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hadashi1919's review
3.0
This is not a case study book. It is a book for families with hikikomori children and clinicians who are looking for basic information. If you are looking for case studies, look elsewhere.
With that said, it is a well written and easy to understand book, even for those with no pysch background. The translation felt a bit clunky at times and many points were repeated over and over.
With that said, it is a well written and easy to understand book, even for those with no pysch background. The translation felt a bit clunky at times and many points were repeated over and over.
nealalex's review
4.0
Unlike some of the sensational stories in Western media, this is a compassionate review of hikikomori, or social withdrawal. The term has become a concrete noun as well, so that someone – usually an adolescent or young adult – can be a hikikomori. The author cites a 2010 study estimating their number in Japan at about 700,000. The book was written to inform families and guide them on ways to integrate hikikomori back into society.
The author understands hikikomori as, essentially, an escape from peer and family pressures to achieve educational or career status. In terms of schools, he makes an observation that could well apply outside Japan: “It is because students are differentiated in an environment where they are supposed to be treated homogeneously that school becomes a hotbed of jealousy and bullying”. In fact the author briefly describes a phenomenon similar to hikikomori in Korea. On the other hand he argues that, in Western countries, the end state for this escape is homelessness, whereas in Japan it’s very rare for a young person to be ever unwelcome at home.
As a psychiatrist, the author describes what he’s found to be the best route to reintegration of hikikomori. The first thing, he says, is that the whole family must agree to the therapy process: easier said than done when one of the sources of the hikikomori behaviour is often failure to meet parental expectations. The next task is gradually to re-integrate into the family, by conversing, however briefly, keeping doors open (literally) and so on. Then the final stage is to use the family as a base for re-entering society.
The author understands hikikomori as, essentially, an escape from peer and family pressures to achieve educational or career status. In terms of schools, he makes an observation that could well apply outside Japan: “It is because students are differentiated in an environment where they are supposed to be treated homogeneously that school becomes a hotbed of jealousy and bullying”. In fact the author briefly describes a phenomenon similar to hikikomori in Korea. On the other hand he argues that, in Western countries, the end state for this escape is homelessness, whereas in Japan it’s very rare for a young person to be ever unwelcome at home.
As a psychiatrist, the author describes what he’s found to be the best route to reintegration of hikikomori. The first thing, he says, is that the whole family must agree to the therapy process: easier said than done when one of the sources of the hikikomori behaviour is often failure to meet parental expectations. The next task is gradually to re-integrate into the family, by conversing, however briefly, keeping doors open (literally) and so on. Then the final stage is to use the family as a base for re-entering society.
lopi's review
3.0
Half of the book talks about the psychology of hikikomori patients without delving at all about why Japan faces this problem. (In fact it outright objects thats this is a uniquely Japanese phenomenon). The 2nd half is really a self help book for families who have family members who are socially withdrawn.
An interesting book but, though some aspects I could relate to personally, I don't know anyone in this situation so I kind of sometimes glossed over the actual "what to do to get help" part.
An interesting book but, though some aspects I could relate to personally, I don't know anyone in this situation so I kind of sometimes glossed over the actual "what to do to get help" part.
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