WoW Player is Client of $14,000 Addiction Program

According to an Associated Press article published on the Austin American-Statesman Web site, a residential treatment center for Internet addiction opened its doors in July to help Web addicts, including World of Warcraft players, kick their habit. The Seattle-based reStart claims to be the first treatment center of its kind in the United States and comes with a hefty price tag; the 45-day program costs $14,000 plus other potential fees.

The article focuses on Ben Alexander, a 19-year-old whose 17-hour-a-day WoW habit caused him to drop out of the University of Iowa. According to NPR, Alexander is the first client at reStart, "which operates out of a massage therapist's large country home in the woods outside Seattle." Alexander works on projects like building a chicken coop and baking cookies while attending counseling sessions and going on outings.

The NPR article states Alexander's family is spending $300 a day to keep him away from the Internet. The reStart Web site has addressed the high cost of the program by saying "a program like this costs a great deal to run." What are your thoughts about the cost and the program as a whole?

Comments

Post Comment
Program?
# Sep 10 2009 at 8:07 AM Rating: Good
Quote:
For 14,000 dollars for the whole thing, this program better come with a happy ending.
----------------------------


Or at least with a really cool non-combat pet...
seattle sucks
# Sep 09 2009 at 7:44 PM Rating: Decent
I cant believe they got this re-hab place in seattle haha what a crap hole!

id prefer some place like tortola, and work on the tan or, vail CO and hit the slopes.

F the rain

-If my aunt had balls...shed be my uncle-
Scam
# Sep 09 2009 at 6:21 AM Rating: Default
Pfft, i think this idea of people needing "therapy" to overcome video game addiction is nonsense. Yes, 17 hours a day is excessive, but i personally have done that, staying up all for hours straight with no sleep playing WoW, and i'm pretty sure many people on here have also done it. All this is is a case of a young adult, obviously socially secluded, seeking refuge in a video game, the same way some people seek refuge in Alcohol, Drugs or TV. The focus should be put on WHY he plays for 17 hours a day and WHY his parents let him get away with it. Maybe if his parents actually talked to their child instead of making him a Psychological experiment they may have made more headway and would have saved them $14,000!

Failing that, use that $14,000 and buy him a crate of whiskey, rubbers and a hooker, im sure that'll fix him ;P
Obvious Scam, is Obvious
# Sep 09 2009 at 4:17 AM Rating: Decent
This is like those info-mercials you see at 2am telling you how you can buy into time shares for pennies on the dollar.

And yet another example of why parents are to incompetent to be Parents these days. "Oh no my angel is in trouble! Here Society, fix MY kid for ME."




brb, setting up Interent-based Therapy Clinic....

1) Buy Domain-name
2) Setup chat service
3) Sucker parents in
4) ???
5) ???
6) PROFIT!
LFG?
# Sep 09 2009 at 12:26 AM Rating: Decent
I'm figuring he'll have the chicken coop on farm status by October, yell 'ur doin it wrong' while making cookies, and hold up a sign by the van saying 'LFG' before outings.

And I'm hoping his parents are gold farmers so they can pay for this craziness.
lol
# Sep 09 2009 at 12:17 AM Rating: Default
Quote:
5+ or more "yes" responses suggest you may have a problem with excessive Internet or technology use, or a possible addiction



O GODZ TECHNOWLOGEE, WHEREZ MAH INTARWEBZ!! WHARZ MAH TELEPHONEZ!! GOD DAMN THIS AIR CONDITIONER AND ITS ADDICTIVE PROPERTIES OF COOLNESS!! TO HELL WITH THAT EVIL CAR THAT GETS ME TO WORK AND BACK!! LONG LIVE THE STONE AGE!!




Quote:
-- A program like this costs a great deal to run.

There is a trained licensed therapist present at almost all times,

There is a vocational/recreational coach present at almost all times,

The primary therapist (Cosette) maintains a severely restricted private practice in order to be present and provide 1x1 sessions daily for program participants.

The coach (Gary), likewise, earns his living from this, now, not his earlier career.


AKA we make a living off of your stupidity.

I guess we know why it costs so much, must be nice having fools pay you to hang out in your back yard.

I know some people may be seriosly addicted to such things...but seriously...$322 a day...just call your isp and have your net shut off, not only are you not on the internet but you get to spend less...im a genious...YOU ALL OWE ME $322 FOR MY BRILLIANT INSIGHT!!
Isn't he an Adult?
# Sep 08 2009 at 6:45 PM Rating: Good
**
300 posts
I noticed in the article he is 19. Isn't he technically an adult? I can understand Mom and Pop may be paying for his collage, but this should be a case of tough love and to a homeless shelter with you.
Is that the going AH pice?
# Sep 08 2009 at 4:12 PM Rating: Good
$14,000 for the whole deal?

Hey, guess what...I can fly anywhere in country now for about $300 round trip, and personally install "Parental Controls" onto your system.

If that fails....I'll bring a hammer to bash in the computer.

All for $13,999

And I guarantee it to work...or I'll come back out and bash something else in.
Nonsense
# Sep 08 2009 at 2:36 PM Rating: Good
44 posts
Internet "addiction" is big news nowadays, or at least there are those who want to make it big news. All this seems to be is someone trying to take advantage of the latest fad . . it's currently in fashion to treat the internet and gaming as "evil" activities that are destroying the world.

