DOCTORS here are warning of a sharp rise in the number of young people addicted to the Internet, with the most severe cases needing hospitalisation to wean them off the Web.
Psychiatrists in the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and the National University Hospital (NUH) treat a new addict every month and expect the numbers to go up.
A similar trend was noted by five psychologists in private practice reporting a 30 per cent increase from five years ago.
Although the numbers seem small, the experts see cause for concern.
Dr Munidasa Winslow of NUH's psychological health department, who saw only one Internet addict in 2002, said: 'We need to be aware that with time, compulsive Internet use might become the new heroin of addictive disorders with vulnerable young adults falling into the trap of the Web.'
Internet addicts tend to be boys and young men aged between 10 and 20. They stay glued to the computer for hours, skipping school and forgoing food and sleep.
Though not physically ravaging like heroin, addiction to the Internet leads to emotional and mental distress. It can have a physical impact if it leads to exhaustion and dehydration.
It is more akin to gambling or alcohol addiction, said psychologists. Children who seek escape on the Internet tend to have emotional problems, difficulty getting along with school mates and gaining acceptance. They may also have a dysfunctional family background.
IMH's Dr Daniel Fung admits one addict every three months into hospital now, including an 11 year old teen who turned on his parents when they tried to bar him from playing World of Warcraft because he had stopped going to school.
Another psychologist said that one of his patients even stopped bathing for weeks at a time because it took him away from the computer.
In hospital, doctors put the teenagers on a structured daily programme which weans them off their addiction. They are barred from using the Internet throughout the whole stay.
Doctors counsel less severe cases and advise parents to keep them on a strict daily regime restricting hours on the Internet.
At Touch Community Services' Cyber Wellness arm, which sees youths for Internet and gaming addiction, the situation is becoming dire.
'One benchmark is the number of calls we get from desperate parents who have no idea how to deal with their children - it has gone up a lot,' says counsellor Mr Anthony Yeong.
Psychiatrist Geraldine Goh, of Gleneagles Medical Centre, now sees five times as many patients as she did six years ago.
'There's a lot more to come,' she said. 'Parents need to know what's going on. The rate of such cases will easily multiply over the next few years.'
The increasingly frequent use of computers and the Internet in classrooms sets the stage for future cases, Mr Yeong noted, as it exposes impressionable children at a younger age.
In January this year, Singapore's Academy of Medicine published a paper on Excessive Internet Use in which it surveyed 2,735 students in Secondary 1 to Secondary 3. One in five admitted to being constantly online at least five hours a day, a usage the report termed as 'compulsive'.
'They use the Internet to such an extent that it interferes with their academic studies and they are very much preoccupied with it,' it said.
The study also found that those who were exposed to the Internet before the age of seven were more likely to become excessive Web users.
Doctors are worried that Singapore will go the way of China, which has so many millions addicted to the Internet that the Chinese authorities classified the addiction as a clinical disorder last month.
One reason for the rise: The emergence of social networking groups and more interesting online games have combined to keep young people riveted to their screens.
For example, psychologists say many young patients stay on social networks like Facebook all day because they want to keep connected with their network of friends, through updates on the site.
Dr Goh said: 'In the past, the Internet wasn't as entertaining as it is now. For some people, it offers them more than what real life itself can offer.'
IMH's Dr Fung said it does not help that some parents think having their children on the Internet keeps them out of trouble outside.
Consultant psychiatrist Brian Yeo of Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre said young people are also encouraged when events such as the World Cyber Games are heavily promoted and online gaming is classified as a sport.
Take 19-year-old Mohamed Phirkan. The student got into a tussle with his school, Nanyang Polytechnic, early this year because he wanted to game competitively, and was cutting classes to play.
He said: 'I would rather sacrifice my studies if I'm forced to choose.' He has since quit the school.
Singaporean parents shudder to think their children might go the same way.
'It sounds crazy. I know I can't protect my son forever, but I would try my best to prevent him from doing something similar, even if it means cutting off Internet access,' said Ms Eunice Chua, 40, who has a 10-year-old son.
In its report released on Tuesday, the Advisory Council on the Impact of New Media on Society (Aims) suggested that the Government and industry bear the cost of Internet filters - such as the Family Access Network provided by telcos - which help parents monitor and control children's Net habits.
Some parents fear that the problem is beyond their control. Madam Betty Khoo, 53, who has a 17- year- old son, said: 'Work takes up most of my time so I can't keep tabs. And short of throwing the cables away, how am I going to stop him from using the Internet?'
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