The 12 teenagers and young adults, some in ripped jeans and baggy T-shirts, sit in a circle, chewing gum and fidgeting as they shyly introduce themselves. "I"m 12 years old," one boy announces with a smile. "I love playing computer games. That"s it." "It"s been good to sleep" says another, a 17-year-old with spiky hair, now that he"s no longer on the computer all day.
The youths are patients at China"s first officially licensed clinic for internet addiction, a downside of the online frenzy that has accompanied the nation"s breathtaking economic boom.