First US Inpatient Treatment Program For Internet Addiction Opening In September 89
cold fjord writes "Fox News reports, '... a psychiatric hospital in central Pennsylvania is now set to become the country's first facility of its kind to offer an inpatient treatment program for people it diagnoses with severe Internet addiction. The voluntary, 10-day program is set to open on Sept. 9 at the Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional Medical Center. The program was organized by experts in the field and cognitive specialists with backgrounds in treating more familiar addictions like drug and alcohol abuse. '[Internet addiction] is a problem in this country that can be more pervasive than alcoholism,' said Dr. Kimberly Young, ... 'The Internet is free, legal and fat free.' The program is designed to accommodate four adult patients at a time, with each new class slated to begin treatment on the same day. These classes take part in group therapy and are placed inside a wing of the hospital designated for other addicts. These patients will undergo a psychological evaluation and learn ways they can minimally use the Internet and avoid problematic applications.'"
Re:What is the problem? (Score:2, Interesting)
Internet addiction is not considered a mental disorder. Currently it is an area for additional study in the DSM-V. So I do have to wonder, how are these people paying for this treatment? I don't think an insurance company is going to send someone to an expensive inpatient treatment facility for something that isn't classified as a mental disorder. And how is the place licensed? A lot of this does not make sense, and my SCAM alarm is ringing.