whereas I need only call into memory the various scientific facts, programming languages, classical literature, musical/artistic talents, etc., I have garnered/developed over the years. Does that split the other 20% into 10% know-it-alls and 10% actual geniuses?
Hmm indeed!
You can only be a genuis when you
A: Know s♥♥t
B: Know how to apply that s♥♥t into a practical activity.