Internet Addiction Clinic Opens In London: "Screenagers" Urged To Attend
The Internet can be a pretty scary place, and apparently it can be
pretty addicting too. Not that we're too worried about you checking
back here for the 40th time today, but if you've found yourself having
a tough time disconnecting in London, there might be some help just
around the block. If you're willing to shuttle over and accept it.
A new Internet addiction clinic has opened up in England's most famous city, as a private London hospital has launched what is said to be the nation's first dedicated technology addiction service. What's most comical about an otherwise serious venture is that the service is aimed at so-called "screenagers," which are teens that just can't seem to pry themselves away from the LCD in their bedroom. It's actually more than that; the name is given to children who actually fly into a rage whenever they are instructed to turn their PC off.
As with any clinic, help will be funneled through intensive in-patient care or via group therapy sessions, and while it will serve kids as young as 12, it's aimed at those in the 15-17 age range. Richard Graham, lead consultant at Capio Nightingale Hospital, told the London Evening Standard that some parents "end up having to call the police" in order to keep their kids under control when told that PC time is over. The therapy involves coaxing patients into experiencing one-on-one communication with others, using "real" communications versus online chatting. There's no public price mentioned on this, but we know it's not cheap. Then again, if your kid yells and screams whenever the LCD goes black, it's probably worth whatever they charge if the docs can really cure it.
A new Internet addiction clinic has opened up in England's most famous city, as a private London hospital has launched what is said to be the nation's first dedicated technology addiction service. What's most comical about an otherwise serious venture is that the service is aimed at so-called "screenagers," which are teens that just can't seem to pry themselves away from the LCD in their bedroom. It's actually more than that; the name is given to children who actually fly into a rage whenever they are instructed to turn their PC off.
As with any clinic, help will be funneled through intensive in-patient care or via group therapy sessions, and while it will serve kids as young as 12, it's aimed at those in the 15-17 age range. Richard Graham, lead consultant at Capio Nightingale Hospital, told the London Evening Standard that some parents "end up having to call the police" in order to keep their kids under control when told that PC time is over. The therapy involves coaxing patients into experiencing one-on-one communication with others, using "real" communications versus online chatting. There's no public price mentioned on this, but we know it's not cheap. Then again, if your kid yells and screams whenever the LCD goes black, it's probably worth whatever they charge if the docs can really cure it.
