China Bans Shock Therapy For Web Addiction

The Chinese government has banned the use of electrical shock therapy to treat internet addiction.A notice on the ministry of health website stated that electro convulsive therapy (ECT) was to be halted immediately, due to concerns over the safety of the technology.”Electroshock therapy for Internet addiction…has no foundation in clinical research or evidence and therefore is not appropriate for clinical application,” said the notice, posted on the ministry website.According to the China Youth Daily (via Reuters),  Doctor Yang Yongxin, who runs the Internet Addiction Treatment Center at Linyi Mental Hospital, has been treating children with a combination of psychotropic drugs and ECT.Earlier this year, China’s General Administration of Press and Publication announced that it would implement stricter regulations on online gaming in response to a perceived rise in internet addiction amongst Chinese youngsters.