All those hours spent on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Instant
Messenger and online video games could be taking a serious toll
on your teen. In fact, it may be a full-blown addiction. Experts
estimate that 1 in 8 Americans is addicted to the Internet, and
those numbers are rising quickly, especially among young people.
“Technology itself is extremely addicting because it provides
immediate feedback,” says Hilarie Cash, PhD, founder of reSTART,
the first inpatient Internet addiction treatment center to open
in the U.S. “Children are growing up with so much Internet
exposure that they are becoming dangerously uncomfortable
without it.” The hope of curing Internet-addicted teens is why
Cash founded reSTART. So far, four kids—all hardcore Internet
video gamers—have successfully graduated from the 45-day program
that takes applicants on a rolling admission basis. If you’re
not able to get your teen to the clinic, talk to a general
addiction specialist in your town or check out these online
resources: NetAddiction.co