Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that ‘Hikikomori’, a concept of Japanese origin, can be defined as ‘self-isolation syndrome’ or ‘social withdrawal disorder’, adding, “This condition, which emerged especially during adolescence, was first identified in Japan in the 1990s; although initially thought to be specific to Japanese culture, it has now become a global problem.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that "loneliness" has now turned into a concrete public health problem, saying, "Statistics show that the risk of chronic disease is 26 percent higher in individuals who say 'I am very lonely.' This situation damages our body as much as smoking one pack of cigarettes a day."
Tarhan stated that in "Hikikomori"-like cases where individuals confine themselves to their homes and even struggle to go to the toilet, it should first be investigated whether there is an underlying biological cause. He said, "We primarily screen these young people for social communication difficulties such as depression and autism spectrum disorder."
Uskudar University Founding Rector, Psychiatrist Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan, evaluated the topic of Silent Epidemic: Hikikomori Loneliness Disorder in the program Akla Ziyan with Nevzat Tarhan, broadcast on EKOTÜRK screens.
Confining oneself to home…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that ‘Hikikomori’, a concept of Japanese origin, means "hiki" avoidance and "komori" means withdrawal or confining oneself to home, and continued:
“It can be conceptually translated into Turkish as ‘self-isolation syndrome’ or ‘social withdrawal disorder.’ This condition, which emerged especially during adolescence, was first identified in Japan in the 1990s; although initially thought to be specific to Japanese culture, it has now become a global problem. The main symptoms of Hikikomori are as follows: the person avoids social environments, does not want to leave home, confines themselves to home, withdraws not only physically but also emotionally and mentally, reduces social interactions to almost zero; they may appear cheerful but are internally isolated, show excessive fondness for virtual games, especially avoid structural responsibilities like school and work, home becomes the only safe space, and there is an attachment to parents, but this bond is distant and contradictory; they do not show emotional closeness to family members but cannot break away from them either.”
Diagnosis can be made when it lasts 6 months or longer
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said that a diagnosis can be made when this condition lasts 6 months or longer, and added, “There is a 25-question assessment scale developed in Japan; an 8-question adaptation is also available in Turkey. This syndrome is considered one of the subtypes of depression.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan noted that these children are often the offspring of overprotective mothers and busy, distant fathers. He stated, “Overprotectiveness causes a child to grow up without taking responsibility. Children who are not given sufficient responsibility at a young age become insecure towards the outside world. Furthermore, the limited interests of these children narrow their mental development. Parents guiding the child to various social activities and providing experiences in versatile areas such as play, art, and nature increases the child's brain development and resilience. Children who do not take responsibility cannot recognize the satisfaction that comes from working. Yet, even contributing to household chores or helping an elder is very important for a child's development.”
As the process progresses, school and peer rejection develop
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that a lack of healthy communication is often observed in the families where these children are raised. He said, “Conflicts at home can escalate from even a small problem into major tensions. In such cases, the child creates a safe space for themselves in their room and, over time, normalizes social isolation. As the process progresses, school rejection and then peer rejection develop. Normally, after the age of 10, peer relationships become more important for a child than parent-child relationships, yet these children avoid their peers. This situation makes them vulnerable to peer bullying and deepens the cycle of loneliness. Indeed, Japan and England have drawn attention to this situation by establishing ministries of loneliness. It has now become a problem not only on an individual but also on a societal level.”
They become dependent, not attached, to their parents
Prof. Dr. Tarhan pointed out that these children usually form fake bonds through social media and digital environments. He said, “They are satisfied with superficial, temporary, and artificial praises, far from real relationships. These fake bonds give children a false sense of ‘being valued.’ Since they cannot distinguish between real and fake, they perceive these environments as safer. The overly critical or judgmental attitude of parents causes the child to feel as if they are in a courtroom even at home. For this reason, the child tends to connect more in the digital world. Humans cannot live without forming bonds; the child tries to fill this void with virtual bonds. However, these bonds are artificial and further deepen the feeling of loneliness. Being alone eventually becomes a habit and creates a false sense of peace. At the end of this situation, the child becomes dependent, not attached, to their parents, and as the process progresses, they begin to reject them.”
Loneliness causes as much damage as smoking one pack of cigarettes a day
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that "loneliness," which the United Nations declared as one of the three major global threats facing the future, has now turned into a concrete public health problem. He said, "Statistics show that the risk of chronic disease is 26 percent higher in individuals who say 'I am very lonely.' This situation damages our body as much as smoking one pack of cigarettes a day."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that modernism fuels this global epidemic by glorifying "selfishness" under the name of "individualization," and described the selection of "crowded loneliness" as "word of the year" in Turkey as the "silent cry" of modernism.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that humans, being social beings, are in fact pushed into a path contrary to their nature by the doctrine of living without needing others.
Chosen loneliness is wisdom…
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that not all loneliness is bad, and "chosen loneliness" is a "journey of inner discovery" where a person gets to know themselves, and an opportunity for wisdom. He defined the real danger as an individual being forced into loneliness against their will, describing the selfishness underlying this situation as "social cancer."
"Selfish and narcissistic people are limitless, irresponsible, and insatiable, just like a tumor cell. Just as our body fights these cells, society must also combat these 'toxic' personalities." Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that the chronic stress caused by loneliness suppresses the immune system, disrupting the body's self-repair mechanism, and that the next step of this global threat is depression, with the solution lying in strengthening social bonds.
