The use of stimulants such as amphetamines, cocaine, and methylenedioxymethamphetamine is associated with various mental disorders, including psychoses. These psychotic states can closely resemble the symptoms of schizophrenia, leading to potential misdiagnosis, incorrect treatment, and the assignment of disability status for perceived schizophrenia.

Research indicates that stimulant use can trigger psychoses with characteristics similar to those seen in schizophrenia, including hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thinking.

Investigate the clinical characteristics of stimulant-induced psychoses among patients with stimulant-positive rapid urine test (cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, methylenedioxymethamphetamine, cathinone group) in the Daugavpils Psychoneurological Hospital and the narcology ward of the Daugavpils Regional Hospital.

Assess the clinical presentation of these psychoses in comparison to schizophrenia using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), as a validated instrument for evaluating schizophrenia symptoms.

Analyze the data from cases with stimulant-positive rapid urine test and PANSS compare with other research PANSS data in pure schizophrenia psychosis cases.

1. Data Collection: The study involve participants diagnosed with stimulant-induced psychosis. Data collection will include gathering medical histories with positive stimulant induced psychosis of schizophrenia and stimulant use diagnosis (by ICD-10 F14.5, F15.5, F20+F14/F15) conducting new patient clinical interviews using PANSS, and performing rapid drug urine tests. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale will be utilized to quantitatively assess the severity and nature of the participants’ symptoms.

PANSS Scale

Clinically available rapid urine test (MultiDrug Test ect.).

Data Analysis: Clinical data comparisons will be performed using statistical methods.

The comparison of PANSS scores between patients with stimulant-induced psychosis (n=46) and schizophrenia (n=80) is expected to reveal distinct patterns. Patients with stimulant-induced psychosis are likely to exhibit higher scores on the positive symptoms subscale (84%) than in negative (31%), reflecting the more pronounced acute psychotic symptoms triggered by substance use.

In contrast, patients with schizophrenia may exhibit a more balanced profile, with significant impairments in both positive (72%) and negative symptoms (80%).

The clinical presentation of stimulant-induced psychoses can closely resemble that of schizophrenia, leading to diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This study highlights the differences in PANSS profiles between the two conditions, which can aid clinicians in the differential diagnosis and improve patient outcomes. As well it uncovers the significant impact of rapid urine drug tests in clinical routine.

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Research suggests that the gender gap in alcohol (Alc.) consumption may be narrowing, with increasing consumption by the female population. For women, the equivalent of 20-25 grams/day is considered harmful consumption. Many of the harmful effects of alcohol consumption occur more rapidly and more severely in women, yet the majority do not seek treatment

To describe the prevalence of harmful use of alcohol in women admitted to hospital for other mental illness.

Retrospective observational study of six months duration. Data was collected from all patients admitted to the hospital during the period of study, with no specific exclusion criteria. Descriptive statistics were performed.

During the study period, 312 patients were admitted to the hospital, 52.8% of whom were women, 21.8% of whom had a harmful use of Alc. The prevalence of harmful Alc. use in the different mental illnesses was: 22.2% in schizophrenia or other psychoses, 13.9% in bipolar affective disorder, 11.1% in depressive disorder, 13.9% in personality disorder, 19.4% in substance use disorder, 13.9% for other diagnoses and a prevalence of 5.56% for those of unknown diagnosis

In recent years, it has been shown that the overall prevalence of harmful alcohol use and alcohol use disorder has increased in women. They tend to seek care in settings where their alcohol problems may not be recognised. They have lower social support for treatment participation and greater barriers to accessing treatment, resulting in even higher rates of co-occurring medical and mental health problems. Prevention strategies and intervention programmes should be adapted to the specific needs of women, taking into account both individual risk factors and socio-cultural contexts

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Methadone is typically administered as a racemic mixture of two enantiomers (50% Dextro, 50% Levo methadone) and is used for chronic pain management and as maintenance therapy for opioid dependence. Levomethadone, when used alone, shows similar efficacy but with fewer side effects, particularly a safer cardiac profile with less QTc prolongation. In maintenance therapy for heroin dependence, the effective dosage of levomethadone ranges from 40 to 70 mg per day.

