Hikikomori: The syndrome of juvenile social isolation. Analysis, education, technologies.

Hikikomori: El síndrome de aislamiento social juvenil. Análisis, educación, tecnologías.

Hikikomori: A síndrome do isolamento social juvenil. Análise, educação, tecnologias.

Andrea Cueto Florido

Universidad de Málaga

https://orcid.org/0009-0009-2406-6585

andreacuetoflorido@gmail.com

Hikikomori: Youth social isolation syndrome in the context of education, school organisation and diagnostic analysis.

Abstract

Youth social isolation syndrome, also known as Hikikomori, a term introduced into Japanese society by Tamaki Saito, is part of one of the biggest problems in today's society, as many people are addicted to the Internet. This essay presents data on the extent of this phenomenon not only in its place of origin, but also on a large scale. For the most part, this pathology occurred in young men from any social stratum, with an aversion to rejection and criticism, due to school failure, bullying, anxiety, among others, but today it occurs in a large part of the population. Likewise, a personal vision and possible solutions for this case are presented.

Keywords: Hikikomori, Internet, addiction, isolation, pathology, education, young people.

Resumen

El síndrome de aislamiento social juvenil, también conocido como Hikikomori, término introducido en la sociedad japonesa por Tamaki Saito, forma parte de uno de los grandes problemas de la sociedad actual, ya que son numerosas las personas adictas a Internet. Este ensayo muestra datos sobre la extensión de este fenómeno no solo en su lugar de origen sino también a gran escala. En su mayoría, esta patología se daba en jóvenes varones de cualquier estrato social, con aversión al rechazo y a la crítica, debido a fracaso escolar, bullying, ansiedad, entre otros, pero hoy en día se da en una gran parte de la población. Asimismo, se muestra una visión personal, y posibles soluciones a este caso.

Palabras clave: Hikikomori, Internet, adicción, aislamiento, patología, educación, jóvenes.

ABSTRACT

Juvenile social isolation syndrome, also known as Hikikomori, a term introduced into Japanese society by Tamaki Saito, is one of the major problems of today's society, as many people are addicted to the Internet. This essay provides data on the extent of this phenomenon not only in its place of origin but also on a large scale. Mostly, this pathology was found in young males from any social stratum, with an aversion to rejection and criticism, due to school failure, bullying, anxiety, among others, but nowadays it is found in a large part of the population. Also, this essay shows a personal vision and possible solutions to this case.

Keywords: Internet, addiction, isolation, pathology, education, young people.

Hikikomori: El síndrome de aislamiento social juvenil en el contexto de la educación, la organización escolar y el análisis diagnóstico.

RESUMEN

El síndrome de aislamiento social juvenil, también conocido como Hikikomori, término introducido en la sociedad japonesa por Tamaki Saito, forma parte de uno de los grandes problemas de la sociedad actual, ya que son numerosas las personas adictas a Internet. Este ensayo muestra datos sobre la extensión de este fenómeno no solo en su lugar de origen sino también a gran escala. En su mayoría, esta patología se daba en jóvenes varones de cualquier estrato social, con aversión al rechazo y a la crítica, debido a fracaso escolar, bullying, ansiedad, entre otros, pero hoy en día se da en una gran parte de la población. Asimismo, en este ensayo se muestra una visión personal y posibles soluciones a este caso.

Palabras clave: Internet, adicción, aislamiento, patología, educación, jóvenes.

Hikikomori: a síndrome do isolamento social dos jovens no contexto da educação, da organização escolar e da análise diagnóstica.

Resumo

A síndrome do isolamento social dos jovens, também conhecida como Hikikomori, termo introduzido na sociedade japonesa por Tamaki Saito, faz parte de um dos maiores problemas da sociedade atual, uma vez que muitas pessoas são viciadas na Internet. Este ensaio mostra como este fenómeno está generalizado, não só no seu local de origem, mas também em grande escala. Esta patologia era maioritariamente encontrada em jovens do sexo masculino de qualquer estrato social, com aversão à rejeição e à crítica, devido ao insucesso escolar, bullying, ansiedade, entre outros, mas atualmente encontra-se numa grande parte da população. Este ensaio apresenta também uma visão pessoal e possíveis soluções para este caso.

Palavras-chave: Internet, dependencia, isolamento, patología, educação, jovens.

