Zurich, Switerland – September 11, 2000 – The Offene Tür Zürich, a counseling center for individuals and families in Switzerland in conjunction with the Zurich Department of Health sponsored and hosted the first International Congress on Internet Addiction this month. The conference entitled Online- zwischen Faszination und Sucht (Online - between Fascination and Addiction) was designed for professionals ranging from backgrounds in public health, psychology, sociology, education, human resource management, healthcare administration, Internet specialists, and laymen.

The issue of Internet addiction has seen dramatic changes over the past few years with increasing attention towards innovative research and specialized treatment programs to address its recovery. "The conference adds credibility to the emergence of Internet addiction, creates awareness of the seriousness of the disorder, and shows the globalization of its impact" explains Dr. Franz Eidenbenz, the conference chairman and director of the Offene Tür Zürich.

The full day conference included experts in the online addiction field from Berlin, Germany, USA, and Switzerland whose studies demonstrated the prevalence and etiology of this disorder in their respective countries. Dr. Kimberly Young, the first psychologist in the United States to identify the disorder, keynoted the conference. Young, executive director of the Center for On-Line Addiction, presented on the latest clinical research findings on psychiatric co-morbidity associated with disorder, emerging epidemiological studies, and treatment planning among Internet-addicted patients.

"This conference is a historic event," states Young, "not only is it the first to formally recognize the disorder but we now realize that the disease spreads across cultures. As the Internet rapidly expands into our daily lives, this opens an important international dialogue so that we may establish an appropriate healthcare infrastructure to prevent and treat the problem. "

Founded in 1995, the Center for On-Line Addiction located in Bradford, PA, is the first healthcare consultation firm to specialize in cyber-related issues. Professional services include corporate training, healthcare workshops, forensic evaluations, and outpatient therapy serving clientele from Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. For more information, visit www.netaddiction.com or www.offenetuer-zh.ch.

Contact:

Dr. Kimberly Young
Center for On-Line Addiction
Web: http://www.netaddiction.com

Dr. Franz Eidenberz
Web: www.offenetuer-zh.ch
Phone: 41-1-201 30 00
Email: offenetuer@bluewin.ch