Our case concerns a 42-year-old patient who has struggled with substance abuse since the age of 17. Admitted to the Psychiatric Unit of Cesena Hospital for a reduction of Lormetazepam (previously consuming 80-100 mg/day), he was found to be taking 200 mg of levomethadone daily. This dosage is typically administered for pain management rather than as maintenance therapy for heroin dependence. Although the man was consistently consuming high doses of psychoactive medications, exceeding the ranges commonly reported in the literature, he did not exhibit significant adverse effects or signs of sedation during his hospital stay. This observation led us to consider the possibility of a genetic alteration in cytochrome enzymes that could enable ultra-rapid drug metabolism.

During the hospital stay, it was possible to safely reduce the benzodiazepine therapy by switching from oral lormetazepam to intravenous diazepam and subsequently to oral diazepam.The patient also underwent a pharmacogenetic test that analyzes the polymorphisms of 60 different enzymes using cells obtained from saliva.

In the reported case, the use of L-Methadone has allowed over the years a full control of withdrawal symptoms and cravings from opioid drugs, a greater compliance with treatment and a lower risk of general and cardiological side effects than racemic methadone administered in equivalent therapeutic doses in past years.

It has also been made possible, through in-patient treatment, to carry out a progressive withdrawal from Lormetazepam in total safety.

Pharmacogenetic testing targeting CYP3A4 and CYP2B6 enzymes did not reveal significant alterations, contradicting our initial hypothesis.

The originality of this case is basically due to the lack in the literature about clinical cases treated with such a high dose of Levomethadone (200 mg/day) as substitution therapy for opioid addiction and to the investigation of the salivary pharmacogenetic testing to eventually support the hypothesis that the patient could be a rapid or ultrarapid metabolizer.

Moreover, we have sought to clarify the correct use of levomethadone in individuals at high risk of death due to conditions that may increase the risk of Torsades de Pointes.

The pharmacogenetic analysis excluded rapid metabolism, suggesting a role for P-glycoprotein (PGP) in influencing the absorption of methadone and the variability of plasma concentration.

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Implants and injectable medications have been utilized frequently in the treatment of opioid use disorder, along with other treatment approaches like orally consumed opioid agonist treatment or antagonist treatment, and psychotherapeutic interventions. The overall use of implants and injectable medications in the Indian healthcare landscape is low.

The study aimed to assess the acceptability of implants and injectable among treatment options among patients with opioid use disorders.

A cross sectional survey was conducted among patients with opioid use disorders. They were shown a pre-recorded video explaining the various treatment options for opioid use disorder, and their acceptability of treatment was recorded.

Among the 150 included patients, 26 (17.3%) were willing for naltrexone depots, 11 (7.3%) were willing for naltrexone implants, and 10 (6.7%) were willing for buprenorphine injection. Compared to this, patients were more willing for buprenorphine sublingual (n = 105, 70%), tramadol oral (n = 89, 59.3%), and naltrexone oral (n = 43, 28.7%) formulations. Willingness for counselling or psychotherapy was expressed by 34 patients (22.7%), and for engagement with narcotics anonymous by 20 patients (13.3%).

While implants and injectable may be a viable option for many patients with opioid use disorder, it may have limited acceptability among the range of therapeutic options available. Collaborative decision making may be useful considering patient’s preferences for aligning goals of treatment team and the patient.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common and under-diagnosed disease. Screening for this disease and assessing smoking behaviour are essential to tobacco control measures.

Our study aims to screen for smoking and COPD among employees of an electricity and gas company.

We conducted a descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional survey to screen for smoking and COPD among employees of an electricity and gas company. The survey was carried out during a COPD screening day, using a two-part questionnaire. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerström test. COPD screening was carried out using a COPD screening self-questionnaire from the French National Authority for Health.

Our population comprised 28 male participants. Active smoking was reported by 87.7% of participants. Nicotine dependence assessed by the Fagerström test was moderate to high in 54.7% of smokers. We found that 11 participants (39.2%), were identified as being “at risk” of developing COPD. Bivariate analysis showed that the COPD self-screening questionnaire score was associated with smoking and nicotine dependence.

COPD and smoking among workers are prevalent in the electricity and gas company. Through this awareness-raising day, an action plan had prioritized anti-smoking programs directed at smoking employees to ensure their comprehensive care and prevent the onset of COPD.