INTRODUCTION

Pathologies present in society, specifically technological dependence, and those related to the inability of some people, especially young people, to relate to each other, are increasing, Hikikomori being a clear example of this.

In this paper, I am going to deal with the pathologies present in society, specifically technological dependence, related to the inability of some people, especially young people, to relate to each other, Hikikomori being a clear example of this.

Adolescence is a period of development in which many changes occur and at the same time the period in which many mental health problems begin to appear, such as those mentioned above. Many people Depending on who we ask, they may or may not describe this stage as complicated, as they begin to experience significant physical and personal changes, as well as being a very sensitive and chaotic period. This age period ranges from approximately 10-13 years old to 18-20 years old, also known as puberty and characterised mainly by sexual maturation. During this periodage, usually, inopportune and immature decisions are made, that bringing numerous consequences, and with through which they learn and differentiate between good and evil, the first toxic relationships appear, the feeling of belonging to the group, the construction of personality, the mismanagement of emotions, among many others. Palacios (2019) points out the following:

Today's adolescents are people who were born right at the turn of the millennium (between the end of the 1990s and 2008), immersed in a technological context, where social networks are their main source of social interaction and communication, where work at home and the virtualisation of educational processes are promoted, and where loneliness is a common element in their lives. (Pp. 2).

WhNow, being this period as described so far, why does society (families, teachers, etc.) force adolescents, at that age, to make such important decisions as what they want to do in general, for work, for living, whether they want to live with their parents (in the case of a separationdivorce), etc.? Not to mention that some of them at this age already have to work in minimal conditions, having to face adult life without being adults, and without having the mental and physical development that this entails.

Since information and communication technologies (ICT) have been introduced into our lives, there have been numerous studies on the use of these technologies, showing the great danger they represent for the new generations. There are many young people who are addicted to new technologies and social networks, which causes them various problems in their academic results, real personal relationships, etc.with major problems in their educational and developmental processes due to them. Although the Iinternet has many benefits, it is worth mentioning that it must behas to be employed used  in a correct waycorrectly, given that otherwise it can cause serious obsessions related to mental and social problems. Echeburúa and de Corral state: “‘In some circumstances, especially affecting adolescents, the Internet and technological resources can become an end and not a means”
’ (2010, p.3). This is due to the fact that new technologies have the capacity to trap a subject in certain cases, since the virtual world can produce a fictitious identity and a social distancing or a deviation from the real world, related to the loss of contact and the inability to relate.

Any excessive affection for a certain action can lead to addiction, whether or not there is a chemical element. According to the Diccionario de la RAE, when we speak of addiction we refer to “‘dependence on substances or activities that are harmful to health or psychic balance”’ (DRAE, 2021).

Such addiction is increasing, in a hurried order, also posing a great threat to society by accepting that information is in the hands of the entire population and by providing new ways of communication, information and entertainment. These tools introduce new forms of connection between individuals, which are essential in the fields of education, health, business and others, as ICTs are nowadays indispensable in every aspect today.

TeSo far we know that technology is one of the great obsessions of many young people today, and that the world is totally digitalised, but do we know what the concept of ‘Hikikomori’ refers to? ItWell, it is a social pathology that, which refers to behaviour, considered as ‘non-normative,’ within the society to which the person being analysed belongs,. This pathology is related to addiction to information and communication technologies (ICT), whether from a mobile phone, a computer, or any other device that makes it possible. Both mobile phones and computers have become indispensable elements in our daily lives, for work, entertainment, communication, etc. However, the problem dissipates is when the person who uses them is not able to relate to the real world unless it is through virtuality. Likewise, many people are unaware that their mobile device is their own spy, because it is capable of offering you all the information you are interested in at the very moment you want it, without you asking for it, and all this is possible thanks to our previous searches, the acceptance of cookies, the ‘likes’ on networks, etc. Hence the addiction. In the following, we will go more deeply into the term.

Theoretical background

According to professionals related to the phenomenon of study, such as De la Calle and Muñoz, we find that De la Calle and Muñoz state: “‘Hikikomori is a recently described disorder characterised by asocial and avoidant behaviour that leads to social withdrawal”’ (2018, p. 2). Numerous studies have shown that this disorder is specific to the state of Japan, and is known to be an epidemic linked to the secretive environment of Japanese society and the esteem in which it holds loneliness. It has therefore come to be thought of as part of a ‘culture-bound epidemic.’.

