RoR: Forum

Children "addicted" to the Internet does not surprise me. Anyone can get absorbed playing games, doing research, chatting, and posting to forums.

They cease to communicate with family or friends.

The Internet can actually become an online community for some. People all over the world can chat and even become friends. So I woudn't suggest that being on the Internet can alienate the users from family and friends.

Post 1

Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 2:24pm

Thanks for your comment.

I was struck by this:

Dai Ge lay on his back, stared at the ceiling and refused to look visitors in the eye. �I don�t play for such a long time online,� he muttered.

Don't you feel sorry for the poor kid taken to this clinic to be zapped out of his addiction?

Unlike drug addictions, the internet does not create dependency.

What does this mean? If there is no dependency, where is the addiction?

Post 2

Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 9:10pm

Yes Marcus...I do feel sorry for Dai Ge. He's probably one of the many children prescribed unnecessary medication for his "addiction".

And I'm not sure about actual sleep disorders. Computer and TV screens can actually reset the circadian clock. If a person is up late on a computer, they may find themselves staying up later and sleeping in later. So one of the medications given to the patients is probably some type of sleeping pill (Scary!).

That is a good point you brought up about no dependency and addiction. It doesn't make much sense, but I will think about this.

--Alysha

Post 3

Saturday, August 13, 2005 - 10:12pm