Fears rise over kids hooked on gaming and virtual worlds

SCHOOL children are becoming dangerously hooked on computer games, with one being offered live-in treatment at adolescent psychiatric facilities to wean him off his addiction.

The first teenager admitted to hospital partly due to computer addiction was living full-time at Sydney's Rivendell Adolescent Unit at Concord, receiving therapy and doing schoolwork.

But psychiatrists said they were receiving a flood of calls from distressed families seeking help for children who had fallen victim to the condition known as "pathological internet use".

Mental health professionals said schools were reporting students falling asleep in class after marathon online sessions playing highly addictive games such as World Of Warcraft.

The teen, who cannot be identified, was being treated by Rivendell for mental illness along with serious problems arising from computer gaming.
He slept in the unit from Monday to Friday and returned home at weekends.

The Year 11 boy, at Rivendell voluntarily, accepted that he needed to be separated from his computer if the treatment was to be successful.

Last year the first retreat for internet addicts opened its doors in Washington State in the US, welcoming a teen who had become a captive player of World Of Warcraft.

Mental health experts said Australia may soon need similar specialist rehabilitation facilities.

In the most extreme cases, teens and young adults were spending up to 50 hours almost non-stop playing online computer games.

Psychiatrists had confirmed anecdotal evidence that some wear nappies during long sessions so they won't have to take a toilet break.

A Sydney mother who had sought professional help for her 18-year-old daughter said yesterday the problem was widespread among young people.