Japan is now offering online detox for 500,000 teenagers addicted to the internet
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Loading... - CRISTIAN CASTILLO
- 25 Jun 2020
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Internet addictions are a real problem for more than half a million Japanese youths.
Teenagers who spend hours online can even risk dropping out of school and developing troubled sleeping patterns or insomnia.
Although Japan is awash with internet cafes for a generation who depend on gadgets and computers, cyber detox clinics are beginning to pop up across the country.
Japanese addiction treatment centres are encouraging web-hungry teens to leave their devices at the door.
500,000 teens are addicted to the web in Japan (Picture: Getty)
Patients are put through an ‘internet fast’ to embrace a bit of time disconnected from the internet, but hopefully more connected to the real, offline, world.
Internet addiction
Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) is excessive web usage which interferes with daily life.
Internet addiction is considered a growing issue by the Japanese government, the administration has estimated that more than 500,000 youths are affected.
Nomura Kazataka, a therapist working in one a Yokohama cyber detox clinic, described how internet addiction can impact lives.
‘In the worst cases, kids drop out of school and are not able to catch up with school curriculum.’
‘Kids like that will also have problems like not being able to sleep, which needs to be tackled in addition to the addiction.’
