SHANGHAI, May 22 -- Two percent of middle school students in the city are addicted to the Internet and eight percent are on the verge of becoming so, mental health experts said at the Chinese-German Congress on Psychotherapy in the city which ends tomorrow.

About 800 experts from home and abroad took part in the four-day meeting, discussing the latest research on mental diseases and treatment methods.

Shanghai Mental Health surveyed 5,208 students from 10 middle schools and two vocational schools and found that 2.25 percent of the correspondents have typical syndromes of Internet addiction disorder.

The students logged at least 38 hours of Internet use every week and displayed emotional problems including depression, anxiety and poor diet and sleep patterns if kept offline.

"Internet addiction always hits students with poor communication skills, those with no hobbies apart from study or ones eager to show off their performance in Internet games," said Dr Du Yasong from the Shanghai Mental Health Center and a member of the Chinese Mental Health Association's mental health branch for children.

"Students need a comprehensive treatment on Internet addiction and their parents and teachers should participate. We have designed different intervention methods to students in terms of the extent of their Internet obsession."

According to Du, doctors have launched lectures for students in the 12 schools on proper Internet use and will educate teachers and parents on the symptoms and dangers of online addiction.

Doctors said they will give courses to addicted students.