Suffering and Recovery among People with a History of Hikikomori (Prolonged Social Withdrawal) Participating in Peer-Support Groups: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Hikikomori (prolonged social withdrawal) emerged as a social issue primarily affecting young people in Japan in the 1970s and began to be reported internationally around the year 2000. Its prevalence This study analysed the perspectives of people with a history of hikikomori participating in peer-support groups. Employing a qualitative research design grounded in Husserlian phenomenology, semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted between February and September 2025 with 13 participants in hikikomori peer support groups and the data were analysed using Colaizzi’s method. Three clusters of meaning were extracted. The clusters included loss of a safe space, prolonged social isolation, and a recovery journey. Participants traced the beginning of their prolonged social withdrawal to a wide range of distressing experiences, the loss of opportunities for social participation, and difficulties seeking help, which often triggered guilt and suicidal ideation. Their recovery journey were characterised by the acquisition of new values and ways of living through opportunities for agency, gratitude, and contributing to society. Participants described finding meaning within their suffering by sharing their experiences in peer support groups, thereby embarking on a recovery journey. The findings emphasise the importance of providing safe spaces and creative modes of communication for people who experience hikikomori.