Tamaki Saito, a Japanese psychologist, first brought the Hikikomori concept to light in 1998 in his book ‘Sakateki hikikomori, an endless adolescence’. This concept comes from the terms hiki and komoru, which refer to the following verbs: “‘to be enclosed” and’, “‘to be isolated.”’, etc. Yume Nikki has also been quite well known in this respect, as it had a great impact in Japan (Grau, 2021). Returning to the author Tamaki Saito, iIt is necessary to mention that Saitohe has been very criticised in his research due to the lack of accuracy, and his studies were also catalogued as worrying, however, thanks to his work and his great workhis research, the social isolation syndrome or Hikikomori syndrome was named and became known, at first only in Japan, and then in the rest of the countries, since this syndrome is not limited to the Japanese population. Based on information from an article published by the Japanese society Government in July 2010, I can state that there are approximately 700,000 cases of Hhikikomori people in Japan, while other studies show that the worldwide figure is between 800,000 and 1,400,000 cases (Hattori, 2006). Because of this, Tamaki Saito's effort was recognised. Becerra-Canales et al. (2023) Becerra et al. (2023) show the meaning of the Hikikomori concept as follows:

It is a cross-cultural psychiatric phenomenon, without becoming a psychiatric illness, and represents a new diagnostic category which is not yet included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders or DSM-5,; but which aspires to become a clinical term in psychiatry. (Pp. 3).

This pathology mainly affects young people who withdraw from society, isolating themselves in their rooms for an indeterminate period of time, mainly in the home where they live with their parents, who are mainly primarily people with a high economic level, which is why it occurs mainly in countries such as Japan, India, the United States and Spain. These subjects reject all types of communication, as their life revolves around video games and the Internet, with no conception of whether it is day or night.

Feixa states: “‘In a study carried out by the Japanese government in 2002 on 3300 former Hikikomori, 17% were unable to leave the house, and 10% could not even leave their own room”’ (2005, p. 5). This withdrawal mechanism is gradual and appears when adolescents begin to confine themselves to their bedrooms for longer and longer hours, consumed by the Internet. It is a process in which these people neglect their environment (studies, family and friends) and themselves, as their hygiene is less and less, their food is scarce, etc. In addition, behaviour is different in each case, with aggressive tendencies in some and depression and anxiety in others, with the latter in many cases being overwhelmed by suicide.

Authors such as Lindblad among et al.others (2024) carried out a study on the increase of physical illnesses in young people, being in a NEET position, which means without education or employment, so much so that in 2015 there were 40,000,000 cases in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, and the percentage, between that number, increases in the case of having some type of diversity, and the risk of suffering from Hikikomori is there.

increasing the percentage in the case of having some kind of diversity, thereby increasing the risk of suffering from Hikikomori syndrome.

Such a disorderHikikomori refers to an extreme enthusiasm for digital culture, linked to a terror of coping with their adult life supported by competition, whose aim is to ‘stop time’ and ‘shrink space,’, turning it into a fictitious one. This has provoked in me a strong déjà vu, because I have gone back a few years, rememberingrelated to a strong virus that led to a global pandemic in the year 2020, the main protagonist being Covid-19. This gave rise to an era of confinement to which I have seen a clear relationship, as the entire world population was locked in their homes. Paricio and Pando (2020), point out: “‘A study conducted on a child and youth population in China indicates that 22.6% of their students have presented depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic, a figure higher than previous studies conducted on primary schools (17.2%)”’ (2020, p. 5): . Ssimilar symptoms are reported by people with Hikikomori syndrome., It is worth noting that aamong the most notable characteristics of these individuals, it is worth noting is that they was were fundamentally asocial men, with a panic fear of criticism or rejection. Today, however, the syndrome is known to be understoodsuffered by both genders;, because, the prevalence in boys varies from region to region, as several studies have shown that in Slovakia the data are differenta research. The TEM Journal conducted a study with 2767 primary school students in Slovakia,  and used a sample of 2,767 students with an average age of 12-13 years, and found that the prevalence in boys had changed andHikikomori syndrome was now more prevalent in girls than in boys (Niklová, Zošáková and Šimšíková, 2024).