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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an under-diagnosed disease. Screening for this disease, assessing quality of life and combating smoking are key factors in the overall management of this pathology.

Our study aims to assess the effect of COPD on quality of life in smoking electrical technicians and their motivation to quit smoking.

We conducted a descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional survey to assess the impact of COPD on quality of life among smoking electrical technicians and their motivation to quit smoking. A questionnaire was administered during a COPD screening day. Smoking cessation motivation was assessed using the Richmond questionnaire. COPD screening was carried out using COPD screening self-questionnaire from the French National Authority for Health. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) was used to determine the presence and severity of respiratory symptoms.

Our population comprised 24 male smokers. Motivation to quit smoking was low in half of the participants. Eleven participants (45.8%) were identified as being “at risk” of developing COPD. Cough, sputum and chest tightness were more frequent in participants at risk of developing COPD than in those not at risk, with a significant difference. The mean CAT score in participants at risk of developing COPD was 12.2 ± 9.7. The impact on quality of life in participants at risk of developing COPD was low and moderate to high in 45.5% and 54.6% of participants respectively. Bivariate analysis showed that motivation to quit smoking was not correlated with either the COPD self-screening score or participants’ quality of life.

COPD impairs the quality of life of workers at the electricity and gas company. Training sessions on breathing and anti-smoking actions in the electricity and gas company must be directed towards smoking employees by ensuring comprehensive management will serve to prevent the onset of COPD.

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To ensure the health of employees, maintaining a smoke-free workplace is essential. Understanding the relationship between smoking and work is crucial for implementing effective smoking cessation interventions.

Our study aims to determine the prevalence of smoking and its relationship with job satisfaction among electrical technicians.

We conducted a descriptive, analytical and cross-sectional survey among electrical technicians. Data collection was carried out using a self-completed questionnaire. We collected socio-professional data. Nicotine dependence was assessed using the Fagerström test, while job satisfaction was evaluated using the single-item measure of job satisfaction.

Our study population was exclusively male, including 70 electrical technicians. The mean age of participants was 38.1 ±10.2 years. The mean of the tenure of job was 14.5±11.1 years. Active smoking was reported by 45.1% of participants. Using the Fagerström test, nicotine dependence was low and moderate to high respectively in 13.4% and 28.9% of smokers. Median job satisfaction was 4, with extreme values ranging from 1 to 5. We found that nicotine dependence was negatively correlated with job satisfaction (p = 0.02, r = -0.3).

Smoking is a prevalent issue among electrical technicians. Our findings highlight the urgent need for smoking cessation interventions among these workers. The association of smoking with low job satisfaction underscores the importance of preventive measures to reduce work-related stress in order to promote greater job satisfaction and smoking cessation.

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Gambling is an increasingly widespread practice worldwide. Currently, gambling disorder (also known as pathological gambling) is recognized as a behavioral addiction in the DSM-5 due to its numerous similarities with substance addiction. Consequently, several neurobiological hypotheses have been tested in recent years.

To illustrate, through a literature review, the neurobiological basis of pathological gambling.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature in the “PubMed” database, following PRISMA guidelines, using the following keywords: “Neurobiology,” “Gambling Disorder,” “Pathological Gambling,” and “Gambling.”

Our study included 27 articles, comprising 15 articles addressing pathological gambling from a neuroimaging perspective, 7 articles focusing on neurochemistry, and 5 articles discussing the therapeutic implications of neurobiological mechanisms. Literature studies reveal that the primary neurobiological mechanisms explaining pathological gambling involve dysfunctions in the brain circuits of the “reward system,” particularly in the striatum and ventromedial prefrontal cortex. The studies also highlighted the central role of dopamine and dopaminergic receptors, as well as the involvement of other noradrenergic, serotonergic, glutamatergic, and opioid systems in the disorder’s development, with preliminary evidence suggesting the effectiveness of medications that alter these neurotransmitters.

Pathological gambling is an increasingly common psychiatric disorder that remains underestimated to this day. Therefore, it is important to clarify the neurobiological mechanisms involved in the etiology of this disorder to develop targeted intervention strategies.

