Sales of Internet games hit a record high in 2006.	Lost in on-line gaming.

"I missed hanging around with my schoolmates, but there was nothing I could do to tear myself away from the computer. I thought of nothing but on-line gaming, even in my dreams." That's the story of a 17-year-old ex-Internet addict named Zhao Cheng. Zhao, who comes from a single-parent family, was a capable student before he became capitivated by Internet games two years ago. Shortly afterwards, his exam scores began to plummet, and he eventually dropped out of school. He confined himself to his bedroom, where he spent every waking moment wandering through cyberspace. His desperate mother recalls, "I don't know how many hospitals I visited in search of a cure for his addiction. It cost me thousands upon thousands of yuan, and many more tears."

Zhao Cheng was one of an increasing number of Chinese youths who are hooked on the Internet. They stay online for more than four hours a day, and when they finally disconnect, they are jaded, miserable and irritable. Most are aware that a problem exists, but can do nothing to kick their habit.

Statistics gathered at the end of last June show that 14.9 percent of China's 123 million Internet users are under the age of 18. And a study carried out by the China Youth Association for Network Development indicated that 13.2 percent of those are net addicts, and another 13 percent are borderline cases. This emerging obsession with the Internet is having a disastrous effect on children's personality, health, education and their families. It is even affecting society as a whole.

Who's at Risk of Getting Stuck in the Web?

Professor Tao Hongkai, a child Internet addiction expert, blames neither the Internet nor the addicts themselves. Failed family education has, he says, been the root cause of 90 percent of the cases he has dealt with. Inadequate parental care ranks first among the top three reasons behind the issue, with the other two being a lack of respect among peers and low self-esteem.

Chief of the Beijing Military Command Hospital's Addiction Treatment Center Tao Ran adds that most young Internet addicts suffer excessive parental pressure, live with a lone parent or their grandparents, are pampered or over protected, or come from dysfunctional families.

Many children turn to the Internet when they feel neglected by their "busy" parents. A survey carried out by the Psychological Health Research Institute of the Wuhan-based Tongji Medical College found that more than 80 percent of young net addicts complain they find it impossible to communicate with their parents on an equal footing. One 14-year-old sneered, "I'd rather play computer games than talk with my mom. She doesn't understand me at all. The only thing she cares about is my academic performance."

But Chinese parents cannot be blamed for wanting their kids to do well. Stiff competition for college places means sizzling competition at school and mounting pressure at home. Some children snap, become depressed, and seek solace in the virtual world that the Internet creates.

Some parents play computer games themselves, or allow their kids to play them, unaware that an addiction is taking a grip. By the time the parents have realized a problem is there, it's often too late, so they ban computer time and scold their kids. The result is a vicious circle of estrangement.

Children Listen When Talked to Wisely

The first signs of Zhao Cheng's addiction were manifest in mood swings in the home. Quarrels and fights became commonplace in the family, leaving his mother beside herself with grief. She could not understand how her beloved son had become so bitter. She was just about to give up hope when she consulted Professor Tao Hongkai, who taught her to change herself before expecting her son to change. Taking the professor's advice, Zhao's mother became less insistent and more careful with her words. Instead, she let him know that "Mom's door is always open - all you need to do is knock."

She also signed her son for piano lessons - he had shown an interest in the instrument in his early years. She accompanied him to and from the classes, and spent much more time with him, talking about the issues that he really cared about. Her efforts paid off - one day Zhao Cheng himself suggested that he might like to return to his education.

Professor Tao believes that parents can save their kids from Internet addiction by forging a loving atmosphere in the home, and by playing the role of a friend as well as an authority figure. This he is certain will produce much better results than coercion and criticism.

Tao also advises parents to brush up on their technical lingo, so they are better able to supervise their kid's behavior on the Internet. And he stresses that parents of addicted kids should realize that anger only compounds the problem. Before taking any action, dads and moms must get inside their children's heads, either through face-to-face talks, or with help from their classmates and friends they can trust.

Families and Society Can Make a Difference

Many mothers in China like Zhao Cheng's have managed to drag their kids out of cyberspace's black holes. Some have established support centers to help others struggle through the nightmare they once suffered. More than 70 parents have sought help in one such center that was established in Beijing six months ago. Many have re-introduced their kids to normality through expert counseling and discussions with other parents. Similar centers are beginning to mushroom in other parts of China.

Lawmakers have also gotten in on the act. A new law will take effect this year requiring online gamers to offer their real names and ID numbers in a bid to keep minors out of net cafes. Professor Tao Hongkai is fully confident that young net addicts can be cured once they find they are loved and reasoned with using the right approach. Since 2004 he has helped roughly 300 children kick their habit. And he is pleased to see an increasing number of parents taking precautionary measures before problems occur. He is currently planning an IT contest for students to encourage the productive use of computers. The message is simple: the Internet benefits, when used wisely.