JAPANESE HIKIKOMORI AND AMERICAN AGORAPOBIA
Gnobo Calypso pelorusjack@q.com
Japanese Hikikomori is a syndrome of individuals—mostly males—who isolate themselves to a specific closed -in room for long periods of time. American agoraphobia—mostly females—is a syndrome of individuals who have fear of open spaces and refuse to venture outside. Both are known as “shut-ins.”
The American agoraphobia works with panic disorder associated with the fear of going into public and open spaces. Japanese hikikomori works with highly intelligent males who do not feel they can be a part of an inflexible culture where there is no place for them. Even though both are considered “shut-ins” one becomes a choice (hikikomori) whereas the agoraphobias are seen more as a disease.
Agoraphobics must under-go clinical treatment that is aggressive to place them back into the movement of society or else the syndrome will become worsened by prolonged periods of remaining isolated inside of homes. Agoraphobics can be married, rear a family and invite people into their homes. Hikikomori shut out all communications with people and do not entertain anyone in their homes. A change of environment has been successful with Hikikomori, but this change is a large change to another viewpoint in a different land and culture. Agoraphobics will not attempt such a challenge.
Hikikomori remain isolated for many years. Agoraphobics remain homebound due to the panic disorder associated with the syndrome. Western Culture sees this as an illness/disease relating to internal organs and processes. Hikikomori is not seen as relating to Newtonian medicine or diagnosis, for this is an intelligent choice. Both can be associated with panic disorder, but I feel this is primarily up to the individual to decide. Agoraphobics will have a normal life inside their reclusiveness, but hikikomori do not have a normal life because they disregard any links to the normal Japanese life that appears to be too rigidly based.
Hikikomori is part of the heart crisis now surfacing in Japan. Hikikomori is called “an adjustment disorder” in Japan. The more it is not compartmentalized into denial the greater solutions can be found. Agoraphobics is left to Western doctor’s clinical observations, medications and diagnoses that also bring more diagnosis from the DSM VI (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.) The DSM is obsolete when working with hikikomori since hikikomori remains an intelligent choice that can be or cannot be rooted with panic disorders. DSM works with panic disorders.
When we come into an incarnation upon this planet we bring the qualities of “home” with us. When we arrive as small children we come onto Gaia filled with benevolence, interconnectedness, optimism and frailty. Once we are here for awhile we feel the devastating energies of the human consciousness that does not harmonize. We are stunned, shocked, dismayed, angered and depressed that our soulful brothers and sisters have become automatons in this world and do not recall the inter-relations that permeate Universal principles. When we are invaded by these energies on a continual basis and do not see a solution for opening others to recall our interconnectedness we retreat. This is what Hikikomori is. I also believe this is what agoraphobia is as well, yet Western civilization has turned it into the physical phenomenon where it exists to be diagnosed. Still, I believe, we sensitive vulnerable souls who come upon Gaia’s plane to create harmony, live in co-existence and thrive joyfully become too stressed due to the present conditions of mankind within each culture. Therefore, it is the soul’s choice to retreat, to isolate, to become reclusive since the energies of our society is too large to contend with. Some prefer suicide as well.
I retreated twice in my life time for 5-year periods. One time I did so to study and enhance my skills/arts/practices. Since I am unconventional I knew only I could develop me more. I practiced a workable system to include all levels of my psychological and spiritual being. I did this because what Western culture offered me appeared to be a small part of a whole I wanted to learn.
The second time I retreated was due to the large energy of, what I call, the veil. The veil is an illusionary mist that is a large dark cloud above the populace’s heads. The veil, to me, was too thick to penetrate. And it was thick with fear, adhering to the concept of “sin”, greed/consumption, wants/desires and guilt. I knew these things to be darkness in the physical and I did not wish to continue feeling their energy around me. Sort of like a dark cloud coming my way trying to engulf me inside, which I refused to let happen. Consequently, this had nothing to do with panic disorder, but choice not to be a part of the illusionary veil.
When I became reclusive I did not feel bad, nor guilt, nor shame, nor fear, nor loathing, nor panic, nor anxiety, nor any other symptom Western world adheres to. I just did not want to continue feeling the sensation of the veil and it was thick. I wanted to remain within the purity of self and continue enhancing my gifts/talents/practices while helping others from my seclusion, which I did. Therefore, I was neither agoraphobic or hikikomori. I made a choice to get out from under the oppressive veil to remain with my own purity to enjoy the true nature of spirit.
I feel hikikomori is a silent revolution. I also feel hikikomori will help make the changes needed in Japan to become more global, open herself wider to more flexibility and look at the inter-connectedness within not only Gaia’s humanity, but the Universe as well. No matter what hikikomori are still sending forth atoms/energy into the world and society around them. I feel there will be change due to this syndrome’s status.
In the meanwhile I feel it is quite necessary for hikikomori to understand who they are as individuals, the I AM of their existence. No matter what the rigidity of Japanese processes are now, hikikomori must realize their own psycho-spiritual self or authentic self, for I see their process as if they are a larva in a cocoon. Sooner or later there will be transformation into the butterfly to fly free. This inner change will create outer change, for in order for us to help with the evolution of our species we must have that involution inside firstly. Hikikomori searches inside their cocoon for that involution to know the I AM so that they can transform.
Agoraphobics are left to the clinical observations and medicines of the Western world.
