People who spend too much time on the internet, or playing computer games have started being diagnosed as having an internet or computer addiction.
People who spend too much time on the internet, or playing computer games have started being diagnosed as having an internet or computer addiction.
Similar to other addictions, like drugs, sex or shopping, people who engage in this behavior excessively start seeing other parts of their lives become negatively affected by their addiction.
When denied access, some patients experience irritability, and other withdrawal symptoms like depression.
Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania is the first to start treating people specifically for internet addiction, or gaming addiction through an inpatient program.
The 14 thousand dollar, ten day treatment program starts with a digital detox, where patients are forced to be disconnected from the internet and computers for 72 hours.
Doctor Kimberly Young from the Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional Medical Center started researching the issue of internet addiction in the mid 1990s, and presented her first research paper on the subject in 1996.
Although the diagnosis of gaming and internet addiction is fairly new, some health care professionals still think that it is a marginalized and rare addiction, similar to other things that have fewer or less obvious negative side effects.