Anyone with a true problem with the internet and/or gaming could no doubt be helped just as well by regular counselling like any other non-chemical addiction, without the need of an expensive, high profile treatment center obviously just out to get media attention.
pfffffffffft....
# Sep 08 2009 at 2:16 PM Rating: Excellent
23 posts
For $300/day, it's cheaper just to stay addicted. In the words of a certain fictional Russian, "If he dies, he dies."
Program!
# Sep 08 2009 at 12:58 PM Rating: Good
**
276 posts
Do you think there will be a follow-up article after he completes the course? Very curious to see if this will actually work.
Addiction Program
# Sep 08 2009 at 12:00 PM Rating: Excellent
**
513 posts
What does building chicken coops and baking cookies gonna do for him in the real world? He needs to develop good habits, not doing worthless stuff. Although baking chocolate chip cookies can be good. Hopefully he is also studying to finish his degree.
lmao
# Sep 08 2009 at 11:56 AM Rating: Decent
Honestly, All this guy really needed was g/f. I've been dating mine for 3 years now, playing WoW for 2 1/2. She's never been as hardcore as me when it came to the game, but because of her I honestly don't get much time to play. So lets get this guy laid and STAT.
Program!
# Sep 08 2009 at 11:16 AM Rating: Excellent
***
3,272 posts
For 14,000 dollars for the whole thing, this program better come with a happy ending.
Program!
# Sep 08 2009 at 1:57 PM Rating: Decent
The One and Only ArexLovesPie wrote:
For 14,000 dollars for the whole thing, this program better come with a happy ending.

The happy ending will come for the massage therapist who is running the whole scam. Fourteen effing thousand dollars! Some people have too much money in their pockets, that they have to find ways like this to throw it away.
Devils advocate
# Sep 08 2009 at 11:01 AM Rating: Good
As much as you all are saying it sounds like a scam, any drug rehab clinic will cost you about the same. 40 days for my brother cost almost $21k. An addiction is an addiction, requiring psychological counseling, sometimes psychiatric counseling, and activities. You require a nurse or some other qualified person (granted its usually some college student that has taken a course) to stand watch almost 24/7 to make sure that the person isn't doing any retarded stuff. now lets just say that the guy keeping watch costs you 8$ an hour (I am low balling this) (192$/day), the shrink costs you between 40-200$ an hour (depending on if he is greedy), food will cost you 20$/day, activities will cost you from 1-50$ a day (i mean chicken coups arent free :P, but i guess they could make macaroni art), so seriously 300$ a day does seem plausible. Granted substance abuse is a little different than video game abuse, but how different is it really? 17 hours/day of WoW cannot be good for the body, psyche, or personal development... how different is that to drug abuse?

Plus if testaments of this facility working were key to ppl buying into it, then 95% of men would walk around with giant dongs because of all the enzyte they've consumed.

Basically all I am saying is that its plausible, does this particular facility seem a little sketch maybe, but those costs are justified if it is the real deal.
Two words
# Sep 08 2009 at 10:58 AM Rating: Good
1 post
Parental Controls
scam
# Sep 08 2009 at 10:44 AM Rating: Decent
17 hours a day is a little crazy. I think he needs some treatment on how to function in this world. This place is a scam!!!!!!!
Scam?
# Sep 08 2009 at 10:28 AM Rating: Good
Ok, this definitely sounds like a scam to me also. Why would it be so expensive if they run it out of their own home?

A few years back, I tried to volunteer to assist with the handicapped and walk them around on horses (near Seattle, Washington). The organization that had this program told me that I would need to be certified in order to be a volunteer and the certification would cost over $5000. I am an expert equestrian and taught "Safety on Horseback" for over 10 years (with credentials that are too numerous to even go into) and when I mentioned that, they told me that I would still need their certification. I asked them who certified them to certify others and they refused to give me an answer. So I walked away from that real fast.

For a price like that, they better put up some credentials that can be verified. A regular counselor could probably be just as good for around $20 to $40 dollars per hour. (Not sure what the going rate is nowadays but it's probably a ton cheaper than what they are asking.)

Like the old saying goes, "Buyer Beware" which would also include paying for someone's services.

Sure, I'm an addict
# Sep 08 2009 at 10:09 AM Rating: Excellent
-REDACTED-
Guru
****
6,786 posts
Pay me $300 a day and I'll say offline. Promise. No therapy needed.
Sure, I'm an addict
# Sep 08 2009 at 11:14 AM Rating: Good
***
1,882 posts
Heck. Pay me $100 a day and I'll stay offline.
Too pricey
# Sep 08 2009 at 10:05 AM Rating: Good
**
279 posts
I'm not sold on this "program." Looks to me like just a way to make some money from desperate parents hoping to get their kids away from computer games. I understand how someone could be "addicted" to games but no more than people are "addicted" to television, eating, sex, etc. I'm not sure a rehab facility is gonna "cure" anyone from something such as this but, hey, what do I know?
Scam?
# Sep 08 2009 at 9:42 AM Rating: Excellent
***
1,577 posts
Sounds like a scam to me.
____________________________
__________________
Fly High Daevas,
Tamat ~ Andrew Beegle
Community Manager
Treatment Qualifications?
# Sep 08 2009 at 9:31 AM Rating: Good
I noticed 2 very odd things on their website: First, I couldn't find anything mentioning what their experience and qualifications are to be conducting this type of program. I saw a mention of a "therapist", but that could be anything. After all, it is held in a "massage therapist's" home. Second, and I find this very interesting, you have a program pushing to cure internet addiction, yet they have links to their Facebook, Twitter and Youtube pages on their site! I guess it's their way to get the word out, but it seems a bit odd to have those links so prominantly displayed on their homepage.
Post Comment

Free account required to post

You must log in or create an account to post messages.