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China mulls treatment standard for net addiction

(chinadaily.com.com)
Updated: 2009-08-25 11:33

The Ministry of Health has planned to publicize the treatment standard of Internet addiction within the year, according to cnr.cn, China National Radio's website.

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The treatment standard will list those who surf online for more than 40 hours per week as Internet addicts.

Five experts from the Institute for Psychiatric Research of Central South University have been commissioned by the Ministry to establish the standard.

"Most of the addicts would be video game players," Gao Xueping, one of the five experts said. "The video game is especially attractive to young people."

"Fighting young people's addiction to the Internet requires a joint effort by themselves, parents, teachers and doctors. Medication treatment should be their last choice," Gao added.