Pennsylvania Hospital Opens Inpatient Treatment Program for Internet Addiction

Pennsylvania Hospital Opens Inpatient Treatment Program for Internet Addiction

A hospital in Pennsylvania opened the country's first-ever inpatient treatment program for Internet addiction, according to Fox News. Kevin Roberts suffered from an Internet addiction that took over his life ten years ago.

He would sit eight to 12 hours in front of his computer, playing a videogame. During the holidays, he would binge, spending nearly his entire day at his keyboard.

His friend who was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous told him that he showed the signs and indications of an "addict".

"Like most addicts, I went through a series of self-deception," said Roberts, who documented his struggle with addiction in his book, "Cyber Junkie: Escape the Gaming and Internet Trap." 

Roberts' story who came to grips with his addiction through years of therapy and spiritual engagements is not unique. Treatment facilities have been set up to treat this kind of addiction throughout the years but a psychiatric hospital in Pennsylvania is now set to become the country's first facility to offer inpatient treatment program of people diagnosed with severe Internet addiction.

The voluntary ten-day program will commence on September 9 and will be held at the Behavioral Health Services at Bradford Regional Medical Center.

The program was organized by experts in the field and cognitive specialist with backgrounds in treating more familiar addictions like drug and alcohol abuse.

"Internet addiction is a problem in this country that can be more pervasive than alcoholism," said Dr. Kimberly Young, the psychologist who founded the non-profit program: "The Internet is free, legal and fat free."

The new program will be designed to accommodate four adult patients at a time, with new classes set to begin daily. These classes will take part in group therapy and placed inside a wing of the hospital assigned for other people with addictions.