China's first Diagnostic Criterion of Internet Addiction has recently passed the expert appraisal stage and in the criterion, game addiction is formally defined as the diagnostic area of mental illness.

According to Tao Ran, director general of the Addiction Department of the Military General Hospital of the Beijing People's Liberation Army, China started to pay attention to the research and prevention of addiction in 1994. Apart from Internet addiction, other addictive situations like gambling addiction, work addiction, shopping addiction, eating addiction, sex addiction, smoking, and alcohol addiction all belong to the range of addiction illnesses. Of those, the number of people who suffer the Internet addiction is the largest. According to the statistics of Beijing Public Security Bureau, about 76% of juvenile criminals are addicted to the Internet.

Tao says the framing of the Diagnostic Criterion of Internet Addiction not only adds a new disease to clinical medicine, but also makes clear that the Internet-addicted should be treated in medical units with psychiatric departments, so as to provide the patients with scientific and effective treatments.

"Internet addiction is treatable. Through about three months' treatment, 80% patients can get away from the addiction," Tao told local media.

The Diagnostic Criterion of Internet Addiction is reportedly framed under the leadership of the Military General Hospital and will be handed in to the Ministry of Health of China for approval. After being approved, the criterion will be adopted in major hospitals across the country. By then, China will become the first country to launch the Diagnostic Criterion of Internet Addiction in the world.