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Interpersonal traumas affect women’s ability to rely on their social network to cope, which increases their reliance on maladaptive avoidance coping strategies such as drinking. According to psychodynamic models of trichotillomania hair pulling is a manifestation of unresolved sexual conflicts, disordered attachment, and dissociation from traumatic memories. (Houghton, D. C., Mathew, A. S., Twohig, M. P., Saunders, S. M., Franklin, M. E., Compton, S. N., Neal-Barnett, A. M., & Woods, D. W. (2016). Trauma and trichotillomania: A tenuous relationship. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 11, 91-95.)

Evidence suggests that rather than making hair pulling worse, alcohol is often used to avoid negative affect related to hair pulling. It slows the nervous system’s activity and may also be used to reduce the urge to hair-pull. (Grant, J.E., Collins, M., Chesivoir, E. et al. Hazardous Alcohol Use in Trichotillomania. Psychiatr Q 94, 361–369 (2023))

We present a 43-year-old patient who has been hospitalized several times due to alcohol addiction. She is divorced, has no children, is unemployed, and finished elementary school. The patient reported that she started drinking at high school during weekend parties and gradually her drinking became more frequent. Now she is drinking a liter of vodka a day. Her last hospitalization was after she left a domestic violence shelter for women where she escaped because her partner abused her. After she was placed in the alcoholism ward, the initial psychic examination discovered alopecia. Childhood anamnesis showed sexual trauma at a young age, and she reported that she started to pull her eyelashes in kindergarten after two members of a family sexually abused her. Now she is wearing a wig and she reported that there are areas on her scalp where hair doesn’t grow anymore because she pulled it while she was in a shelter. As she described, pulling her hair gave her a sense of relief from anxiety.

During hospitalization, her pharmacotherapy was corrected and titrated. She was included in psychotherapy, family therapy, group, and individual psychotherapy. The therapeutic procedures applied have improved her mental condition. She has been advised to continue outpatient psychiatric treatment, to regularly use pharmacotherapy, and to attend family therapy and rehabilitation club.

There is a clear need for future clinical studies not only in the area of trichotillomania’s relationship to substance use disorders but also in trauma coping mechanisms so we can truly understand how people adapt to and recover from trauma.

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Substance use is a prevalent issue in individuals with psychotic disorders and has major implications for the course of the disease. Substance use is associated with treatment noncompliance, more positive symptoms and increased risk of relapse. However, reasons for substance use in people diagnosed with psychotic disorders are insufficiently understood.

This study seeks to explore the specific reasons for substance use among patients diagnosed with psychotic

disorder, while aiming to identify subgroups of patients that may benefit from targeted interventions to reduce drug use.

We investigated the reasons for maintaining substance use in patients with a dual diagnosis of psychotic disorder and substance use disorder that were admitted to Alexandru Obregia Clinical Psychiatric Hospital, Addictions Department, Bucharest, Romania, between October 2024 and March 2025. Patients were evaluated through a semi-structured interview developed for this study.

The results of the study will be available and presented during the EPA 2025 Congress.

Understanding the underlying motivations for substance use is crucial for developing targeted interventions that address the unique needs of patients with psychotic disorders, ultimately improving treatment outcomes and promoting long-term recovery.

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Psychoactive substance use among pregnant women has reached alarmingly high rates and is considered a public health problem. Pregnancy is a period in which women become more sensitive and concerned about their well-being, in view of how that will affect their baby. Therefore, pregnancy becomes a favorable period for therapeutic intervention, especially with regard to drug use. Despite this, there is still a small number of studies that address the issue of female drug users in Brazil, especially due to stigma and prejudice.

Our main aim was to characterize the clinical and psychiatric profile of pregnant crack users in Brazil, with a focus on comorbidities, the severity of crack use, and the use of other substances.

This was a cross-sectional study of 24 pregnant crack users admitted to a referral hospital for psychiatric disorders in pregnant women, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, over three years. Most women tend to remain hospitalized for a long time, often months, until giving birth. This scenario directly influenced the sample size of this study. The following instruments were applied: a clinical-obstetric questionnaire; the condensed version of the Addiction Severity Index; a diagnostic interview for psychoactive substance use based on DSM-5; the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for DSM-IV; and the Semi-Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders (SCID-II).

