After Internet addiction centers have opened up in South Korea, China, and Japan, now the United States has just opened its first facility in Fall City, Washington, in Pacific Northwest region of the country.
The institution, formally called reSTART Internet Addiction Recovery Program, has a six-bed, 45-day program to re-integrate young addicts back into society, the Agence France Presse reports.
Patients are educated in a range of subjects, including: “everyday tasks such as bathing, cooking, and household chores, according to reStart. They also need tutoring when it comes to dating.”
The institute’s first patient is 19-year-old Ben Alexander, of Iowa City, Iowa.
He says he was addicted to “World of Warcraft,” and played it so much that he had to withdraw from his university.
However, such a treatment doesn’t come cheap. It costs $14,500 (around 10.000€), and is not covered by private insurance.