Additionally, the study “‘Prevalence of and Factors Influencing Hikikomori in Osaka City, Japan: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study”’ offers anA research analysis of the incidences and variables associated with this pathology, in the Japanese population, based on a questionnaire conducted between 2020 and 2021, with. This article involved the participation of 3,092 subjects, aged between 15 and 64 years, with thegave a 2.3% rate of Hhikikomori, showing being 2.3%. In addition, the analysis indicated that there are many variables that directly indicate the development of this addiction, such as unemployment, lack of a safe place, or psychiatric history... Also, this analysis highlights the prevalence in males (Kanai et al., 2024).

Bradley (2024) analyses this pathology in Japan and points out how sufferers are deprived of desire and a link with reality, with a great deal of introversion. on the outside. All of this in an environment of a mercantilist society that accentuates abandonment.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the period of confinement led to moments of anxiety, depression and boredom, and the Internet was used to alleviate this, which may have led to addiction and Hikikomori syndrome in many adolescents, thus generating the síndrome (Mooney, 2024). But w The causes of Hikikomori syndrome include, but not limited to,What are the causes of this type of disorder? AWell, among the reasons for Hikikomori syndrome, it is worth mentioning that the family overprotection, possible academic pressure, school failure, bullying, or a personal problem, either related to friends, or a possible romantic partner. In addition, another very important factor refers toIt is very important to see the socio-economic variables of the families, since an adolescent who presents with this syndrome, and belongs to a high socio-economic context, will be easier to preserve. S omeone living inthan a family with minimal income, since it will be necessary for the adolescentmay need to workfind a job, or study, or both, in order to subsistsurvive, which may cause the shock of reality to become a solution to the syndrome in isolated cases (Concina, Frate andy Biasutti, 2024). Realities have been complex for a long time…

The problems they refer not only had to do with poor infrastructure (obsolete software and machines), access conditions (four or five students per machine), poor teacher training, virtually no integration of the computer workshop with the rest of the curriculum, censorship and prohibitions (no gaming), but also with the profound contradiction between school culture and youth cultures. (Winogur, 2006, p. 8).

The object of this research may give rise This can also lead to great pain, both socially and physically, as the individual is socially excluded, as he/she is immersed in a screen, which leads to great physical consequences, such as back pain due to posture, vision difficulties, headaches, etc. (This is supported by Pérez et al., (202019), who state: “‘More recently, neuroscience research has connected the experience of physical pain with the experience of social pain by identifying a shared underlying neural pathway”’ (p. 3).

Now, do adolescents with Hikikomori syndrome feel this exclusion? Well, as Cáceres (2021n.d.) points out: “‘For many of these young people, virtuality has become a form of substitution for face-to-face contact with their peers”’ (p. 12). From my point of view, I believe that one of the causes that has led these adolescents to immerse themselves in technology may have been that social loneliness, finding their peers on social networks or their refuge being a computer and a keyboard, so I think that they do feel it, and that this wound is expressedmanifested.

Thus, subjects with more social support or who spend more time with friends show reduced CCAd and AI activity, and individuals who have a higher anxiety score and tendency to worry about rejection by others show increased CCAd and AI activity in response to social exclusion. (Perez et al., 2019, p.3)

ISimilarly, in 20198, a report on loneliness took place on BBC Radio 4. The report showed a research that involved 55,000 individuals from numerous countries,  and aged between 16 and 99, a high percentage of whom were women:. “‘Many report feeling lonely despite being surrounded by people”’ (The Family Watch, 2019, p. 1).

It is different with families, who in many cases can only provide food at their son or daughter's bedroom door, without even being able to see their son or daughter's face. Many others shy away from the idea, i.e. they do not admit that they have a Hhikikomori descendantchild, lest other people, so that the rest of the people related to them could notice itboth known and not so well known, become aware of it: . In the latter case, shame is worthprevails, instead of more than seeking psychological help for the young person to get out of the situation he or she is in.

WoMeng et al. (2019) distinguish between two types of Hikikikomori: primary Hhikikomori, who do not have psychiatric disorders, and secondary hikikomori, who do have psychiatric disorders associated with the syndrome itself, the most common being depression. However, it should be noted that this is not an empirically supported classification, but only a theoretical concept. Amendola (2024) points out that depending on the criteria used, the subject suffering from this pathology could contemplate see a severe form of psychiatric disorders, both disorders or only an exaggerated form of social isolation provoked by different psychosocial indices and unfavourable situations, without necessarily presenting a diagnosis of his or her own.

With regard to treatment, it should be noted that the involvement of family members is essential, in addition to psychoeducation at both individual and group level, with cognitive-behavioural techniques being the most commonly used, in addition to the use of antidepressants such as sertraline.

