For years we have been talking about addiction to the Internet, and then to

For years we have been talking about addiction to the Internet, and then to the mobile phone. A recent survey in UK found that 9 % of adults would rather live without their own children for a week than give up their mobile phone, while 53% of those polled admitted they were addicted to their handsets. Now we are putting together a support group for those who find themselves addicted. By speaking of the group, I mean, what we offer as some of the treatments are group therapy sessions for those people.
    The group itself becomes a therapeutic tool, because people are getting out of their rooms where they stay with the computer or the mobile phone for many hours and even days, surfing the Internet or the WeChat. People are getting out of the isolation and are dealing with other people face-to-face. They are getting support from other people. They realize that it is not just them, that there are other people who are engaged in the same behavior and facing the same problems, and also they can help each other strategize about what is the best way for them to break the pattern, to figure out other things to do. And also we examine people’s life situations, it is important to figure out what is going on in the person’s life that is contributing to these particular behaviors. Why is the person spending so much time on the Net and the WeChat? Are they avoiding something? Or are they trying to find some fulfillment in this way?
    As far as how many people are actually addicted to the Internet or the Wechat, there was one study which said about 2 or 3 percent. I would say at least 5 percent of people who are seriously having problems. The thing is, though, it is very easy to slip into and you don’t realize it, especially for college students and teenagers. For instance, we have labs on campus where people can just go in, they may be doing a paper or some other project on the computer, and then they just check the chat rooms and see what is going on, and then before they know it, hours go by.