Survey shows threefold rise in urban hermits
The number of young people who spend their lives locked in their bedrooms has tripled in the past two years to as many as 18,500, a welfare group's estimate shows.
Hong Kong Christian Service's previous estimate compiled from a survey of 36 secondary schools in March 2005 put the number at 6,000.
This extreme form of social withdrawal is more common in Japan, where it is called hikikomori. Japan is believed to have a million sufferers.
In Hong Kong, the welfare group warned the latest figure was only the tip of the iceberg because most cases did not come to light until their families sought help.
But the group says it may have to axe its programme for young people - the city's only scheme - to help these urban hermits because of a lack of government funding.
The latest estimate was derived from calculations based on the 192 cases the group handled between November 2004 and last month, and a survey of secondary schools conducted from July to September last year.