A recluse is someone who hides away from attention of the public, a person who lives in seclusion from intercourse with the world; from the Latin recludere, to shut up or sequester. A person may become a recluse for many reasons: a celebrity may seek to escape the attentions of their fans; a misanthrope may be unable to tolerate human society; a survivalist may be practicing self-sufficiency. A person may also become a recluse for religious reasons, in which case they are usually referred to as an anchorite or hermit.

Famous examples of people often described as recluses:

• Howard Hughes (movie producer and aircraft entrepreneur) who suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder
• Stanley Kubrick
• Greta Garbo (actress)
• Thomas Pynchon (author)
• JD Salinger (author)
• Emily Dickinson (poet)
• Christopher Lloyd (actor)
• Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber

Reclusiveness does not necessarily connote geographical isolation. A recluse may live in a crowded city, but infrequently leave the security of his or her home. However, isolated and sparsely populated states (e.g., Montana, Wyoming, and Alaska) and countries (e.g., New Zealand or Australia) often harbor recluses, who are often seeking complete escape from civilization.

In Japan, an estimated 1.2 million people suffer from pyschological problems which cause reclusive behavior. The phenomenom of "Hikikomori" or "social withdrawal" has become a major problem, often blamed on the education system and social pressure to succeed.

References

• Article discussing "Hikikomori" in Japan