Teenagers Death Caused By Internet Addiction

When being addicted to the Internet leads to the death of a teenage boy, it throws Cyber Space into the realm of being lethal.

Since the death of Senshan at a Survival Training Camp, three adult supervisors have been arrested by the police. The supervisors were meant to be curing 16 year old Deng Senshan of his compulsive computer use. In Nanning Guangxi province, a police officer told the Chinese state media, "The case is still under investigation. We are investigating a case where a high school student was beaten to death by his camp supervisors". Deng Fei, the boy's father revealed he had paid 7,000 yuan (£605) to the Guangxi Qihuang Survival Training camp, for his son to spend a month there. They said they would rid the boy of his Internet addiction. The clinic is a tough environment but its mission declaration undertakes, that torture and “other ways that might harm a child’s health” would not be used. The father believes his son was put into solitary confinement shortly after his arrival and then beaten by supervisors who were upset because the boy was not moving quickly enough. In North China, the Health Minister ordered an Internet addiction clinic to cease from using electro-shock therapy as part of its treatment. There are numerous Internet addiction boot camps and clinics all over China. Former patients complained online they had received cruel treatment. Some have diagnosed IAD as a ‘mental disorder’, but this is being questioned. Elias Aboujaoude, from the Stanford University School of Medicine doesn't think Internet addiction should be considered a clinical disorder. Internet overuse, or IAD, is classed as problematic computer use that interferes with daily life. It can involve excessive viewing of pornography, overwhelming and excessive gambling, inappropriate involvement in social networking, or blogging, excessive Internet shopping and compulsive online game playing. Senshan is not the first person to have died in a Chinese Internet Addiction Camp, funded by the government. A former patient said “It should be the parents’ problem. Why do they always overstate their kids’ hobbies, turning them into addictions or problems? Why can’t people accept new ideas and new things with an open mind?” However, IAD is to be found in all age groups and not just limited to teenagers, or China. Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation (http://youmesupport.org). They provide high school education grants for children who are without hope. Children who will never see the inside of a high school classroom without assistance. Take a few minutes to check out the Tropical Island Treasure Chest at Win A Resort (http://winaresort.com). You will be helping some really great kids and it could change your life. Feel free to contact Wendy on admin@youmesupport.org

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YouMe Support Foundation is a non-profit charity, raising funds for non-repayable higher-education grants for geographically and financially disadvantaged children.