Chandigarh, 16.09.24- National CME on “Psychology of Addiction: Reality and Challenges Faced” will be held on 14-15 September 2024 at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Drug De-Addiction and Treatment Centre, is being done by the department. Psychology
.CME speakers who were working in this area from different parts of India, discussed various aspects of substance use among vulnerable populations. The CME was inaugurated by Prof. Vivel Lal, Director, PGIMER. Prof. Pratima Murthy Director NIMHANS, Bangalore who has been working with women substance abusers for the past 3-4 decades, spoke on the extent and risk factors of substance abuse among women. Prof. Subodh BN spoke on the diagnosis and management of substance abuse in women. Prof. Anju Dhawan Chief NDDTC, AIIMS New Delhi who has been working with substance abuse youth for the past 3 decades, spoke on the extent of substance abuse among children and adolescents. Prof. Arun Kannadaswamy spoke on the diagnosis and management of adolescent substance abuse.
The second day focused on substance use in the elderly population. Speakers Dr. Siddharth Sarkar and Dr. Anirudha Basu highlighted how substance use among seniors differs from adults and the best strategies for dealing with substance use problems among seniors. Dr. Abhishek Ghosh spoke about substance abuse in prison and the challenges of dealing with it. Dr. Swapnajit Sahu spoke about the extent of the substance abuse problem among LGBTQ++ and the challenges faced in dealing with substance abuse. Dr. Shalini Naik spoke about the use of substances in non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and what measures are in place to address them. Professor Sandeep Grover spoke about the presentation of substance abusers in emergency situations and what strategies are used to deal with them.
The objective of this CME was a capacity-building exercise aimed at enhancing the diagnostic and management skills of psychiatric trainees and young psychiatrists. The CME was attended by over 200 participants, including students and practicing psychiatrists.