Shock as teen chops off own hand over internet addiction

‘Little Wang’, 19, left a note for his mother, before using a kitchen knife to chop off his left hand. He then called an a taxi to take him to hospital.

According to Chinese reports, Little Wang left his left hand outside his house before travelling to A&E.

His mother told news reporters: “We cannon accept what has happened. It was completely out of the blue. He was a smart boy.”

Surgeons at the hospital miraculously managed to reattach Little Wang’s hand after it was recovered by police.

Internet addiction is a very real thing in some Asian countries. China alone has a reported 649 million internet users.

The epidemic is said to be so bad that there are boot camps set up for self declared web junkies, to help them beat their ‘addictions’.

Tao Ran, a psychologist who runs one of the boot camps, claims 14 per cent of China’s youth are addicted to the internet.

He said: “They only do two things: sleeping and playing.”

Mr Ran also thinks those under seven should be banned from using the internet, and internet cafes should be over-18s only.

Of Little Wang’s case, he said: “I heard about the young man who chopped off his hand. But I fear he will become addicted again.”