Critical analysis

CRITICAL REFLECTION

A phenomenon like the one analyzed occurs on such a scale could surprise those who are not used to the object of study. We have been able to verify that this is an epidemic that affects many people. However, it is not given the importance it requires; it is enough to turn on the television and watch the news, where we can realize that much more importance is given to any incident related to Cristiano Ronaldo, any other athlete, influencers, politicians, etc., than to a problem that affects more and more people. We need writings like this so that we are not blind to the issue, because until it affects us fully, we do not realize that this is really happening around us, like so many other issues related to mental health, technology addictions, and social isolation.

It is worth mentioning that at the beginning I had no idea about the concept of this syndrome, that is to say, I knew that it was present in society, but I did not imagine that it could occur on such a scale, since I have been able to verify that it is an epidemic that affects many, many people. However, it is not given the importance it deserves, it is enough to turn on the television and watch the news. With this precise act, we can see that much more importance is given to the incident that took place in Cristiano Ronaldo's house than to an epidemic that affects so many people. This makes us blind to the issue, because we do not realise that this is really happening right next to us until it touches us.

Extracting the information, that I have been able to gather, has been of great help in breaking patterns and showing the great impact that the Internet has on our lives. Among the risks that occur due to its excess are not only addiction, but also the loss of privacy, accessibility to certain content not suitable for minors, cyberbullying... among others. However, I do not mean that new technologies should be eliminated from the lives of adolescents or from schools, but that every adult, and in this case, every educator, should offer a series of guidelines to students so that they know how they should be used appropriately.

Therefore, extracting the information I have been able to gather has been of great help to me to break all my schemes and realise the great impact that the internet has on our lives, since among the risks that occur due to the excess of it is not only addiction, but I can also mention the loss of privacy, accessibility to certain content that is not suitable for minors, cyberbullying, among others. However, this does not mean that new technologies should be eliminated from the lives of adolescents or from educational centres, but rather that every adult, and in this case, every educator, should offer a series of guidelines to students so that they know how they should be used appropriately.

At this time, I believe that education is the key to putting an end to the social isolation of many young people. We must give the starting signal so that this does not repeat itself generation after generation and so that the individuals who are suffering this torment today realise that the solution really lies behind beyond the door of the room in which they are imprisoned. Plato’s analogy of the cave, which he uses to explain his Theory of Forms, is a helpful way to think of Hikikomori syndrome as well.The latter has led me to think of Plato and the well-known myth of the cave, since in my view something similar happens in the life of the Hikikomori. In the myth of the cavethis analogy, Plato shows us how people who are imprisoned in the cave pass from a dark world to a world full of light, the real world, just as happens in the life of the Hikikomori, who are prisoners of real life. They are ignorant of knowledge and live in a complete fiction, as in the myth of the cave. Abensour states: “‘His ascent into the realm of ideas has caused him to lose his sense of orientation in the cave, he nurtures thoughts all the more dangerous because they lead him to contradict the evidence of common sense”’ (2007, p. 114).

Education, in my opinion, is the most powerful weapon to change the world, since educating involves forming committed and responsible individuals, with a great capacity for critical thinking. School should not be a space for indoctrination and instilling fear, within an educational system designed by the world's elites to satisfy their interests (Betancur, 2023).In relation to what has changed in me, it is worth mentioning that pPreviously I did not conceive education as a possible solution to Hikikomori, but rather I thought that it was part of a transformation of the society in which we live, without realising that this change must be directed by the teaching that we provide on a daily basis. In my opinion, education is the most powerful weapon to change the world, since education implies training committed and responsible individuals, with a great capacity for critical thinking.

Education has the essential mission of teaching how to think and how to cooperate. Educating will be one of the basic challenges for human beings to become who we are and to be able to build responses to the current challenges. (Jover, 2013, p. 6)

Currently, I believe that tThere are numerous treatments to end this epidemic, among which I can point toare therapeutic, social and educational approaches, focusing on the latter. From my point of view, an example of how toI believe we can reduce the cases and severity of Hikikomori deal with this from an educational point of view could be through activities that work on emotional intelligence, interpersonal and social skills and the construction of their future.

