Hikikomori, a culture-bound syndrome or just a different name

More than a couple of years ago, I watched a documentary about Hikikomori.  (For those of you who have never heard of this, please read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hikikomori.  Further, if you can, please donate to Wikipedia for providing such a wealth of information.)  I note that, towards the end of the documentary, it was said that Hikikomori only occurred in Japan.  I recalled discussing this with my Japanese colleague.  Being mental health workers, we did have a healthy discussion about this supposed culture-bound syndrome. 

Years on with a few more years of experience under my belt working with young people...  I am of the opinion that hikikomori is not a culture-bound syndrome BUT RATHER a worldwide issue which comes under various different psychological conceptualisations. 

You may also want to read:

• http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23182523.  FYI, I think that the picture of the bedroom on this website is more realistic.
• http://towakudai.blogs.com/my_weblog/hikikomori/page/2/.  Regarding, the opinion that "hikikomori are mentally healthy people who feel so pressured by society that they socially withdraw".  I disagree with this.  The follow-up comment of "‘Socially’ is the key concept here: they are in duress and so they seek to remove themselves from the source of the pain".  I disagree again.  Of note, two criteria MUST be met for a "disorder" -- firstly, the presentation is not culturally normative; and secondly, the person with the presentation is debilitated.  I do not think that hikikomori is culturally normative because not 70-80% (arbitrary figures that I pull out of my head) of Japanese people respond to such stress by socially withdrawing.  I mean if people are that stressed, they can choose a different job or relocate.  Many people do that regularly -- move from city to country; take a career break et cetera.  I think that the extreme social withdrawal as a means to managing the "source of pain" suggests poor coping to the point of being debilitating.  One cannot function as a student, a worker, a salaryman etc.  One has to depend on parents to cook, to put food on the table et cetera.

I find that I prefer blogging to my regular job at the clinic...  Blogging is less stressful compared to having to meet timelines, worrying about having to re-apply for my own supposedly permanent job (yes, whoever came up with the idea of having to apply for your own job), possibly getting complaints for speaking out of line, peak hour traffic to and fro etc...  Maybe I should just stay in my room...  But wait, my parents are in a different country.  Maybe I should just resign, move back to where my parents are...  then stay there and blog all day.  BTW, I read sometime back that there was a hikikomori who actually traded stocks and shares and became a millionaire.   =}