Since hikikomori first entered the media lexicon in 1998 a number of clinics and support services have emerged to help treat sufferers. Generally, treatment follows one of two philosophies: socialization or psychological methods (Cause and Effects). The socialization method encourages social reintegration by removing hikikomori sufferers from their home environment, and having them interact in carefully selected groups, usually made up of other recovering sufferers. The psychological method stresses the need for counseling to help the hikikomori sufferer overcome their illness. Some stress the need to remove sufferers from their home, and place them in a hospital environment, while others espouse less invasive means that can be done without
