"""Hikikomori"" is a Japanese term to describe a population of socially reclusive individuals who withdraw from the world and rarely leave the isolation of their homes. Substantial evidence shows that their social isolation is not merely a feature of other mental health issues, but a condition in itself. In Japan, the government has estimated that there may be 1-2 million such modern hermits, with an average age of 31. Although especially prominent in Japan, this is a growing phenomenon in the rest of the developed world. The United Kingdom, for example, created a Minister of Loneliness position in 2018 to help coordinate government action on this issue. The pandemic is believed to have greatly exacerbated this trend.
In this debate, ""treatment"" means assertive, direct, targeted outreach by state-funded counsellors. ""Prevention"" can include implementing large-scale education campaigns for parents, reforming schooling to prioritize building social skills, implementing public awareness campaigns, and other such programs."