A profile series explores the lives of young people withdrawing from society, the path to recovery and the roles of families and social workers in Singapore.
Behind closed doors a generation of Singapore an youths spends most of their lives hidden from the world, neither lazy nor defiant but living in a deep fear that keepsweek beyond their reach.
The multimedia series Shutdown follows the quiet battles of adults such as Danzel Panniachelvam, a nineteen year old who once retreated to his bedroom in primary school after being bullied. By the time he reached secondary level he skipped school for months, and the next years saw him confined to our flat where he slept most days, surfed the internet all night and avoided any face‑to‑face contact.
His mother Aludia recounts how the doctor diagnosed him with extreme depression and how even a routine clinic visit can overwhelm him. Panic can bring him to a state that sounds like terror, so a case worker named Tan has to start small, visiting once every fortnight, holding Danzel's hand, and gradually building trust over six months. The process is slow, but the rewards are present in every small milestone.
Hikikomori, the Japanese term for those who isolate themselves for six months or longer, is nowagama for a growing section of Singapore's youth. Fei Yue Community Services notes that they have taken on 111 active cases, a rise from only 20 six years ago, and still have over 60 additional youths waiting. Families of children such as the 13 year old John (not his real name) see each family dinner as a possible breakthrough.
In 2023 the boy was only seen outside his room when all other lights were off, and he limited his water intake to avoid using the toilet while others stared. A few months later he emerged for a meal and his parents reveled in the hope that something had shifted, only to watch him retreat again after a few days.
Social workers monitor that first fledgling sign - a moment when the teen leaves the room for a brief moment - as a clarion call for stress or fear. Not all isolated youths stay chained to their rooms. Sometime after the series began Shaista Qistina, an eighteen plentener, was allowed to leave home only with family or her social worker, but still struggled to venture further.
She had once vomited on her way to school and sat in the toilet during recess, later telling her parents that her distress stemmed from bullying. A common belief shared by many hidden youths is that the world feels unsafe and that everyone is watching them like an odd one out.
For a 16 year old named Goay Zhen Yi, stepping outside feels like a challenge; he tells his case worker that being looked at triggers a tingling sensation that stops him from talking or walking dutifully. Even so, nammildfully he tends plants and cares for terrapins, engages in online conversations, and makes art. Social workers say these cases are about coping mechanisms that, when left unchecked, cement a pattern of withdrawal over many months or years.
Each breakthrough comes from a family's patience and the services that provide a stable, non‑judgmental environment. The series aims to spotlight how community resources and compassionate conversations turn fear into opportunity, encouraging other youth to speak and to step outside. It shines a light on the disorder that is well known in other cultures, but patiently being mapped and understood in Singapore.
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