China to classify internet addiction as an official disorder

 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 3:36 PM on 11th November 2008

 

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China has become the first country to classify internet addiction as a clinical disorder as growing numbers of people spend hours online every day.

 

Doctors in Beijing have released a diagnostic definition of the addiction amid increasing concern over psychological problems said to result from overuse of the internet.

 

According to the definition, based on a study of more than 1,300 problematic users, symptoms of the addiction include yearning to get back online, mental or physical distress, irritation and difficulty concentrating or sleeping.

 

China could become the first country in the world to officially recognise internet addiction as a clinical disease, as growing numbers of people spend hours of their time in chatrooms, blogging or playing online games

It classifies addicts as those who spend at least six hours online a day and have displayed at least one symptom on the last three months.

 

Tao Ran, who set up China's first internet addiction clinic at the Military General Hospital in Beijing, told China Daily: 'Eighty per cent of addicts can be cured with treatment, which usually lasts about three months.'

 

Dr Tao wants the country to designate hospital psychiatric units specifically to treat such cases.

Beijing’s Health Ministry is expected to adopt a new manual on internet addiction next year, which will recognise the condition as similar to compulsive gambling or alcoholism.

 

According to Chinese estimates, about 10 per cent of young users - or four million people - suffer from addiction and of those about 70 per cent are male.

 

The condition is often a symptom of deeper psychological problems, according to Dr Tao, and all child addicts have behavioural problems, which are then made worse by their addiction.

 

China has an online population of 253 million people - the world's largest - which is growing rapidly as computer use rises with economic levels.

Dr Tao said he compared his data with that of experts in the United States, where internet addiction is not recognised as a disease.

 

Research by the internet media company InterActiveCorp revealed that 42 per cent of Chinese youngsters polled felt addicted to the internet, compared with just 18 per cent in the US.

 

Polls by the China Network Information Centre showed that nearly half of China’s online population were aged between 18 and 30.

 

Dr Tao's clinic treats patients who may also suffer from depression, fear and an unwillingness to interact with others.

 

Many have sleep disorders, stop communicating with family or friends, and spend their days glued to a computer screen, in chat rooms or playing violent games.

During the therapy, Mr Tao, who built his career on treating heroin addicts, is said to offer addicts counselling, military discipline, hypnosis and mild electro-shock therapy to help them reform.

Unlike drugs, the internet does not create dependency, and Dr Tao places his success rate of curing patients at about 70 per cent.

 

He told The Times: 'The increase now is not as rapid as it was a few years ago. However, this was the first such clinic in China when it opened in 2005. Now there are several hundred across the country.'

We are all doomed to rehab :P

During the therapy, Mr Tao, who built his career on treating heroin addicts, is said to offer addicts counselling, military discipline, hypnosis and mild electro-shock therapy to help them reform.

I see no point in using Electroconvulsive therapy for them! :o

Or does "mild electro-shock therapy" mean something else?

Like in classical conditioning?

there's some inner political reason why to do that i fear...

 

may be some people don't know what goes on in China yet.... just to remind you that Coldplay's song Spies was banned there. :dozey:

 

and if my memory is right, they listed people that uses blogs (can someone think why they want to do that?).

 

---

 

but to be honest, may be internet is an addiction, for some people (remember something is considered addiction/disorder if you don't think on any other thing that that..).

there's some inner political reason why to do that i fear...

 

may be some people don't know what goes on in China yet.... just to remind you that Coldplay's song Spies was banned there. :dozey:

 

and if my memory is right, they listed people that uses blogs (can someone think why they want to do that?).

 

---

 

but to be honest, may be internet is an addiction, for some people (remember something is considered addiction/disorder if you don't think on any other thing that that..).

 

 

 

CLICK HEREhttp://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&lm=-1&word=Spies

http://www.mtvtop.net/music/10/10790.htm

may be some people don't know what goes on in China yet.... just to remind you that Coldplay's song Spies was banned there. :dozey:[/color]????

 

 

:shocked2: ........A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! why i don't know??? BUT FACT SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!

 

If you think you're omniscient ......but ..........

China + Internet = Chinternet??:rolleyes:

Your lights are on, but youre not home

Your mind is not your own

Your heart sweats, your body shakes

Another click is what it takes

 

You cant sleep, you cant eat

Theres no doubt, youre in deep

Your throat is tight, you cant breathe

Another click is all you need

 

Whoa, you like to think that youre immune to the stuff,

oh Yeah

 

Its closer to the truth to say you cant get enough, you Know you're

Gonna have to face it, youre addicted to internet

 

You see the signs, but you cant read

Youre runnin at a different speed

You heart beats in double time

Another click and youll be fine, a one track mind

 

You cant be saved

Oblivion is all you crave

If theres some left for you

You dont mind if you do

 

Whoa, you like to think that youre immune to the stuff, oh

Yeah

 

Its closer to the truth to say you cant get enough, you

Know youre

 

Gonna have to face it, youre addicted to internet

 

Might as well face it, youre addicted to internet

^Looks like somebody's been on the magic mushrooms again.:rolleyes:

Oh yeah :cool:

We are all doomed to rehab :P

 

nah we're just a bunch of nerds. :lol:

nah we're just a bunch of nerds. :lol:

 

N/A

 

Nerds Anonymous

CLICK HEREhttp://mp3.baidu.com/m?tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&lm=-1&word=Spies

http://www.mtvtop.net/music/10/10790.htm

may be some people don't know what goes on in China yet.... just to remind you that Coldplay's song Spies was banned there. :dozey:[/color]????