Conclusions

PERSONAL ASSESSMENT

It is necessary to learn a lot of information about the social isolation syndrome that haunts many young people today, as well as ways to treat and prevent it. We have to think about loneliness, but not only about the fact that Hikikomori find themselves like this, but about the fact that human beings cannot be isolated. In the case of Hikikomori, instead of being surrounded by real people, they live among fictitious individuals. Do people run away from loneliness? We have the habit of being surrounded by people all the time, so if we lose ourselves in solitude for a few seconds, we already feel abandoned and sad. This has such an impact on our lives that we feel incapable of carrying out certain actions by ourselves. However, solitude could have numerous advantages for mental health (health to which many people today do not give the importance it deserves), since our mind is adequately trained and cooperates in a more appropriate way when the person is alone. In my opinion, this is because in this way our concentration can increase, thus having a better performance in all areas.From doing this essay, I have been able to learn a lot of information about the social isolation syndrome that plagues many young people today, as well as ways to treat and prevent it.

Also, researching the information to carry it out has made me think about loneliness, but not about the fact that Hikikomori are lonely because that is not true, but that human beings cannot be lonely. In the case of the Hikikomori, instead of being surrounded by real people, they are surrounded by fictitious individuals. But why do people shy away from loneliness? We are used to being surrounded by people all the time, so if we lose ourselves in solitude for a few seconds, we already feel abandoned and sad. This has such an impact on our lives that we feel incapable of carrying out certain actions for ourselves. However, it has been fully demonstrated that solitude has many advantages for mental health (a health that many people nowadays do not give the importance it needs), as our mind has a proper formation and cooperates in a more appropriate way when we are alone. From my point of view, this is due to the fact that in this way our concentration can be increased, thus having a better performance in all areas.

FINAL CONSIDERATIONS

Thanks to all of the above, we can deduce that it is essential to raise awareness of this syndrome that has currently become a global pandemic, in my opinion. The same occurs with the fear caused by the social and economic transformations that are happening today in the world, leaving a large part of the population without personal tools, not knowing how to face these changes. However, it is necessary to point out that we have many educational advances that we must use to end this pandemic, among others those related to innovative methodologies, that is, if students receive traditional education, they tend not to feel motivated to go to class, so they look for that motivation elsewhere. Let us make students feel attracted to school, and then, they will not have as much need to use the computer or mobile phone. However, it is necessary to establish times that subjects must respect to make use of each display, in addition to prohibiting the use of certain websites, so that they cannot easily fall into the addiction that ICT can cause.

Another way to avoid addiction is through parents: stop buying mobile phones or computers at an early age, do not buy them until they are really necessary, as well as not lending the mobile phone to children aged 5 or younger. However, the Internet is necessary for educational purposes. In this case, kids could use their parents' laptop for educational purposes by establishing a schedule and being supervised. In the case that it is desired to use it for leisure, always starting from a schedule and at an appropriate age, being informed in advance of the web pages that can be visited, in addition to the importance of not accepting cookies without first being informed, thereby promoting critical thinking in the individual.

New questions arise: if there are so many people suffering from this pathology, why is nothing being done about it? We must continue to investigate the issue. Likewise, this study has made me think of new lines of research, among which I can mention the following:Thanks to all of the above, we can deduce that it is essential to raise awareness of this syndrome, which has now become one of the biggest global pandemics in history. The same goes for the fear of the social and economic transformations that are taking place in the world today, leaving many areas without personal weapons, which do not know how to face these changes. However, it is necessary to point out that we have many educational advances that we must use to put an end to this pandemic, including those related to innovative methodologies, i.e. if students receive traditional teaching, they tend not to feel motivated to go to class, so they look for that motivation elsewhere. ISo if we make students feel attracted to school, they will not need to use the computer or mobile phone as much. However, it is necessary to establish a series of time limits that the subjects must respect in order to use each thing, as well as prohibiting the use of certain pages, so that they cannot easily fall into the addiction that information and communication technologies (ICT) can provoke. Another way to avoid addiction lies with parents and the purchase of mobile phones or computers at an early age, as they can should avoid buying their children phonesm until they are reallyabsolutely necessary, as well as not lending mobiles to children aged 5 or even younger. However, the Internet is necessary for educational use. In this case, the subjects could use the parents' laptop for educational purposes by establishing a timetable and being supervised. In the case of leisure use, always starting from a timetable and at an appropriate age, being informed in advance of the web pages that can be visited, as well as the importance of not accepting cookies without first being informed, thereby promoting the individual's critical thinking.

