Inside America's First Video Game Addiction Rehab (HBO)

Inside a spacious home in the suburbs of Seattle, a group of young men are going through a technology detox.

They’re recovering gaming addicts, sent here from across the country for treatment at reSTART, an inpatient rehab for people whose lives have been destroyed by video games.

Earlier this year, the World Health Organization added “gaming disorder” to its International Classification of Diseases. That’s a long-awaited nod from the medical community that Hilarie Cash, founder and chief clinical officer of reSTART, has been hoping for since she opened reSTART nine years ago.

“People tend to think it can't be real, but they are misled,” Cash told VICE News. “Because if you're a gaming addict and you're actively gaming your brain is going to light up the same way someone who's high on cocaine, the same way their brain lights up.”

But despite its new recognition by the WHO, there’s no scientific consensus as to whether gaming addiction is a real disorder, and some academics are pushing back on the WHO’s classification, saying there needs to be further research.

Treatment at reSTART isn’t cheap. The first phase of the program, which includes no contact with the outside world and daily therapy sessions, usually lasts two months and costs $30,000. After that, recovering gaming addicts live in halfway houses — apartments leased by reSTART — with their fellow patients. The second phase costs $7,000 a month. In just about every case, the rehab is paid for by the patient's parents. Patients in the program are typically in their early twenties, but some are as old as 30.

“I mean I may be almost 30 years old but I’ve never actually functioned as a true adult,” Kevin, a patient at reSTART, told VICE News. “Paying my own bills, go to things on time, go make my own food. Things like that. Those are all things that I've never fully accomplished.”

At reSTART, patients learn how to use technology responsibly — and how to function without it. Cash says there’s currently a waiting list to get into the program.

VICE News met with some gaming addicts and the clinicians who treat them as they try to participate in an open world, free of gaming.

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[Everfrost]

$30, 000 is highway robbery. I hope no one who isn't incredibly wealthy bought into this.

[MizzLola]

$30000 to clean this woman’s house for 8 weeks 😂😂

[CoffeePoints]

30k just to not play video games? You can go backpacking for 8 weeks for MUCH less than 30k and it's healthier to boot

[mranonymous]

This rehabs are nothing but money making machine . And manipulate ppl to rob them slowly.

[ravioli]

Video gaming can be an addiction, but that rehab is bullshit. It's basically a timeout and some chores. Just rasing rich people's kids for them.

[Munden]

I've got a cult that costs a third of the entry price... Come to Munden's Cult and I'll take your technology and make you clean my house for only 10k.

[WheresTheWall]

Paying $30, 000 to stop playing videogames?

[sky]

This woman is a genius. Labeling it rehab when it’s actually charging to have these gaming addicts clean and do chores for her. Brilliant.

[walesk]

Gaming can be addicting but a $30, 000 rehab program isn’t the way to fix it.

[MyCarllee]

Gaming addiction is a real thing, I'm saying that as someone used to play Dota for 20 hours a day 140 hours a week. But I think gaming addiction is a special kind of addiction that it's rarely a root cause of a problem. Gaming addiction, unlike other addictions, is really easy to give up, and it's usually just a sympton of a much deeper psychological problem, kinda like alchohol addiction. To me, the root cause of my problem is my parents fighting and divorce.

[Trance_Kitsune]

This "rehab" is such a cash grab. LOL

[achilles]

Not being able to balance video games and reality is a lack of discipline... Not a disease. Pls quit making everyone think they're sick and a victim. 30k? Video games have never cost me that much so it seems this is a scam to say give me your money... Not those guys.

[zzzlezeze]

6:25 the therapist charging $30, 000 to restrict access to video games is saying that game companies are 'pushing [their ideology] on the population' though she doesn't understand the irony that she's doing the same thing.

[microbyte]

3:27 This man is over heat vaping, and you are concerned about videogames?

[keilonjackson]

I collect shoes I need a shoe rehab cause my brain light up when I see a shoe like a crack addict

[auspicioustoot]

These guys don’t need to be locked up. They need a purpose. It will give them the will to develop discipline.

[abukarali]

30 freaking id buy my son a gaming setup with that.

[fishfan]

I feel bad for the gullible parents who are helicopter parents don't fall for this scam

[PantsBSquares]

There are video games that affect your brain the same as cocaine!! Oh shii give me the title of these coca games!

[danielscott]

This is a money maker. Blame the parents. As long as their child is not out getting in trouble and are in their bedroom all is good. Out of sight.Out of mind? Starting in the late 60's/70's the T.V became the "baby sitter" which just progressed to video consoles/computers. Wow they have a chore board. LMAO!!! Surely they know how to do daily choirs? Obviously not!! Which leads us back to poor parenting. Come to my house for $15, 000.00 i will give you a bunk bed and FEED them as well. Lol