What is Your Main Concern?

Question: If you can know one thing out of the hikikomori research, what would you want to know about? Or put it this way, what is your main concern about hikikomorii? I'll try to accommodate these question into my research. Contribution of ideas are welcome, and if you would like to get involve in a certain degree, please drop me a line. Thank you! Email me: yangjinhong@gmail.com

Breakthrough 2

PP cannot come to Malaysia because he had an accident. When he gets well, we will probably meet in Tokyo during April. PP really needs to get away, and probably seeing Sakura is a good therapy for him.

S is still working on her schedule. She continues to go to different support station, hoping to get rid of hikikomori, although each time she comes back with disappointment and more questions.

Haven't seen Z online these days, yet plans to visit her in Feb and bring her back to Malaysia together with me is set.

There are new breakthroughs again, as we started our own hikikomori group online. Somehow it gave me some ideas how we can walk with them when I reach Tokyo. I need support on this matter. If the church or some Christian businessmen can come together and set up something for them in Tokyo, probably that would be wonderful. A concept of social entrepreneur .......

Let's pray with me, if you are following this blog! Let me know if you can help!

Breakthrough

PP is coming to meet me in Malaysia for Christmas, and S-chan is coming over in January. These are good moves! Even for non-hikikomori, taking a trip alone to a foreign country takes great courage! Let's pray that the Lord will uphold them in their trip, and may their visits in Malaysia will open their eyes for an entire new world. Let's ask the Lord of Harvest for a BREAKTHROUGH!!!

Meeting with people of hikikomori

I am writing this article as a Christian at the same time a researcher of the topic of hikikomori.

At a small town, I had this opportunity to stay with a hikikomori family where two sisters are hikikomori. The family had been mentally isolated for more than fifteen years. Both sisters actively seek counseling from specialists, hospitals, books, yet except being labeled as hikikomori, and being hospitalized for further treatment. Although both sisters have not physically isolated themselves at present, but they are strongly convinced that they are hikikomori, as they were labeled as hikikomori when they went for treatment. Hikikomori became an excuse of self-limiting in their situation.

There are two things that I observed in the field about Hikikomori:

(1) when ijime(school bullying) is listed as a factor, there is a need for further clarification. At many times, it could be cultural clash between rural and urban; or plain misunderstanding; or verbal assaults. “People laughed at my appearance. They think I am funny.” “I was slow in action, and they were all very fast, and I was scolded because I was slow.” "Maybe someone had said something about her face, she didn't like it." Some may had taken this as a form of ijime, but it is also about common interaction between people and acceptance of others in different perspectives and cultural settings.

(2) the fear of Potential Hikikomori: I found the fear of "potential hikikomori" could probably be a confusion between the concept of “inner child” in Christian healing and deliverance with “hikikomori”. We need to understand that hikikomori is a condition rather than a disease. People who are NEET (Not in Education,Employment nor Training) are not Hikikomori, because these people may not be isolating themselves. People who are unable to mix well with others, or people who find it hard to trust others do not make them a Hikikomori. Only when one totally isolate oneself physically with the duration of 6 months an above the person is considered as a Hikikomori. There is only Hikikomori or Not Hikikomori. The concept of "potential Hikikomori" is a rather vague concept, that most often lead to misunderstanding.

We need to understand that social problem is all over the world. Since the fall of mankind, we felt isolated from God. This is exactly why we need God and to come back to Him through Jesus Christ! Yet in the field, I have observed Christians who believed themselves as “potential hikikomori" and due to their "potential Hikikomori" they believe they cannot come before God. It is important to understand it is SIN that blinded our eyes to the presence of a loving God who can LOVE us despite our WEAKNESSES. The concept of inner child in healing and deliverance is actually to help us to understand our human weakness and vulnerability so that we can pursue God! The concept of inner child is not to tell us that we are "potential Hikikomori" nor for self-pity, and it is definitely not to justify our weak relationship with God!

Sin is the root of bitterness. Unforgiveness and failing to see people and things through God’s perspective is the sin that had caused us to be bitter in our lives! The root of bitterness is not mental illness, and definitely not “hikikomori”. In the life of believers, pursuing God, dying to ourselves daily is our main duty! If we can’t have fellowship with other people, it is not because we are

“hikikomori”, but simply because there are issues with trust and coping with people and situation.

Those are things that the church need to walk together with that person to deal with it. The power of suffering Christ can exchange the deepest wound of man, to warm the most isolated heart and dead spirit. The most powerful tools of the church are: interceding, fellowshipping with genuine love and caregiving. Trusting the Lord will bring forth healing and transformation of those who are poor in spirit! Mat 5: 3

Thesis Available for View

Exploring Hikikomori: A Mixed-Methods Qualitative Research http://hub.hku.hk/handle/123456789/55192

You are welcome to make reference to this material, and please feel free to discuss with me with any issue that you have doubt.

Definition of Health

In the view of health of the World Health Organization:

Health is the extent to which an individual or group is able: to satisfy needs, to realize aspirations, to change or cope with their environment. 

Research had shown that hikikomori have difficulties in coping and poor existentialism. In another word, they were not able to satisfy needs, to realize aspirations nor to change or cope with their environment. We should probably be more conscious about the emotional and social dimensions of health. Hikikomori is definitely a health problem that should not be ignored.

References: 1.) Pencheon D. et.al., Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice. Oxford University Press 2005. Chapter 1.4,  Peter Gentle. Assessing Health Status; 2.) Yong K.F. Exploring Hikikomori-A Mixed-methos Qualitative Research. Hong Kong University, 2008

NEEDING FEEDBACK!!!

If you see the case of Hikikomori in your country/local area that you stay, can you please write to me? yangjinhong@gmail.com

What do you think about the phenomenon of "Hikikomori"?

Are you one of them?

Are you afraid that your friends or your family members are possibly stuck in this situation?

Hikikomori: A person who shut him/herself in for more than six months, without engaging in any social activities (including work, studies, training, social event), without any inter-personal relationship other than family members.

I am hoping to measure the aspects of social structural change/cultural issues/family dynamics which happen with this phenomenon. So, if you have any opinions in this area, let's talk!