A 13-year-old Internet addict committed suicide in an apparent attempt to be rid of his obsession with online games.
The letter he left before his death revealed that he could no longer distinguish between reality and illusion and was deeply depressed. He also composed nearly 80,000 words in notes about online games before his death.
The photo was taken when the boy was 6 year old.
Reports suggest the boy had been addicted to online games for almost six months and couldn't control himself. His parents admitted after the event they didn't pay enough attention to their child's mental health.
One psychologist analyses that many teenagers use the Internet to escape the pressures of daily life and believes over-use can damage physical and mental health. Parents and teachers should try to guide younger individuals use communication and entertainment technologies in a healthy way.
The Internet bar where the boy last went before his death had its licence revoked.
(CRI January 24, 2005)
