Borovoy Amy
East Asian Studies Department, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-1008, USA.
Cult Med Psychiatry. 2008 Dec;32(4):552-76. doi: 10.1007/s11013-008-9106-2.
One of the most talked-about social issues in Japan in recent years has been the problem of the nation's purportedly one million "hidden" youths, known as hikikomori (literally, "the withdrawn"). Most observers agree that the category of hikikomori encompasses a wide range of problems and provocations. The fact that these various dilemmas lead to the shared outcome of shutting oneself away at home is the point of departure here. The article explores the spheres of mental health care, education and family, focusing on the reluctance to highlight underlying psychological dimensions of hikikomori and the desire on the part of schools and families to "mainstream" Japanese children, accommodating as many as possible within standardized public education. Hikikomori can perhaps be seen as a manifestation of Japanese democracy, in which the good society is imagined as cohesive, protective and secure, rather than one in which the individual can freely exercise the right to be different. Schools, families and the sphere of mental health care have focused on producing social inclusion but have discouraged citizens from being labeled as "different" -- even when such a distinction might help them. The dearth of facilities and discourse for caring for the mentally ill or learning disabled is, in many respects, the darker side of Japan's successes. Those who cannot adjust are cared for through the institutions of families, companies and various other spheres that offer spaces to rest and to temporarily "drop out"; however, the expectation is that rest will eventually lead to a re-entry into mainstream society. Often the psychological problem or disability that led to the problem goes unnamed and untreated (hikikomori, psychiatry, special education, youth, family, Japan).
近年来，日本最受热议的社会问题之一就是该国据称有100万“隐蔽”青年的问题，这些青年被称为“蛰居族”（字面意思是“退缩者”）。大多数观察家都认为，蛰居族这一类别涵盖了广泛的问题和挑衅行为。这些各种各样的困境导致人们把自己关在家里这一共同结果，这就是本文的出发点。本文探讨了心理健康护理、教育和家庭等领域，重点关注人们不愿突出蛰居族潜在心理层面的问题，以及学校和家庭希望让日本儿童“融入主流”的愿望，即在标准化公共教育体系中尽可能容纳更多儿童。蛰居族现象或许可以被视为日本式民主的一种表现形式，在这种民主中，理想的社会被想象为具有凝聚力、保护性和安全感的社会，而不是个人能够自由行使与众不同权利的社会。学校、家庭和心理健康护理领域一直专注于实现社会包容，但不鼓励公民被贴上“与众不同”的标签——即使这种区分可能对他们有帮助。在许多方面，照顾精神疾病患者或学习障碍者的设施和相关讨论的匮乏，是日本成功背后较为阴暗的一面。那些无法适应的人通过家庭、公司和其他各种提供休息空间和暂时“退出”机会的机构得到照顾；然而，人们期望休息最终会导致他们重新融入主流社会。导致这一问题的心理问题或残疾往往未被提及和治疗（蛰居族、精神病学、特殊教育、青年、家庭、日本）。
