The article addresses the topic of hikikomori, a Japanese term that describes extreme and prolonged social isolation. The criterion used in Japan to define this condition is at least six months without attending school, without working, and without social interaction, although there are cases that extend for years. A Japanese government survey estimated that approximately one million four hundred sixty thousand people are in this situation.
The text presents accounts from mothers who share their experiences on social media, describing routines dedicated to caring for children who stopped leaving their rooms. According to these accounts, the young people remain playing and using the computer during the day and night, without wanting to see anyone, and families begin to organize their entire routine around this situation.
The article mentions that there is a common confusion between hikikomori and depression, suggesting that people frequently associate prolonged isolation with a depressive condition, without considering the particularities of the hikikomori phenomenon.
