A pediatric psychiatrist has urged parents to pay attention to the symptoms of Internet addiction after a high-school senior’s addictive behavior was mistaken for depression.
Hsiao Yuan (小媛) refused to study, browsed the Internet all day and rarely interacted with other people, Tsang Ju-fen (臧汝芬), a doctor at Mackay Children’s Hospital’s department of pediatric psychiatry, said on Monday.
Yuan also complained of insomnia and lethargy, and he sometimes had trouble breathing, she said.
Tsang said that while Yuan’s symptoms pointed to depression, after speaking with him, she found that he had been using the Internet as a means of escape, because his father, an alcoholic, became aggressive when drunk.
Afraid to speak out, Yuan had turned to the Internet for comfort and to vent, she added.
The WHO in June classified “gaming disorder” as a mental illness, Tsang said.
“Gaming addicts require proper treatment, rather than incessant persuasion,” she added.
Tsang urged parents to pay attention to behaviors such as excessive gaming, refusing to study and having trouble waking up or falling asleep.
Children who have Internet addiction need to undergo professional treatment, she said.
During the acute stage of recovery, some might even need to be hospitalized, Tsang said, adding that she hopes parents will understand the necessity of “letting go.”
After two weeks of hospitalization and with the support of his family members, who helped Yuan set academic goals and develop hobbies, he has returned to normal life, she added.
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