In Japan, an estimated 1.5 million people — many of them young men — now live in complete isolation.
The problem has grown so severe that the Japanese have a term for it: Hikikomori, one who literally withdraws from society.
Some 6,000 miles away, the United States is experiencing its own form of hikikomori.
During a recent interview with Chris Williamson, a British podcaster based in Austin, Texas, the political economist Nicholas Eberstadt discussed the fact that 7 million men of prime working age are currently without employment and not seeking jobs.
Many of these men, said Eberstadt, spend inordinate amounts of time indoors, totally withdrawn from society.
They play video games, watch pornography, and tend to engage in heavy drug use, according to the author of “Men Without Work.”
Work carried out by academics at Kyushu University in Japan has found that a low testosterone level is one of the common metabolic signatures of hikikomori in young social recluses — which is important to note because testosterone levels among young American men are plummeting and have been for years.
The drop now reportedly affects 1 in 4 men in the US.
It’s commonly assumed that testosterone fuels anti-social behavior.
While you were having sex, this NEET Samurai was studying the blade.
In December, “Avatar” director James Cameron made headlines when he claimed that testosterone is “a toxin” that needs to be worked out of one’s system.
Last month, NPR discussed the association between “toxic masculinity” and testosterone.
But this belief is not supported by science: There is no strong evidence to suggest that men with higher levels of testosterone are overly aggressive or violent.
On the contrary, testosterone has been linked to more social behavior in males — while low testosterone levels in males are associated with social anxiety and socially submissive or avoidant behaviors.
People with social anxiety are at an increased risk of developing depression (moreover, according to the Cleveland Clinic, low testosterone levels often mimic symptoms of depression).
Research carried out by Dr. David Terburg, an expert in human behavior, has shown the many ways in which testosterone improves both individual behavior and broader cooperation.
In one study, Terburg and his colleagues identified a clear association between the administration of testosterone and increased levels of social cooperation and better moral judgment.
Low testosterone — otherwise known as hypogonadism — meanwhile, was associated with brain fog, poor memory and focus, and an overall lack of mental clarity.
Men lacking testosterone are also at an increased risk of developing noticeably larger breasts, a condition known as gynecomastia.
Research carried out last year by scientists at Emory University identified the ways in which testosterone influences the hypothalamus, the part of the brain responsible for the creation of oxytocin — the so-called “love hormone” which also mediates the risk of social withdrawal and rises in tandem with testosterone.
Mark Spritzer, a behavioral neuroendocrinologist at Middlebury College whose research focuses on the cognitive benefits of testosterone, told The Post, that “There is now considerable evidence that testosterone enhances some forms of learning and memory.”
Moreover, he added, “There are a number of studies that have shown that low testosterone is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia in older men.”
His research has also shown that testosterone stimulates the growth of brain-derived neurotrophic factors. BDNF plays a vital role in memory recall, learning, and decision-making.
“Social isolation and other stressors,” noted Dr. Spritzer, “cause adult neurogenesis to decrease, and we found that testosterone can help reverse the negative effects of social isolation on the brain.”
