Interview With the Founder of a Video Game Rehab Clinic

Ten Ton Hammer has posted the transcript from an interview with Dr. Hilarie Cash, co-founder of the "reSTART Internet Addiction Recovery Program," a relatively new clinic that deals with adults who feel that they are addicted to video games. The interview contains some.. interesting nuggets of wisdom. If you want to avoid addiction, you'd better spend less than two hours per day on online entertainment! The good news is that she doesn't recommend beating people. "When people come, they come for 45 days. It is only for adults; patients must be 18 or older. When they first come, they come for a minimum 2 days to be interviewed and to interview us, because we don't want anyone there who doesn't want to be there. So if they decide they want to be there then they stay for 45 days or longer if they choose. During that time they don't have access to the internet. The idea is that it takes at least 30 days for the brain to make some adjustments it needs to make to get over this addiction, so the brain can begin to rewire back to normal. During that time we are helping them look at why they got addicted, what motivated their addiction and we're assessing to see what skills they are lacking so they can be successful in their adult lives. We try to make a good start at helping to build those skills."

Re:I might look into this

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Actually they do: http://www.icaservices.com/ [icaservices.com] ... and Hilarie Cash (srsly?) got her PhD from Saybrook Graduate School And Research Center, a 'distance learning' institution .... and I just spent half an hour researching this *facepalm*

A word of caution from a gamer/programmer

[Anonymous Coward]

Hi,

if you are into games or long programming sessions, PLEASE do check http://www.dvtawarenesscampaign.com/ [dvtawarenesscampaign.com] or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis [wikipedia.org]

DVT are blood clots formed in legs etc., that can block your blood flow in the particular limb or travel around in your veins, and in worst case, damage your heart or lungs.

I'm now probably up for a lifetime treatment with blood thinners and compression stockings. Ironically, I probably developed DVT after I quit smoking (I didn't smoke indoors, and thus went out of the house/up from my seat every hour to get a cigarette)

Once again, DVT is dangerous and it affects a huge number of people every year, and quite a few of those are ganked permanently.

The scary part is that I also know several other programmers and gamers who've had DVT the last 5 years. Don't be a fool like me: Game, program and work responsibly.

If you are diagnosed with DVT, it will hit you like a hammer physically and mentally.