A Chinese teen in the city of Nantong in Jiangsu province chopped off his left hand in an attempt to cure his internet addiction, news outlets reported this week.
The 19-year-old wrote a note for his mother before taking a kitchen knife and leaving the home. The dismemberment occurred on a public bench, and the teen, known only as "Little Wang" called a taxi to take him to the hospital.
Little Wang's mother visited his room around 11pm and discovered her son's message. "Mum, I have gone to hospital for a while," he wrote. "Don't worry. I will definitely come back this evening."
The teen had already snuck out of the home and severed his left hand at the wrist. Police found the appendage and doctors reattached it at the hospital. The physicians were unsure whether mobility would be restored. Little Wang's mother was shocked by her son's actions.
"We cannot accept what has happened," she told reporters. "It was completely out of the blue. He was a smart boy."
One of the teen's teachers said his internet addiction had made him "impetuous." Army psychologist and internet rehab centre administrator Tao Ran wondered if the Little Wang's "cure" would be successful.
"I heard about the young man who chopped off his hand," he said. "But I fear he will become addicted again."
Last month, a Taiwanese man was found dead inside of an internet cafe in Kaohsiung city. Authorities say the man had been playing video games for three days.
An autopsy found that the 32-year-old, identified only as Hsieh, died from cardiac arrest caused by exhaustion.
According to The Telegraph, an estimated 24 million Chinese teenagers have an internet addiction.
