China, which is famous for its successful treatment and virtual elimination of illegal drug addiction, is on to a new trend … Internet addiction clinics.

Led by Tao Ran, a military researcher who built his career by treating heroin addicts, the clinic uses a tough-love approach that includes counseling, military discipline, drugs, hypnosis and mild electric shocks.

It’s true. There are many teens and young men and women who spend way too many hours online … sometimes going to the wangba (Internet bar) all night to play games, chat, and watch movies online. It’s especially a major problem for university students, who suddenly find themselves graduated from their ridiculously rigorous middle school careers (70 hours/week) and don’t know how to make responsible choices in the newfound freedom of college life (15 hours/week).

I had a senior three student come to me last semester asking for help … one of her best friends had just started skipping school and going to the Internet bar instead. Apparantly she had lost interest in academics (she was a very good student) and simply left to pursue her online interests. When I asked where her parents were (or if she even had parents), the student told me that they were powerless.

So let me get this straight … this kid is addicted to the Internet? Her parents, who are giving her money for the wangba, covering her butt at school, feeding her, and giving her a place to stay, are powerless? She needs electroshock therapy, hypnosis, and drugs?

“We use these medicines to give them happiness,” Tao said, “so they no longer need to go on the Internet to be happy.”

If only I had a kid … I’d sign him up today!

Posted to webeldotnet on Monday, February 26th, 2007 at 8:47 am EST in News & China & Media (comment feed). If you refer to this post on your blog, please trackback. Thanks!