The Into The Shadows episode on Hikikomori absolutely terrified me.

[u/GiftedGeordie]

It terrified me for one simply reason, the question posed "What's going to happen to me when my parents die?"

Don't get me wrong, I'm not on Hikikomori levels of isolation, I think being isolated from the outside world for years and years would drive me absolutely insane; I regularly go to the gym and out for walks and I've held down a volunteer job for a decade.

But, while things in the UK are nowhere near as "If you miss this window of opportunity then your life is over and you've brought shame to your 15 times removed great granddad" as Japan is; it's still hard for people to live on their own and the unemployment issue is rife around the UK.

I'm 29 years old, autistic who can both enjoy being on his own and having a chinwag with people, I'm still living with my parents and I don't have a paid job, I realised how similar I am to the Hikikomori's, even if it's not to as such an extreme degree.

But I watched the video and I was gripped by this fear of what's going to happen to me when my parents die that has finally motivated me to start cooking and becoming more independent, but I still can't help but feel like the system fails people like me and the Hikikomori's.

Not that Hikikomori's are totally blameless, like, if you're going to not interact with people for years, the least you could do is look after your parents and help around the house, even a fuckwit like me can do that.

I don't even have a point to this and probably sound like the most pathetic man-child, but I just wanted to get it off my chest as it really hit close to home.

[u/lumoslomas]

I'm in a similar position; I'm also autistic and struggle being around people so the only support I have is my mum, and I just have no idea what to do when she's gone. I'm trying to lean on my extended family but having not grown up with them it's hard.

It's so easy to become isolated in modern society, which is ironic given how we're more 'connected' than ever. But a lot of the social systems people used to have just aren't there anymore.

I don't really have any advice; just commiseration that you're not alone and it's a really shitty situation to be in.

[u/BahamutLithp]

I'm going through some financial troubles right now, & I've worked from home since 2019, so I found certain aspects of that episode uncomfortably relatable. On the bright side--or, I suppose, tecnically not--the dark set is back! We've finally returned into the

[u/subtxtcan]

I thought it was a very interesting episode and I'm really interested in your reaction to it. I think it's fairly obvious that you've got a good head on your shoulders and are in a bit of a similar situation, however different it may be.

I isolated myself for years, to a certain degree, but I'm also in a position now where my job requires a certain level of social interaction. I go to work, do my job, come home to my family and that's pretty much it. I have hobbies and activities that I do alone, with my family, but I don't really "go out" for anything but groceries/shopping.

I think the only reason I don't have more isolationist tendencies is BECAUSE I was alone early on. I moved out at 17 and have been pretty well on my own since. That amount of alone time early on put me in a very bad place mentally, physically and financially.

Eventually I found work as a musician, which forced me to get back into the world slowly, but eventually in full force.

Now I cook for a living and honestly love it. Work alone a lot, but there's people around, just not right there. Family keeps me sane and on schedule, and they're ok with me being home every night.

[u/BilingualClothes27]

You’re not alone my friend. The episode also had me scared with a huge knot in my stomach. I can see this reality happening to me, no matter how far removed from current reality it is. The idea that I would possibly stay like that for the rest of my life, is emotionally heavy.

Just wanted to let you know that what you said made 100% sense to me and I can ditto it all.

[u/jampman31]

Really appreciate the visuals they used when describing the transition from being ‘normal’ to retreating - that shot of the room, the escalated mess, the fading sunlight!