While it’s yet to receive official accreditation as an “official psychiatric condition”, an American hospital has nevertheless become the first in the country to offer a form of treatment for internet addition.
Opening next week, the Behavioural Health Services wing of Bradford Regional Medical Center in Pennsylvania will be making available a 10-day treatment program that first cuts off patient’s internet access, then has them complete a range of counselling activities.
Which are probably called stuff like “Come on, cats aren’t that funny” and “People have sex in the real world too, you know”.
If you think that sounds perfect for you (or a loved one), know there’s a catch. Or two. For starters, it’s a voluntary program, so no forced interventions. Secondly, because the condition isn’t yet recognised, insurance won’t cover it, meaning it’ll cost patients $US14,000.
Pennsylvania hospital to open country’s first inpatient treatment program for Internet addiction [FOX, via Motherboard]
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5 responses to “US Hospital Offering Treatment For Internet Addiction”
Nurse: Doctor he’s going into withdrawal
Doctor: bring me that cat a piece of toast and a knife stat!!!
A comma would be appreciated
“meaning it’ll cost patients $US14,000.”
And there in lies the only reason this thing is a thing to begin with.
Just tell the internet-addicted patients that it is a subscription service: $58.33 an hour (or $14.58 per 15 minutes). They’ll lap that up.
How about taking that money and going on a wicked holiday. I never seem to miss the internet when I’m out having the time of my life 🙂
Isn’t something similar happening in Japan? Kids being sent to camps to recover from internet addiction?