Time: 21:01:39 CET 12:01:39 PST 15:01:39 EST 05:01:39 Seoul 04:01:39 Beijing
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The World of Warcraft rehab clinic
The Christian Science Monitor, a church published news publication, recently visited a rehabilitation center in Beijing for "internet and game addicts." It is one of many that have sprung up around China over the past four years.
By - 'shagrath' -
Jan 7, 2009 01:54
The Christian Science Monitor, a church published news publication, recently visited a rehabilitation center in Beijing for "internet and game addicts." It is one of many that have sprung up around China over the past four years.
Opened in 2004, the center is one of over 300 internet addiction centers now open in China to cater to the country's estimated 17 million game and internet addicts. This particular center is located at an army base which, when considering the boot camp style itinerary, seems quite appropriate.
In addition to military-style physical exercises the center offers a varied regimen of "counseling, confidence-building activities, sex education," and in a whopping 60% of cases, drugs.
Treatment at the center revolves around addressing the cause of a problem and not necessarily the symptom, resulting in heavy emphasis being put on a healthy home environment.
The majority of patients who come through the center are males between 15 and 21, World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike have been cited as two of the most common culprits of game addiction.
Dr. Tao, one of China's strongest proponents of having game addiction recognized as an official disorder by the medical community in both China and abroad, opened the center to help troubled teens kick their habit.
"They believe the virtual world is beautiful and fair," said Tao. "In the real world, they become depressed, upset, and restless – they are very unhappy."
Dr. Tao believes the problem in China is getting worse as the cultural continues changing rapidly, "[Internet addicts] can't adjust to school and society, so they try to escape their difficulties and avoid problems. They lack self-confidence and often don't have the courage to continue their lives," he said.
Game addiction has affected the center's roughly 60 current patients quite differently. Jia Chunyang, a typical patient at the center, stole money from his parents and went on a 15 day Counter-Strike bender at a local net café while his parents scoured the city looking for him, landing him a cot at game addiction boot camp. Stories like this are not uncommon amongst clinic attendees.
China has the world's largest internet population with over 290 million internet users, but with 70% of those under the age of 30, it's hardly surprising game usage and game addiction are now rampant amongst China's young adults.
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Source: Christian Science Monitor
In addition to military-style physical exercises the center offers a varied regimen of "counseling, confidence-building activities, sex education," and in a whopping 60% of cases, drugs.
Treatment at the center revolves around addressing the cause of a problem and not necessarily the symptom, resulting in heavy emphasis being put on a healthy home environment.
The majority of patients who come through the center are males between 15 and 21, World of Warcraft and Counter-Strike have been cited as two of the most common culprits of game addiction.
Dr. Tao, one of China's strongest proponents of having game addiction recognized as an official disorder by the medical community in both China and abroad, opened the center to help troubled teens kick their habit.
"They believe the virtual world is beautiful and fair," said Tao. "In the real world, they become depressed, upset, and restless – they are very unhappy."
Dr. Tao believes the problem in China is getting worse as the cultural continues changing rapidly, "[Internet addicts] can't adjust to school and society, so they try to escape their difficulties and avoid problems. They lack self-confidence and often don't have the courage to continue their lives," he said.
Game addiction has affected the center's roughly 60 current patients quite differently. Jia Chunyang, a typical patient at the center, stole money from his parents and went on a 15 day Counter-Strike bender at a local net café while his parents scoured the city looking for him, landing him a cot at game addiction boot camp. Stories like this are not uncommon amongst clinic attendees.
China has the world's largest internet population with over 290 million internet users, but with 70% of those under the age of 30, it's hardly surprising game usage and game addiction are now rampant amongst China's young adults.
---
Source: Christian Science Monitor
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Certain demographics in China are unhappy in real life? How is this even possible? The mind boggles.
Nice "Full Metal Jacket" pic =)
For sure in the rest of the world ( plus china) they are psychology clinics which treat addictions overall ,but for china to have specialised clinics seems nice :D
And to Totch: you say a game is not like drugs and I agree, but realize that ppl do both for their enjoyment, at least thats how it starts off. There are drugusers who want to stop but can't because they feel their body needs it, there are also ppl who want to stop playing wow, but feel they shouldnt cus it's ALL they do besides school and the occasional friendvisit. Theres also the person who cant go to bed yet, cus he hasnt completed all the daily quests or something like that, I've seen or heard it all.
Furthermore no one can deny hardcore gaming leads to dropping out of school, being unemployed (and WANTING TO STAY LIKE THAT .... rofl?!?!) for longer periods and losing interest in friends. Sure there are exeptions, but most of us just can't manage a fulltime job, fulltime gaming career, social life, and other obligations all at once. There are choices one must make, and my experience tells me teenagers tend to choose fun over real life and therefore choosing gaming over school, work, and everything else thats important.
Then again I feel it's the parents duty to keep it under control and if they cant handle their kid it's good these kind of places exist.
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Foxy wrote:
oh come on!
Parents cant forbid their kids to use pc when they r using it themselves. Its like when u tell the fat children "dont eat chocolate" and at the same time there r million publicity running on TV, Radio ect saying "buy this thing its THE BEST CHOCOLATE U'VE EVER EATEN!It will make ur life sweeter!".
Be realistic!
You cant take away the childhood of these kids! Its up to them how to live these years.
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I dont agree at all, If your kids later in your life are smoking drugs in your home are you going to say: "It's ok enjoy your childhood" ?
