When it comes to addiction, alcohol, drugs and tobacco dependency are the usual suspects that come to mind. But for some Algerians, their addiction is the internet – particularly the lure of popular social media site, Facebook. So much so that internet overuse has emerged as a national issue, resulting in the North African country being the first on the continent to open a government-funded rehab centre to cure compulsive users of technology.

According to a Mail & Guardian Africa report, the Bachir Mentouri clinic – located around 450 km to the east of the capital Algiers – has so far had patients as young as 15 and as old as 40.

Treatment begins with a full psychological evaluation and includes individual and group therapy, relaxation and meditation training, as well as physical exercise and music therapy.

25 October 2016
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