Pennsylvania hospital to offer treatment for internet addicts

A psychiatric hospital in Pennsylvania is reportedly set to become America's first ever state facility to offer an impatient treatment program for internet addicts.

The 10-day program which begins from September 9 has been organized by experts in the field of psychiatry and cognitive specialists who have treated familiar addictions like drug and alcohol abuse.

Psychologist and founder of the program, Dr. Kimberly Young said that Internet addiction is a problem in the US that can be more pervasive than alcoholism adding that it is free, legal and fat free.

In the program, which would include four adult patients at a given time, will have classes for the treatment in which they will participate in group therapy and they will be evaluated psychologically.

The patients will be also taught ways to through which they can minimally use the Internet and avoid problematic applications, Fox News reports.

The medical director of the department of psychiatry at Bradford Regional, Dr. Roger Laroche said that most people with a severe Internet addiction have some type of undiagnosed psychiatric disorder or personality problem similar to those who are addicted to drugs like marijuana.

The report said that the program, which costs 14,000 dollars, will have patients evaluated psychologically after undergoing a 'digital detox', which refers to cutting off the patient from any Internet connection or computer use for 72 hours.