Gamer meets real-life enemy 


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Gamers play a match during an international contest in Seattle. AFP

CHINA'S decision to classify Internet addiction as a mental disorder has caused much debate. 21st Century reporter Zhang Chunmei talks to an addict about what it feels like to be addicted, and how you can avoid falling into the same trap.

ONE day, Wang Xiaochuan (not his real name), a student from Shijiazhuang, was throwing his life away playing online games. The next day, at his parents' demand, the 20-year-old entered an Internet addiction rehab center in Daxing, Beijing.

Wang was angry. He was lonely. And he didn't want anyone telling him what to do, so he spent his first week at the rehab center punching sandbags in a classroom. "I hated people who wanted to manage me," said Wang.

Fanatical gaming

Since junior high school, the man had lived his life in a world of made-up characters and battles. "The Legend of Mir, World of Warcraft and Audition are my favorite games," said Wang.

For much of his childhood, his parents had kept a close watch over him – too close, he says. "I wanted to escape." So he did – to the Web.

Wang became particularly fanatical about gaming last year. He once stayed in an Internet cafe for a whole week, sleeping during the day and playing all night. He lived on water and instant noodles and put on lots of weight. He now weighs 100 kilograms.

Wang might still be in Internet cafes throwing away his youth were it not for a teacher and his concerned parents. They saw his failing grades and realized that something drastic needed to be done when he suddenly decided to quit school altogether.

"I thought about the game all day long: how to conquer it, how to get better equipment, how to kill more enemies," he said. "This was a world where I could vent my pent-up emotion and forget the problems in the real world."

Eventually, his parents forced him to enter the rehab center. But after that first week of punching sandbags and keeping to himself, something inside him began to change.

"When I said I did not want to join a game, the teachers just let me sit aside; when I did not want to talk, they just accompanied me without saying a word," said Wang. "One day, I got angry and did not eat dinner. My tutor bought a meal for me. It touched my heart.

"They always communicated with me, but they did not judge me. Gradually, I began chatting with them about many things, including my aversion to [life at] home and school."

Wang actually feared going back to school, as he was already 20 and had few friends there. But somewhere deep inside him, a new desire for learning and growth was blooming.

"I was afraid of the real world, as I thought I could do nothing, but now I want to try," he said.

Sense of calm

Rehab has helped Wang find joy from something besides gaming. "Now, I can sit and listen to some music," he said.

He can also participate in conversations with strangers who cross his path. "It was a little hard at the beginning," said Wang. In fact, on the way back to the rehab center from the interview, he talked actively with the taxi driver.

Wang will spend one more month in rehab before re-entering society, but he has a remarkable sense of calm about his future.

"I played basketball recently with some other classmates and found the feeling of sweat on my body so good," he said. "My next goal might be to lose 25 kilograms and get fit."

Today's other temptations

Love addiction

A person who is excessively attached to another person will sometimes try to obtain that person抯]'s identity for themselves. Pop culture has glorified it: Many love affairs depicted in the media are in fact unhealthy.

The shopaholic

This refers a person with a compulsive desire to shop. Gender bias is often associated with the term, as women who love to shop are often called "shopaholics", while men are called "collectors".

Energy drink addiction

Energy drinks have as much sugar and roughly three times the caffeine of regular soda. And with racy names like Full Throttle, Rockstar and Adrenaline Rush, critics say the drinks are fostering caffeine addiction among teenagers.

21ST

Are you a Net junkie?

NOW, take a breath. Spend thirty seconds answering the following questions:

Do you feel preoccupied with the Internet (are you always thinking about your online activity, or anticipating your next online session)?

Do you need increasing amounts of time on the Web in order to achieve satisfaction?

Have you repeatedly made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back or stop your Internet use?

Do you feel restless, moody, depressed or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use?

Do you often stay online longer than you originally intended?

Have you jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job or educational or career opportunity because of the Internet?

Have you lied to family members, friends, a therapist or others to conceal the extent of your involvement with the Internet?

Do you use it to escape from problems (feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety or depression)?

Source: Centre for Internet Addiction Recovery

Don't panic

IF you answered "yes" to five or more of these questions, well, you may have an Internet addiction.

But don't panic. You're not alone. In fact, around 10 percent of the estimated 40 million young Internet users in China suffer from different levels of Internet addiction, according to a 2007 government report. The report also pointed out that online gaming is one of the main reasons for Internet addiction.

Curing the disorder

The Internet Addiction Disorder Center is situated in Daxing, on the outskirts of Beijing. More than 50 patients currently reside in the center.

Intensive therapy is spread across three months, during which time the patients cannot use computers or mobile phones. Drillmasters regulate their everyday lives. The center also offers military-style physical exercise alongside swimming, music and reading sessions.

Medicine

Once diagnosed, most patients need to take medicine, as their cerebral functions have been damaged. And Internet addiction is often accompanied by other disorders, such as anxiety, neurosis and depression.

Military drills

Patients live a regular life as soldiers, getting up, sleeping and eating meals at certain times. Strict military exercises help them strengthen their will, escape depression and quit using the Internet as a balm when they face difficulties in real life.

Counseling

Every patient has a special consultant. Internet addiction has deep ties to family life and society. So consultants often communicate with the patient's parents.

Sports and arts

Playing sports or practicing the arts allows people to relax while interacting with others. Painting and playing music, in particular, can help patients concentrate and find inner peace.

Social experience

Patients at the center visit orphans. This helps them realize how precious their life is by communicating with orphans and, later, expressing their feelings to partners.

英语词汇解析

alcoholism 酗酒

adrenalin 肾上腺素

anonymous 匿名的

aversion 嫌恶

balm 慰藉

banter 玩笑

bias 偏见

cerebral 大脑的

collectively 共同地

disposable income 可支配收入

drastic 激烈的

drillmaster 训练员

excessively 过分地

irritable 易怒的

jeopardize 危害

manual 手册

melody 悦耳的音调

neurosis 神经官能症

overbroad 太宽泛的

panic 惊慌

pent-up 幽闭的, 被压抑的

plethora 过剩

preoccupy 迷住

racy 猥亵的

rehab 复原

restless 得不到休息的, 不平静的

shopaholics 购物狂

testimony 宣言, 陈述

therapist 临床医学家

throttle 扼杀

vent 发泄

BONUS

Expressions

1. Terms for different addicts

wino 酒鬼

alcoholic 酒鬼

gamester 赌棍

shopaholic 购物狂

junkie 有毒瘾的人

sex maniac 性欲狂

2. Ways of saying you are addicted to sth

be obsessed with sth

沉迷于

He's so obsessed with the new video game that he gave up going to a friend's party. 他沉迷于新游戏，竟然放弃了朋友聚会。

get hooked on sth

对某事物上瘾

The TV drama always stops in the middle of a plot in order to get the audience hooked on the next episode. 电视剧总是在情节中间停住，让观众不得不关注下一集。

can't stop doing sth

无法停止做某事

I just can't stop playing with my new mobile phone, which has so many functions. 新手机让我玩上了瘾，它有好多功能。

3. Ways of saying that you have got rid of a certain habit?

rid oneself of

摆脱，解除

The man moved his home to a new district just to rid himself of his addiction to gambling.

他为了戒掉赌博，把家搬到了新的社区。

wean off

戒掉

The doctor gives him a special injection to help him wean of the drug.

医生为他打了一针，帮助他戒掉毒瘾。

go cold turkey

突然完全停止使用(毒品, 烟酒等成瘾物)

I decided to go cold turkey and never light up another cigarette.

我就决定立即停止吸烟。

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