 

 

:shocked2: ........A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! why i don't know??? BUT FACT SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS!!!

 

If you think you're omniscient ......but ..........

 

Well, actually Spies did was banned in China, don't believe it? :dozey:

http://www.douban.com/subject/discussion/1348237/

 

as I'm also here in China now I just wanna tell you that the goverment sometimes just makes me feel sick.

 

And I don't get it why didn't they ban the song Chinese Sleep Chant either ?

 

PS: 你的签名里有错别字

Well, actually Spies did was banned in China, don't believe it? :dozey:

http://www.douban.com/subject/discussion/1348237/

 

as I'm also here in China now I just wanna tell you that the goverment sometimes just makes me feel sick.

 

And I don't get it why didn't they ban the song Chinese Sleep Chant either ?

 

PS: 你的签名里有错别字

 

What about "Chinese Blues" by Travis??:rolleyes:

What about "Chinese Blues" by Travis??:rolleyes:

 

the album seems can't get released here.

but they can't ban whatever they want on internet, u know :dozey:

the album seems can't get released here.

but they can't ban whatever they want on internet, u know :dozey:

 

So why should Travis be censored? What have they done?:confused:

they banned albums

they banned artists

they banned news

and they used to banned wikipedia and bloger

basically, law is nonsense here, I guess.

 

not everyone here really know what's going on, but all we can do is complaining on internet sometimes.

Worlds getting more insane everyday!

 

And mc_squared, seems by the number of your postings, you may fear for your life in China! I would steer clear if I was to advise.... ; )

Worlds getting more insane everyday!

 

And mc_squared, seems by the number of your postings, you may fear for your life in China! I would steer clear if I was to advise.... ; )

 

Well I reckon that dog in your sig had better steer clear too, or it might end up as someone's dinner............................. :P

Well, actually Spies did was banned in China, don't believe it? :dozey:

http://www.douban.com/subject/discussion/1348237/

 

as I'm also here in China now I just wanna tell you that the goverment sometimes just makes me feel sick.

 

And I don't get it why didn't they ban the song Chinese Sleep Chant either ?

 

PS: 你的签名里有错别字

 

 

你是说鱼字吧.直接打出来就这样，也没仔细看。谢谢了。

 

至于spies，网上有，可以下，可以听也叫banned？

 

好吧，算你对。

the album seems can't get released here.

but they can't ban whatever they want on internet, u know :dozey:

 

i think you can. 用电驴（EMULE）谢谢。

 

you 're in Chengdu! i'm from Mianyang . and my sister study in Chengdu

你是说鱼字吧.直接打出来就这样，也没仔细看。谢谢了。

 

至于spies，网上有，可以下，可以听也叫banned？

 

好吧，算你对。

 

网上下载的也算吗？

自己花钱买的才算数好不

中国网络方面的法律不健全

国人依赖网络已久 习惯了免费享受的日子 都不知道起码的尊重和知识产权了么

不过对于CP这种大牌倒也无所谓

 

and , 还有两个错别字 :(

“决” 和 “功” 反正老外的电脑又不支持显示中文 :D

they banned albums

they banned artists

they banned news

and they used to banned wikipedia and bloger

basically, law is nonsense here, I guess.

 

not everyone here really know what's going on, but all we can do is complaining on internet sometimes.

 

Yeah you're right, we're all ignorant bastards, none of us could possibly have any knowledge of China

 

I know quite a lot about it actually, the electoral system which is basically a choice between Socialism and...Socialism

 

The censorship, the industrial revolution, it's a very interesting country.

 

A couple of years ago, we put "Tienanmen Square" into google China, got no results at all regarding 1989.

 

but anyway back to the thread, internet is just like anything else, of course people can get addicted to it.

网上下载的也算吗？

自己花钱买的才算数好不

中国网络方面的法律不健全

国人依赖网络已久 习惯了免费享受的日子 都不知道起码的尊重和知识产权了么

不过对于CP这种大牌倒也无所谓

 

and , 还有两个错别字 :(

“决” 和 “功” 反正老外的电脑又不支持显示中文 :D

 

 

 

被你忽悠了！ 觉，是 觉得 的意思 ！觉 对 知！

 

还有，鱼 本来没错！你再翻翻字典！谢谢

 

工 字 也是对的

 

另外，我每张专辑都买了正版的。

 

还有，相比尊重知识版权，我更尊重中国古典文化。

AHHH!!! The communists are taking over!!!

What really makes me suck is not communists, but those who always turn a non-political topic related to China into a potilical one, making me feel that i'm still living in the Cold War era.