Clinic opens for children addicted to video games and the internet

Doctors claim to have opened the first dedicated clinic in Britain to treat children addicted to video games and other technology.

Capio Nightingale Hospital, a private facility in Central London, introduced the service after calls from parents concerned about their children’s use of games, the internet, or mobile phones.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said the service would be offered for children as young as 12 but those aged 15 to 17 are expected to be the main target group.

Richard Graham, a consultant psychiatrist who is leading the new clinic, added that although other clinics provided treatment for young people as part of general addiction treatments, services needed to “adapt quickly” to specifically address problems linked to technology.
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Dr Graham, who also sees NHS patients, said some parents reported that their children flew “into a rage” when they were told to turn off their computer, and police had even been called to sort out the rows.

“Mental health services need to adapt quickly to the changing worlds that young people inhabit, and understand just how seriously their lives can be impaired by unregulated time online, on-screen or in-game,” he said.

He called for official guidelines “on what counts as healthy or unhealthy use of technology.”

The Capio spokeswoman declined to comment on the costs of a private consultation at the Young Person Technology Addiction Service, which aims to increase off-screen social activities and improve children’s general confidence.

It also encourages them to think about their relationship with their phone, computer games or social networking websites like Facebook and teaches them skills to help them to switch off.

Other experts have previously questioned whether technology addiction is a real illness, or just an over-reaction on the part of parents and gamers.

Richard Wood, a researcher at Nottingham Trent University, argued in 2008 that video game addiction was a “myth”.

“Some people are being mislabelled addicts by concerned parents, partners or others when they have no problems with their game-playing behaviour. Some people who are concerned about their own behaviour ... end up labelling themselves as video game addicts,” he said.


David Rose, Health Correspondent
March 17, 2010
http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article7066355.ece

LOL I think at least half of us here at dtv may need to look into this.

HELLO MY NAME IS WILLIAM AND IM AN INFO ADDICT

Thanks for the information Toro

So I guess you guy's won't be seeing me for a few month's.
take care all.

Oh bummer there isn't a Net rehab clinic in LA

LOL What a joke, it's called parents "WATCH" your children.

The Hospital opening up is the start of another non determined illness, like alot of treatment centers are, they make you blame the problem on the substance or the Video game instead of your stupid choices, they say the only way to defeat it is through not ever using it again instead of using in moderation, just so they can call it not right or illegal and still get there pay checks.

I got A minor while driving when I was 18 ( that is an alcohol related offense) they suspended my license making me pay 865 $ to get it back, they also towed my car which was 100$, after my sentencing they didn't tell me what I blew for the "TEST" I passed the field sobriety test ( I had a half glass of captain morgan and coke before driving, I know not smart but not dangerous either and well under the legal limit and it's not hard to stand on one foot and count to 30 when you are a martial artist.)

Anyways they charged me and I had to pay a 200 dollar court fee, spend a week in jail *which you also have to pay for staying totaling 230 dollars) then I was put on probation for 2 year which probation comes with a cost of 200$ a year and I was for 2 year so that is 400 $...

The point of this however is that, they sent me to treatment as well and being uninsured that ended up costing me 2000$, however they sent me for alcohol related incident and they said in my initial interview that I wasn't addicted to alcohol and I didn't show the signs and whatever, but when they took "samples" of my body they found Marijuana in my system and Immediately my whole alcohol related offense turned into "WHY I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MARIJUANA"................?????? What kind of shit is that?

not only did I have to pay half a years worth of wages to get my ass back to normal ( at least in the financial sense) they all of a sudden tell me that I have a marijuana addiction even though that is not what I am being sent to treatment for...

The system is flawed, very flawed and it was that experience with the situation that made me realize that the Government is never there to help you, if you get caught slipping up once and you aren't a well known family, your father is a cop, or you are a high official, or you can afford a 10,000 dollar attorney you are FUCKED!

The public defenders don't help for shit either ( I call them public Pretenders) my guy told me that basically I am screwed and this and that, but I told him I was illegally pulled over as the cop took a straight forward medium to go straight and took a right on the straightaway to follow me, he also followed me for 5 miles, pulled me over in a different county, and failed to show me my breathalyzer results.

anyways the moral of the story is many things:

1. Cops are fat donut eating pigs now a days.
2. the legal system is flawed dramatically.
3. if you feel the need to go to a treatment center make sure you concentrate on what you really need help with and don't make them dig into things that you don't have problems with and have them make you feel like you have problems with it.

4. Turn off the power button...

thank you for reading this I actually exposed a part of my past in this but what the hell everyone makes mistakes!

Total monetary value of getting pulled over for having a half a drink illegally:

3,795 $ (Ok I lied it wasn't close to half my years wages but that is still re god damn diculous)

I could buy a semi decent used car for that.

Jet its ok to admit you have a problem with marijuana, that part of the rehabilitation process. lol

its to have an angle to continue taking control. Now being on the computer to long is going to be considered a mental issue.

aint that a bitch


ps heres some free advise
to help with your marijuana addiction try some heroin
it work great for me i dont smoke no more

NO NO, I think you might have read worn somewhere.

I smoke maybe once or twice a day depending on the day no different medication.

I only was expressing that I got a charge for alcohol and they sent me to treatment for that because I got pulled over once ( so they assumed I had a problem with Alcohol , even though i hate alcohol) then they proceeded to say that the alcohol wasn't the problem it was that I smoke weed and was an advocate for it.

flaws in consciousness and common sense.(for them)

are you high now?














i was just messing with you jet

LMAO no I am very responsible with hobbies and habits, I don't smoke weed until usually after the 5-6 PM range, Wake and Bakes are a thing of the past.

i'm assuming they have on-line courses?

LOL no I am the real deal holyfield, or I should say I was until 2 years ago, I still try to practice though, I have written I think a couple times what I was into.

Tai-Chi is good for relaxation, however I would prefer Wushu that is the kung fu form of Tai Chi, also what Jet Li studied under.

jet thats why i dig your personality, your just like me , not a parinoid smoker with his finger on the poker, there is a time and place to relax , your a smart kid madd props homie madd props