US Hospital Now Offering Rehab for Internet Addicts

Hospital inpatient programs for treating addicts aren't new. But this one is: A Pennsylvania psychiatric hospital will become the first of its kind to offer a program for Internet addicts, reports Fox News. "[Internet addiction] is a problem in this country that can be more pervasive than alcoholism," says the psychologist who founded the 10-week voluntary program at Bradford Regional Medical Center. "The Internet is free, legal and fat free."

The program, designed by experts with backgrounds in treating drug and alcohol addiction, costs $14,000 out of pocket and starts with a 72-hour "digital detox." Patients then learn ways to keep their Internet usage to a minimum in daily life and avoid using addictive applications. Meanwhile, Japan has taken a different route for tackling the affliction: The country's government is proposing funding "Internet-free camps" for kids, where they will be forced forgo their XBoxes and iPhones in favor of fresh air and outdoor games, reports the Telegraph. (More internet stories.)