China Shock Therapy On Internet Addicts To Be Ended

BEIJING (AP) -- China's Health Ministry has ordered a hospital to stop using electric shock therapy to cure youths of Internet addiction, saying there was no scientific evidence it worked.

Linyi Mental Health Hospital in eastern Shandong province used the treatment as part of a four-month program that has so far treated nearly 3,000 youths, the China Youth Daily newspaper has reported, citing the psychiatrist who runs it, Yang Yongxin.

The ministry said in a statement posted on its Web site late Monday there is no domestic or international clinical evidence that electric shock therapy helps cure Internet addiction. Electric shock therapy is most often used to treat severe depression.

Chinese psychologists say symptoms of Internet addiction include being online more than six hours a day -- playing games and looking at pornography rather than working or studying -- and getting angry when unable to get online.

The hospital could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but spokesman Yang Shuyun told the Beijing News newspaper had stopped administering the shock therapy after seeing the ministry's comments.

Shuyun said it was only part of the overall program to treat patients, which also included medicine and psychological counseling. Patients are charged 5,500 yuan ($805) a month.

Computer and Internet use has risen dramatically as China's economy has boomed in recent years, and according to an estimate by China's National People's Congress about 10 percent of the country's under-18 users are addicted to the Internet, although it is not recognized as a clinical condition.

Comments

[fcsakes]

And these are the people from whom bushie borrowed enormous amounts of money?

[IbeHappy]

Aren't you glad they didn't send him their book on enhanced interrogation techniques!

[Hirnlego]

Its already been reported that some of the techniques used were widely used by communists such as Mao.

[BluGrrl]

How barbaric. But it's great doing buisness with China, huh? Human rights violations, child toys with lead paint, flammable pajamas, tires that fall apart, mislabeled drugs, pet foot that kills your pets. Role model for the world, indeed..

[jsgaetano]

Yeah, it sure is a good thing the conservatives prevented America from ever using trade as a reward for improving human rights.

[samuelberg]

Oh yea, we know democratic presidents always put moral decency above making a buck. Let's forget about Bill's attempt at nation building in Haiti, where he helped install Aristide to power who was every bit the psychotic, ruthless dictator as his predecessors. Or what about Bill's chummy relationship with Nursultan Nazarbayev, the brutal and corrupt dictator of Kazakhstan. Clinton helped a wealthy Canadian financier secure mining rights to three uranium that were previously owned by the government of Kazakhstan. This deal instantly made him one of the front runners in the uranium industry. Soon after, the Clinton Foundation received a $31.3 million donation from this corrupt businessman, Frank Giustra. Meanwhile, the people of Kazakhstan continued to lived their repressed lives, with many political dissidents routinely jailed, beaten and/or killed. At least mr. High and Mighty Bill got rich off this project.

[GetoffMylawn]

Now they have finally crossed over into the group of nations that were crazy just a day ago.

[TheBaffler]

Being addicted to the internet is punishment enough. Besides, these are not people that will be hitting the streets to cause any problems. It could be seen as a useful barbiturate for the masses, like TV.

[Gatormouth]

T.V. (like our MSM) can be state controlled. The Internet, however, can be "subversive" ( see Iran)

[TheBaffler]

Yes, but those who are "addicted" to the internet are too lazy act out in any way. There's nothing to fear from them.

[Aabby]

oh good.

[Shirley Fisk]

7/14/09
11:25am
Sunny Isles Beach, FL

YIKES!! Glad they stopped, anyway.