What type of disorder is hikikomori?

Cases of hikikomori are often, but not always, classifiable as a variety of existing DSM-IV-TR (or ICD-10) psychiatric disorders. Hikikomori may be considered a culture-bound syndrome.

Is hikikomori a mental illness?

While there is controversy as to whether hikikomori should be a psychiatric diagnosis or not, hikikomori is usually considered a “disorder” by clinicians in Japan (20).

Why do people turn into hikikomori?

While many become hikikomori due to bullying or harassment from teachers, it is highly rare for the cause to be abuse or post-traumatic stress disorder. Once someone has entered the “hikikomori system” over the longer term, they fall into a vicious cycle, which Saitō expressed with the diagrams below.

Is hikikomori real?

Hikikomori is currently viewed as a sociocultural mental health phenomenon, rather than a distinct mental illness. Given at least 1.2\% of the population (around a million people) are affected, hikikomori is a significant social and health problem. Hikikomori is also increasingly being identified in other countries.

Are NEET and hikikomori the same?

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare defined NEET as “people who are not employed, not in school, not a homemaker, and not seeking a job” and Hikikomori as “those who are neither in work nor school, do not have social interactions and are socially withdrawn for more than 6 months.”

Can a hikikomori have a job?

Most hikikomori people don’t work or make money. Their families have to support them. Hikikomori make money by working online. Hikikomori sell their wares on eBay and Etsy, they do freelance programming or graphic design, they trade stocks or play the foreign exchange market, and so on.

How do you know if you’re a hikikomori?

Hikikomori has been defined by a Japanese expert group as having the following characteristics: Spending most of the time at home. No interest in going to school or working. Persistence of withdrawal for more than 6 months.