US's first Net-addiction center

The Internet addiction center, called ReSTART, is in Fall City, Washington, about 30 miles east of Seattle. It offers a $14,000, 45-day program designed to help people (six at a time) end their addictions to "pathological computer use, which can include obsessive use of video games, texting, Facebook, eBay, Twitter and any other time-killers brought courtesy of technology," according to an article in the Washington Post. The founders, therapists, say they've been helping patients with Net addiction for years on an out-patient basis. "Internet addiction is not recognized as a separate disorder by the American Psychiatric Association, and treatment is not generally covered by insurance. But there are many such treatment centers in China, South Korea and Taiwan - where Internet addiction is taken very seriously - and many psychiatric experts say it is clear that Internet addiction is real and harmful," according to the article. Some sources say obsessive use of technologies is a sign of other disorders such as depression, anxiety, or "social phobic symptoms," issues that "make it hard for them to live a full, balanced life and deal face-to-face with other people."