Statement follows release of first definition of internet addiction last year – but critics say criteria for condition are too vague

China’s ministry of health has banned the use of electric shock treatment to cure internet addiction.

The move follows growing concern in the country about young people’s compulsive use of chat rooms, websites and online gaming – but also the methods used to wean them offline.

Doctors released the first diagnostic definition of internet addiction late last year, based on a study of more than 1,300 intensive users. It says addicts are those who spend at least six hours online a day and have shown at least one of a range of symptoms – including yearning to get back online, fear of social contact, irritation and difficulty concentrating or sleeping.

Other experts argue that the definition is far too general and that many non-addicts qualify under it because the criteria are so vague.

But critics warned that some of the “cures” promoted to anxious parents were as worrying as the original problem.

A notice on the ministry’s website said that the safety of the technology was not clear so use of the therapy should be stopped immediately.

Today’s ban follows reports that Dr Yang Yongxin from Linyi City’s psychiatric hospital in Shandong province was using electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

According to the Beijing News, Yang said he had created the unique “xingnao” (“brain-waking”) therapy which involved sending a small current through the brain. He added that the stimulation might cause pain but was very safe and would not harm children in any way.

An earlier report by the Information Times claimed patients received electroconvulsive therapy if they broke any of the centre’s rules, which included eating chocolate, locking the bathroom door, taking pills before a meal and sitting on Yang’s chair without permission. It said parents had to sign a contract acknowledging their child would be given ECT before admission.

The ministry of health asked Shandong’s health department to stop the use of “electrical stimulation” for internet addiction while experts investigated. The researchers said both the safety and the effectiveness of the method was unclear.

The ministry added that people wanting to conduct medical research required official approval as well as full consent from patients. But there are said to be hundreds of internet addiction treatment centres across China and others are believed to use similar methods.

The centre’s public relations chief said it had stopped using electric shock treatment for internet addicts due to the pressure of public opinion, but was still treating them through other means.

According to the Beijing News, its reporter was unable to reach Yang. When the reporter called the centre posing as a consumer, staff said the treatment fee for internet addiction was 5,500 yuan (£500) a person every month.

Asked whether or not electric shock therapy would be used, the employee said it should be called “pulse therapy” and was only used in special circumstances.

Kong Lingzhong, who runs a website on ending internet addiction, said that electric shocks are usually used on mentally ill patients.

He added: “Most experts in the field do not agree with this therapy. No one knows whether there are side-effects or not.”

Tao Ran, who runs a well-known centre for curing internet addiction in the suburbs of Beijing, said: “There are about 300 million net users in China and 200 million of them are young people. More net users means more chances to be addicted to the internet. Young people are weaker in controlling themselves and when they find the computer games gripping they will quickly become addicted.”

He said his clinic treated around 200 patients a month for addiction, 80% of whom were aged 15 to 18 and 90% of whom were male. Most required around three months of treatment.

“We treat them in two ways: with psychological treatment and medicine. About 60% of the patients need medicines because they have other symptoms like depression, anxiety,” he said.