this from the american psychiatric association. i'm quoting now. in the last four decades, reparative therapists have not produced any rigorous scientific research to substantiate their claims of cure. until there is such research available, the apa recommends that ethical practitioners refrain from attempts to change individuals' sexual orientation, keeping in mind the medical dictum to first do no harm. stories of harm caused by reparative therapy are what prompted california to recently pass a law barring it for minors. as the apa warns, the harm can include anxiety, depression, even suicide. randi kaye profiled another young man who went through so-called reparative therapy with traumatic results. here's his story. >> reporter: when ryan was 13, his mother read his diary and discovered he was gay. that was the beginning of the most painful years of his life. >> for years, i thought that god hated me because i was gay. >> reporter: ryan says his parents were determined to change him. they signed him up for what's called reparative therapy with th

this is something that the american psychiatric association has discredited, and it's -- as you say, been outlawed in california at least for those under 18 as of january 1. so of course the people who deliver the services say it's a first amendment thing. a freedom of speech thing. we've should be able to offer this therapy. but interestingly, in new jersey they have a very -- a very strong consumer fraud act. and that's what they're suing under, the strategy is unusual here in that they're saying this was fraud. you said you could cure me, you didn't. in fact, you hurt me. that's the legal strategy. they hope to duplicate it in other states. the southern poverty law center has identified at least 70 such providers around the country. and i think they're going after some of the others next. >> we'll have to watch this. it's fascinating to see what the cases -- what the arguments are in court. alan duke, thank you very much. nice to see you. >>> by the way, should mention here that the american medical association is opposed to what it calls so-called cures like conversion therapy. t

the american psychological association and the american psychiatric association has said for more thanars that this is junk science. that there is no science that supports this conversion therapy or reparative therapy. so, this is an effort to put a spotlight on the issue and then from a federal point of view, i want to make sure that the taxpayer dollars aren't being spent on providing the services when they are not held to be scientifically effectively. >> okay, okay. we have got that. i want to hear more from young people at the news conference who went through conversion therapy. >> in conversion therapy, i was told that i was sick. i was told that i had to be fixed. i was told to snap myself with a rubber band every time i had a same-sex attraction. i was told that the reason for my problem was my close relationship with my mother who had been loving and supportive of me. i was diagnosed with clinical depression after i began my sessions with jonah. >> okay. so outlawing for minors. that's what your legislation proposes. why not for all people? >> well, i think as people mature, t

. >> reporter: this past april, the american psychiatric association agreed more research needs to be done into internet use disorder. and for the first time, included it in the appendix of their diagnostic manual. these women run the first treatment program for internet addiction outside of seattle. >> so whdistancing from relationships, lying to family and friends, not showing up with responsibilities, sleep deprivation, very nocturnal, staying up late. >> that does sound like addictive behavior. >> it is. >> stacey is one addict we met at restart. >> what is it about an internet friend that's better than an inperson friend? >> i don't know, throughout my life i've had a difficult time making friends, and i just thought that utahising the inte takes it better. >> she is addicted to a simple card game, spades, and it's chatroom. she said she spends so much time in bed, online, that it led to a divorce of a marriage of 18 years. >> didit did cost you were children? >> yes, i missed out on about five years of their childhood. >> the scientific proof is in the brain scans. the same area

support for it, because if you look at the stats, i mean, almost every medical and psychiatric association has discredited conversion therapy, and in fact, the americanout four decades ago. there is no question there is certainly support for the argument that this is just inappropriate therapy, that is just not real and that it is fraudulent. >> let me point out, we try to get the other side of this here, and let me also say we reached out to jonah and they haven't responded to our e-mails or calls, but back in october, i talked to a reparative therapist, he has no connection to the lawsuit you and i are talking about. but he did talk about the treatment and how it -- he went through it, it worked for him after he was abused. >> i'm talking about authentic reparative therapy. the other side of this issue will label this quackery and put this all in a ring of things that just aren't true, but i'm talking about authentic, profound in my case, psycho dynamic reparative therapy. reparative therapy helped save my life, my depression went down, my anxiety went down. my self-esteem went up. >> and apparently this wasn't the only story. if you go to jonah's