First, At the end of this essay, new questions have arisen in my mind, such as, if there are so many people who suffer from this pathology, why is nothing being done about it, and which incite me to continue investigating the subject. Likewise, this study has made me think about new lines of research with which we could continue investigating the topic, among which I can mention the followingThese remaining questions point to the need for future research, such as those topics listed below:

The first of them refers to theAan exhaustive study of the factors that incite this addiction, whether psychological, family, educational, cultural or social factors, an example of which issuch as social pressure.…

In the case of the numerous disruptive changes that we have seen from the last three decades of the 20th century to the AI of the present millennium, what is relevant is a specific social evaluation of each system or technological device, where ethical criteria that weigh the affectation or safeguarding of freedom and human autonomy take precedence. (Colina, 2024, p. 5)

Next, The second of them could be related to tthe consequences that Hikikomorithis confinement can cause for mental health should be examined, therefore relating it to depression or anxiety and offering small touchesinputs on these and the repercussion and impact of ICTs. The last of them refers to theLastly, I recommend an investigation of possible ways of action or programs for the reintegration of these subjects into the population. All of these analyzes could be carried out in specific countries or as a whole.

In today's society, new technologies are essential, however, as I have already mentioned, we must use them properly, otherwise, many problems could arise. Now, Villamarin, Botello and Muñoz state:

A large part of the students who do not make good use of ICTs are those who do not have knowledge about ICTs, for example: what are ICTs, what tools are part of ICTs or what is the proper use that should be given to ICTs. (2014, p.5)

Finally, our role as future education professionals is to offer this information to our students, and the first thing we must do is to understand the current situation regarding the use of ICT, how they are used and where the main problems are in relation to them. Achieving social inclusion is feasible, but we must have education as a regular basis and rely in turn on other professionals in the field of health,  among others, such as psychologists and, doctors., etc. In addition, as educators, we must promote correct healthy lifestyle habits in order to prevent disruptive behaviors bad behaviour and to avoid these cases of addictions and other similar problems in adolescents. Likewise, it is necessary to know that we have many social reintegration programmes, with which we can treat this pathology in different ways depending on the region. I will now list a number ofThese programmes include, but are not limited to:

On the one hand, Japan has Regional Youth Support Centres and the NGO New Start (2020) in Japan. The former provides the subjects with workshops, psychological support and guidance in many aspects, while the NGO has a set of shared flats where the individuals can live with other people, so that they can integrate back into society, respecting each other's time.

Next, South Korea Thas the Youth Recovery Programme in South Korea, similar to the Regional Youth Support Centres in Japan.

Finally, Europe has programmes such as Transitions, BetterHelp or Out of the net, which are examples of more personalised and home-based support.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the aim of all these programmes is to enable people suffering from this pathology to gradually reintegrate into society. However, as already mentioned above, the help of these programmes will not be possible without the involvement of the families, who will have to carry out a great deal of work in order for their respective children to succeed, including a series of rules or responsibilities that they must comply with (Tokuni, 2024). Also, essential in this process, is the desire and motivation of the individual, because if he/she does not obeyconsent, the process will be slowed down. This is why it is essential to connect with the subject and attend to their needs and interests, in order to focus their attention on something other than the computer or mobile phone.

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This paper lacks the basic structure of an academic article, leading to a lack of clarity and organization throughout. This introduction should be where you discuss the background articles related to your THESIS or main point. The end of the introduction should tell me exactly what the main point of your article is, clearly, and every subsequent (following) part should connect back to this one main point. If the thesis is that we should use education to combat Hikikomori syndrome, then the introduction should give us articles about the syndrome, its prevalence, etc. then conclude the section with a clear thesis that will tell the reader EXACTLY what you will discuss in the rest of the article. If it strays from that thesis/ main idea, it should not be included. It is okay if what you are doing is a literature review (not necessarily doing your own research but using previous research to draw your own conclusions) but it needs to be clear that that is what you are doing. “Previous literature shows x, y, z trends, which leads me to conclude x, y, z.” Then in the conclusion section you can call for future research. The other comments speak to the more specific changes that repeatedly come up, like lack of clarity. Using the thesis to organize yourself will help give you clarity. Making an outline before writing to organize the ideas is also helpful, and you can use the topic sentence of each paragraph to decide what you are going to say (and if the topic is not related to your thesis, you can reapply it or cut it).