Most patients had severe crack dependence and used other substances, such as tobacco, cannabis, and alcohol. The median duration of crack use was three years, ranging between three and 12 years. Most women subsisted from illegal or informal activities; a fifth had previously been arrested and often had relationship problems. Twenty percent had HIV (n = 5), and 37.5% (n = 9) had syphilis. Borderline personality disorder was the most prevalent mental condition (62.5%), followed by suicidal tendencies (45.8%), hypomanic episodes due to substance use (37.5%), and past major depressive episodes (33.3%).

This is one of the few studies exploring and characterizing social, economic and health aspects of pregnant crack users in Brazil. An alarmingly high prevalence of consumption of other drugs, psychiatric disorders, and difficult-to-treat personality disorders was observed in our study. Investigating the psychiatric profile of women who use substances is essential to minimize the impacts on the mother and child, optimize therapeutic approaches to comorbidities, and enable more effective relapse prevention.

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Cocaine use is a significant health problem, since its abuse constitutes a substance use disorder and can produce cardiovascular symptoms, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Tako-tsubo syndrome (TTS) is a transient dysfunction of the apical left ventricle that can manifest with intense chest pain and alterations in the electrocardiogram. TTS can be triggered by physical stressors (hyperthyroidism, cocaine or amphetamine abuse) or psychological stressors (grief or reaction to acute stress).

The objective is to present the case of a patient who developed tako-tsubo syndrome after harmful cocaine use.

A 50-year-old woman, under psychiatric follow-up, diagnosed with mixed personality disorder, with a medical history of hypothyroidism. The patient has been presenting for 2 months after mourning the death of her husband with anxiety-depressive symptoms with a great behavioral impact with episodes of heteroaggression and begins with abusive consumption of cannabis and cocaine toxins. The patient presents an episode of psychomotor agitation after acute consumption of cocaine, presenting psychotic symptoms. During the study in the emergency area, she verbalizes chest pain and complementary studies are performed with elevated cardiac enzymes and alterations in the electrocardiogram. Cardiology is contacted and after hospital admission and complementary studies, the diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome is reached, filiating it with Takotsubo syndrome triggered by cocaine consumption. The diagnoses presented by the patient with dual pathology would be a psychotic disorder due to toxins, a borderline personality disorder and harmful consumption of cocaine.

Dual pathology in patients with personality disorder with toxin abuse such as in this case cocaine is very frequent.The situation of grief is an acute stressful situation that leads to greater emotional instability and, together with the toxic effects of cocaine, can trigger Takotsubo syndrome in patients. Therefore, when approaching patients with substance use, it is very important to always take into account the possible somatic complications that can be triggered.The treatment chosen to treat the psychotic symptoms that the patient presented was lurasidone, since it has a tolerability and cardiological safety profile.

In patients with dual pathology, it is very important to address all possible complications, both somatic and psychiatric, for proper therapeutic management.

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New psychoactive substances (NPS) are a heterogeneous group of new drugs that are not controlled by the United Nations drugs conventions but may represent public health threats of largely the same impact as substances listed in the respective conventions, according to the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA). The history of NPS encompasses approximately two decades, but this category of substances is continually expanding.

To review the literature for data regarding the practical challenges the use of NPS raises for mental health specialists, in order to help clinicians in the construction of an adequate case management plan for these patients.

A literature review was conducted in three electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science/Clarivate) to find primary and secondary sources published between January 2000 and September 2024. The keywords used were „novel psychoactive drugs”, „synthetic cathinone”, „cannabimimetics”, „synthetic cannabinoids”, „synthetic stimulants”, „phenethylamines”, „legal highs”, „designer drugs”, „emergency”, „intoxication”, „case management”, and „challenge”. There was no restriction regarding the age of participants, but only sources published in English were selected.

Based on the 27 sources retained for detailed analysis, six main clinically focused challenges related to NPS use were identified. The lack of characteristic clinical manifestations of NPS intoxication is provocative, especially for the presentations in the emergency rooms (ER), where a rapid differential diagnosis is needed. The second challenge detected was polydrug use, with studies reporting more than 50% of the users combining different NPS or NPS with conventional drugs of abuse. The third difficulty is related to the difficulty of detecting the NPS in the consumers due to the continuously changing structures by designers, who are trying to avoid the current legislation. The fourth aspect is related to the high costs of screening for NPS and the need, despite these costs, to apply such screening in the psychiatric population, which is considered vulnerable to the use of these drugs, according to epidemiological studies. The fifth challenge is related to the lack of specific treatments in the case of NPS intoxication, with management strategies being limited to supportive and symptomatic care. The sixth aspect refers to the need to hospitalize patients with NPS intoxication in ICU departments due to their unpredictable evolution, need for monitoring, cardiovascular and neuropsychiatric toxicity, polydrug use, etc.

