The pathway to communication is solely pushed towards the internet. This new age we witness that everything is transformed to online; online bill pay, order take-out food, registering classes for school, communicating with friends and colleagues, updating records for DMV and even work at home jobs are online. Now, after years of encouraging internet-usage, we have entered into a new type of health concern, internet addiction disorder.
Internet was first introduced in 1969 in the Pentagon by a group of researchers who formed their own project, ARPAnet project, also known as the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network. Since then, researchers have thrived a way to make the internet the new form of media, and in the 1980’s, the internet sailed off to other countries such as China, Japan and India.
40 years later, in 2009, the average person is required to spend some time browsing the web either for school, work or other reasons. Now, America has seen its first internet rehabilitation center. The center is named Heavensfield Retreat Center, and is located in Fall City, Washington. Heavensfield Retreat Center named their internet rehab program, reSTART, and is designed for those who have an internet addiction disorder (IAD).
The reSTART program targets those who spend excessive amounts of time surfing the web and those who spend hours on a video game. The 45 day program starts at $14,500, and can only register online. The program has different sessions that only take two to six patients at a time depending how “severe” the patient is hooked on the internet.
According to the Heavensfield Retreat Center, in order to be admitted into the reSTART program, you have to display symptoms of its nine guidelines for IAD. They are as follows: have a strong desire or impulse to use the internet, decreasing or stopping of the internet leads to withdrawal symptoms (e.g., general malaise, restlessness, irritability, lack of concentration, dyssomnia); and the above mentioned symptoms may be relieved by similar electronic media (e.g., TV, handheld games, gaming devices). In addition, continually increasing the amount of internet use and the extent of internet involvement to reach sense of satisfaction is considered “harmful.” Use of internet in spite of its harmful effects; despite knowledge of harmful effects, internet use is hard to stop. Difficulties controlling beginning, and finishing, and the duration of time of internet use; efforts to modify internet use may be attempted multiple times without success. As a result of internet use, interests, recreation or social activities are decreased or abandoned. Internet use is seen as a way to escape problems or to gain relief from negative feelings. The extent of internet use is denied or minimized to teachers, schoolmates, friends or professionals (including actual time and expenditure of internet contact).
If you follow under any of these categories, then you are eligible to “reprogram” your lifestyle and social skills with a recreation coach, a therapist, exercise and yoga coaches and your own personal doctor that the reSTART program offers.
With the new media era right in front of us, (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter etc.) the program seems to contradict the average American. Businesses, schools and other establishments are encouraged to “go green” by eliminating paper waste as much as possible, and put anything online to avoid paper costs. With these trends, is it the fault of the average American for the internet addiction, or the fault of the movement to help save trees and resources? The funniest part of the reSTART program is that the person has to register online.
Rehab for internet users?
reSTART program contradicts Americans once more
Published: Friday, December 11, 2009
Updated: Friday, December 11, 2009
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First internet program in America
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