Brazilian Experts Highlight Growing Hikikomori Youth Isolation

The phenomenon known as hikikomori—extreme social withdrawal where adolescents and young adults remain confined to their homes and interact mainly through digital screens—has drawn increasing attention from mental‑health professionals. Originating in Japan, the condition affects an estimated 1 % to 2 % of Japanese teenagers, but reliable prevalence data are lacking elsewhere. Researchers discussed the issue at the Encéphale 2026 psychiatry congress in France, noting its emergence in multiple countries.

Psychiatrist Alfredo Maluf of Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein warned that hikikomori remains unclassified in major diagnostic manuals such as the ICD and DSM‑5, often being subsumed under internet‑dependency or related psychiatric disorders. He described two forms: a primary type occurring without other mental‑health diagnoses, and a secondary type linked to conditions such as depression, anxiety, social phobia, schizophrenia, autism spectrum traits, or ADHD. Diagnosis is complicated when patients meet criteria for other disorders, causing hikikomori to be viewed as a secondary presentation. Risk factors identified include low self‑esteem, bullying history, family dysfunction, and excessive screen use.