Chinese Internet addiction diagnosis

• Source: Global Times
• [21:43 August 19 2009]
• Comments

A youth receives a brain activity check on July 6, 2005, at the PLA Military General Hospital of Beijing, the first official hospital approved by the government to cure Internet addiction. Photo: CFP

China has no practical, measurable test. The nearest came on November 9 last year, when Chinese doctors released the country's first diagnostic definition of Internet addiction.

Tao Ran, a medical expert at PLA Military General Hospital of Beijing, where the definition was developed, said it was also the first time for China to officially designate hospital psychiatric units to treat such cases. The diagnostic definition of Internet addiction is:

f1. Strong desire to use the Internet.

f2. Reducing or ceasing the use of Internet leads to general malaise or fidgetiness, irritability, attention distraction, sleep disorder or other abstinence symptoms. Those symptoms can be alleviated by using similar electronic media such as television or a portable game machine.

f3. At least one condition is satisfied in the following five conditions:

a. A persistent failure to control the time of starts, endings and duration of Internet use.

b. Use the Internet stubbornly while neglecting its negative consequences.

c. Reducing or giving up recreational or social activities in exchange for more time on using the Internet.

d. Using the Internet as a means to escape from problems or negative emotions.

e. Disease duration standard: spend six hours or more on the Internet a day and maintain the symptoms for three months or more.

f4. Internet addiction is then categorized into five types: online gaming, pornography, social networking, Internet information and shopping.