Parents NEED to and have the responsibility to teach their children boundries and values.
If my future kid is fat I'll not only make him to go the gym, but if I see him eating fatnicks I'll beat the blubber off his ass if needed. Thats what parents do, they show their kids how its done and discipline them if needed. (And dropping out of school for a computer game is a pretty damn good reason if u ask me).
School...I dropped university for few years and now i am getting masters.. I have no regrets. I enjoyed that time and I really liked what I was doing even tho some said this time was wasted. Maybe it is for u but this was my life and i wanted to live it that way. How about those ppl outside who are having their diplomas and are strictly stuck to the stereotype of "good successful man/woman". I want to puke. Life sux enuf to make it more boring...
Gaming is addictive for 3-4-5 years then that fever stops. Drugs are not this way.
hell yeah! I'd do that!
There is something else i cannot understand. Who says that real life is a happiness that should be felt?! Not everyone has a pink journey.
Why are these people deciding instead of the others? Having a hobby means that you are enjoying something more than the regular things irl. There are thousands of useless and more dangerous hobbies out there (or maybe having tarantulas and snakes at home is healthy???). Why are they focusing on gaming? Because their generation is too clueless about this kind of entertainment and even if they are accepting the Hi-tech they can't understand the need of the young people.
Parents cant forbid their kids to use pc when they r using it themselves. Its like when u tell the fat children "dont eat chocolate" and at the same time there r million publicity running on TV, Radio ect saying "buy this thing its THE BEST CHOCOLATE U'VE EVER EATEN!It will make ur life sweeter!".
Be realistic!
You cant take away the childhood of these kids! Its up to them how to live these years.
If a kid happen to be overweight the best thing to do is not allow them to eat food who consist of high calories. This is only done to help them out, your making it seem like it's done to hurt them.
Last but not least if you seriously think that taking the computer, is the same as taking away your whole childhood, it seem to me you got a problem.
How harmed are you for being addicted to pc?
Or maybe you will say that you are not?
Then tell me how much hrs per day u spend in front of ur screen and do not exclude the days at work.
Computer and internet are no longer a way to get information this is a product to be SOLD and to be PROMOTED as such.
And no i don't agree that children can make their decision only after 18. Until 18 you are learning how to and then after 18 you CAN. But you are to young to be able to realize such things.
And I will always support young gamers because at this age it is better to stay at home and play instead of being out on the streets taking drugs and getting drunk (which in most cases is considered as heroism).
It shouldnt be that addictive but its ok
IF this is an "example" you should look up the word...
Well several cases shown that an addiction to a computer game can cause you to skip school, dont do your homework etc... that will at the end cause you not get any edication. You dont agree on that either?
One more thing that I dont get is how you can conclude that if you aren't inside playing computer you will be out on the streets taking drugs?... That just prove all your arguements are based on nothing.
And last but not least get hold of your english before you go on and call someone a ****.
Yes it is not right to forbid something that they r using? Forbidding is not the way! The more you forbid the more addicted they are.This is psychological process.
Arguments? I ain't giving you any arguments lil boy. I am just sayin that according to statistics, children get addicted to drugs,cigs ect exactly when they are outside with friends. Or maybe you take drugs and u drink alcohol at home? I am not sayin that they will obligatory get addicted to the pc or drugs ofc. There is always a 3rd option but we are discussing these 2 atm (to make it more clear to u - these clinics for gamers are full of therapists who are helping drugs addicts i hope you know what kind of treatment they are praccin).
"And last but not least" (as u already used it few times) I may have worse english than yours but at least I have something to say and you just have "empty" grammar. I doubt you would of known english if it wasnt the 2nd official language in Denmark and I doubt that u will ever learn Bulgarian like I know English so shut it.
Yeah, several cases have shown that... Several cases of child abuse from parents have also shown that children don't want to go to school. Usually children on drugs dont bother with school either... You can't generalize anything based on what you say.. You base your arguments on your own thoughts.
I don't do well at school, and I am addicted to computers, but I don't play games... I manage teams. I haven't done my home work... 3 of my friends I knew from school, have dropped out of school because they just didn't bother anymore... They didn't play computer either...
Try thinking outside the box before you open your mouth with useless arguments, thanks.
Now that, that is in place, you start your reply on my quotation by saying; “Yeah, several cases have shown that…” (Quote from zKod)…3 sentences later you say this; “You can't generalize anything based on what you say... You base your arguments on your own thoughts.” (Quote from zKod).
As your reply only refers to one argument, I guess this second quote is appointed at my quotation. Well again, if I were you I wouldn’t go around having double standards. It makes you look quite stupid.
At the end you write; “I don't do well at school, and I am addicted to computers, but I don't play games... I manage teams. I haven't done my home work... 3 of my friends I knew from school, have dropped out of school because they just didn't bother anymore... They didn't play computer either...”
Please tell me what this is appointed at, as I sure can’t figure that out. It’s seems more of a “Oh look at me”-argument that anything else. Talking about “useless arguments” (Quote from zKod)…
To Topic: Especially young and socially weak people are endangered and I gotta agree to s0rda.
It's not that simple to find the source of the problem.
I hope this clinic will help mentaly weak people who don't have the wil to overcome this problem.
that must be like a campus lan party but with puzzles and that stuff ^^ HAHAHAHA
Stop watching online porn
problem solved