Early wear and tear occurs in the brains of individuals suffering from chronic loneliness
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that chronic loneliness, which has increased especially among young people after the pandemic and manifests itself with problems such as school refusal, leads to concrete and measurable damage in the brain. He said, "Studies show that in the brains of individuals suffering from chronic loneliness, the hippocampus, which is the memory area, the anterior cingulate cortex, which regulates emotions, and areas related to meaning-making physically shrink. This situation leaves individuals vulnerable to early wear and tear and mental disorders.”
Prof. Dr. Tarhan warned that the constant stress caused by loneliness disrupts gene expression, causing the body to signal "danger even when there is no danger" and leading to autoimmune diseases like thyroid issues. He emphasized that young people growing up in environments with weak family communication and where rules cannot be balanced with courtesy are more exposed to this risk, and the solution lies in teaching children healthy communication and problem-solving skills.
Why are men more at risk in the loneliness epidemic?
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that men are at greater risk than women regarding loneliness and social isolation, and said that the fundamental reason for this lies in the differences in the genetic codes of female and male brains.
"The female brain is more developed in empathy and verbal expression skills due to innate maternal codes. While women seek solutions by talking and socializing under stress, the male brain withdraws into its mental sanctuary and becomes introverted." Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that this fundamental difference makes men more prone to peer bullying, social isolation, and situations like confining themselves to home.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that in young people who shut themselves off from life, even the concept of time can be disrupted, and they might forget which month or day it is. He added that women are theoretically expected to be more resilient to this global loneliness epidemic due to carrying more social genetic codes.
"Imprisonment in the virtual world" increased among young people after the pandemic
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the increasing "imprisonment in the virtual world" and loneliness epidemic among young people, especially after the pandemic, is based on the unlimited comfort and wrong life philosophy offered by families to their children. He said, “Parents who give their child everything they want just to avoid problems, and who let the child take leadership of the house, are actually not teaching them the limits of life."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that children with high stress levels at home see the virtual world, where sources of pleasure are easily accessed without effort, as a "shelter." He reminded that there are babies given tablets as "cheap babysitters" who even scroll screens with their fingers in their dreams, and that Scandinavian countries have completely banned screens until the age of 3.
"Instead of offering our children medium and long-term goals, we are teaching them a life focused solely on instant pleasure and dopamine. A young person who doesn't ask 'Where will you be in 5-10 years?' becomes a slave to a virtual world full of money, fame, and applause." Prof. Dr. Tarhan called on families to offer their children a life focused on meaning and purpose.
Communication in the virtual environment is "virtual," not "social"
Prof. Dr. Tarhan underlined that communication in the virtual environment is "virtual," not "social," and stated that these interactions, lacking real physical contact, only activate the brain's areas related to imagination.
"In real social life, the five senses, motor skills, empathy, and social boundaries are learned. In the virtual environment, however, children cannot learn from mistakes and the reactions of others, leading to individuals who cannot learn social boundaries." Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that individuals with low self-confidence and who cannot manage their stress escape to virtual environments, especially games, which offer false approval and engagement.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that humans are "relational beings" and that when they feel socially secure, the danger circuits in their brain quiet down. He also stated that there is a direct causal link between happiness and loneliness.
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that individuals pushed into loneliness seek refuge in instant pleasures to escape real problems. He added, "However, if they choose a life focused on purpose and meaning, even if they struggle at first, they will gain in the medium and long term. Humans want to be part of a whole and a meaning; the real solution to happiness and loneliness lies here."
Families should increase the positive instead of fighting the negative
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that the protesting and negative attitudes of a 15-year-old are usually rooted in the family's "excessive intervention mixed with excessive love." He added, "You cannot manage a child after the age of 10; instead of trying to shape them like a sculptor, you should be a 'fellow traveler' on their life's journey."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that an authoritarian attitude, especially in children with a developed sense of autonomy, leads to the opposite reaction and the development of a "reverse identity." He advised families to adopt a strategy of "increasing the positive" instead of "fighting the negative."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan said, "To enter a child's world, open a door through their interests (music, computer, art). Instead of giving advice and lectures, first praise the child's good qualities. When the relationship of trust is refreshed, the child will naturally abandon their mistakes."
Depression and autism are investigated
Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan stated that in "Hikikomori"-like cases where individuals confine themselves to their homes and even struggle to go to the toilet, it should first be investigated whether there is an underlying biological cause. He said, "We primarily screen these young people for social communication difficulties such as depression and autism spectrum disorder. If there are problems like nonverbal learning disability, the treatment changes completely."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that there has been a significant increase in such cases and adolescent suicide attempts after the pandemic, and while previously rarely needed, now it is difficult to find space in adolescent services. He said, "If parents in the family speak a common language, act consistently, and do not create polarization among children, these young people recover quickly."
Prof. Dr. Tarhan emphasized that the most basic need of adolescents experiencing loneliness and social isolation is "to be treated as a person" and "to be valued." He said it is very important for families to involve them in decision-making processes by asking questions like "How should we do this?" instead of simple questions like "How are you today?"
However, despite all these efforts, Prof. Dr. Tarhan stated that if a teenager frequently brings up topics related to death, asks questions, or adopts a mood as if they are "going on a long journey," it is a very serious alarm signal. He concluded by saying, "In this situation, it is life-saving for families to seek expert support without delay."