Case report, case study
https://doi.org/10.20471/may.2024.60.03.06
Hikikomori and Internet Gaming Disorder: a Case Report
Shweta Sunil
; Service for Healthy Use of Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India; Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Ravikesh Tripathi
orcid.org/0000-0002-9409-7362
; Department of Clinical Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Manoj Kumar Sharma
orcid.org/0000-0001-8296-3131
; Service for Healthy Use of Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
*
Nitin Anand
orcid.org/0000-0001-8296-3131
; Service for Healthy Use of Technology, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Anamika Sahu
; National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Rajesh Kumar
; National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Aim: Social withdrawal is frequently considered a result of or a symptom of several mental health issues that can significantly alter a person’s way of life. Excessive internet use is also a mediating factor for increasing social withdrawal. To our knowledge, a classic case of Hikikomori had never been reported from India. We report a case who sought help to manage social withdrawal and online activities at a tertiary specialty centre of India. Case report: Student Mr. A, aged 18, residing with his parents, working as professionals, and younger brother, reported with complaints of ambivalence to take action and to plan his future activities, along with low self-confidence and feelings of sadness, hesitancy to establish contact with his friends, poor social life and difficulty in controlling his online gaming for the last 3 years. Mr. A met the criteria for internet gaming disorder on the Internet gaming questionnaire. Cognitive behavioural therapy was initiated to address his cognitions about gaming/online activities, decreased socialization, lower levels of behavioural activation, and enhancement of interpersonal interactions with family members. Since he could not regularly come for psychotherapy sessions, significant treatment progress could not be achieved. Conclusions: The case implicates more focused individual & family interventions to improve resocialization to mitigate the risk of Hikikomori and IGD.
Keywords
Hikikomori; internet addiction disorder; video games; social isolation; cognitive behavioural therapy
Hrčak ID:
323290
URI
Publication date:
1.12.2024.
Visits: 1.645 *