There is an acute need for routine screening for NPS in the ER whenever a drug intoxication is suspected and especially in psychiatric populations where the anamnesis could be difficult. Case management requires ICU hospitalization, intensive monitoring, supportive care, and a post-ICU psychiatric evaluation and treatment for relapse prevention.

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Assessment of the quality of life (QoL) in patients diagnosed with substance use disorders (SUDs) is important due to the need to explore potential ways of improving the prognosis and evolution of these patients towards recovery and prolonged abstinence. The impact of SUDs on the QoL is often difficult to determine in the absence of structured methods because of the multiple factors that may moderate the results, including misperceptions of the patients on the effects of the drugs of abuse (DOA), stigmatization, countertransference aspects of the therapeutic relationships, etc.

To assess the most validated psychometric tools dedicated to the evaluation of QoL in patients with SUDs.

A literature review was conducted in three electronic databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and Clarivate/Web of Science) to find clinical reports published between January 2000 and September 2024 regarding the QoL instruments in patients with SUD. The keywords used were “substance use disorders”, “quality of life”, “health-related quality of life”, “scales”, “inventories”, and “questionnaires”. There was no restriction regarding the age of participants, and only sources published in English were selected.

The most frequently reported scales used for the purpose of monitoring the QoL in patients with SUDs were the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and EuroQoL (EQ) 5D 5L. Also, WHOQOL-BREF, which is associated with the WHO International Classification of Diseases system, is a comprehensive and useful instrument that may be applied in patients with SUDs. Health-related Quality of Life for Drug Abusers (HRQOLDA) and Injection Drug Use Quality of Life Scale (IDUQOL) may be used in this specific population because they refer more exactly to daily life aspects of the patients with SUD that interfere with their QoL, but these instruments are less known and applied by clinicians.

General instruments, like surveys or inventories, targeting the evaluation of QoL and, also, more specific instruments focused on the quality of the daily life of patients with SUDs need to be administered in case management because these may highlight important areas of therapeutic intervention. The inclusion of such instruments is expected to have multiple benefits, such as better treatment adherence through the improvement of the therapeutic relationship, more targeted interventions for the meeds of this population, etc.

None Declared

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a highly prevalent and complex class of psychiatric illnesses that lead to increased rates of mortality and morbidity, societal costs, low quality of life, and difficulties in all important areas of personal functioning. Although SUDs are constantly explored from a therapeutic perspective, there are very few validated treatments available for these disorders.

To review the evidence supporting new targets for the psychopharmacological management of patients diagnosed with SUDs.

A literature review was conducted in three electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane, and Clarivate/Web of Science) and the US National Library of Medicine database for clinical trials (www.clinicaltrials.gov) to find clinical and preclinical sources published between January 2000 and September 2024. The keywords used were „substance use disorders”, „drug dependence”, „drug addiction”, „new treatments”, „drugs in pipeline”, and „pharmacological treatment”. There was no restriction regarding the age of participants, and only sources published in English were selected.

Based on 12 sources identified for detailed analysis, the main directions of research in the field of new treatments for SUDs are modulators of glutamatergic and GABA-ergic systems, neurokinin-1 receptors, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, G-protein signaling-biased μ-opioid receptor agonists, serotonin modulators, cannabinoid agonists or partial agonists, N-acetylcysteine, and monoclonal antibodies. These agents are explored for cocaine, opioids, nicotine, psychostimulants, and cannabis use disorder. Examples of investigational products from these emergent classes are SR-170189 (a biased mu-opioid receptor agonist without evidence of tolerance in preclinical studies), dexmedetomidine (BXCL501, an alpha-2 preferring agonist explored for opioid withdrawal), guanfacine (another alpha-2 agonist explored in cannabis use disorder-CUD), lorcaserin (a selective 5HT2C receptor agonist also explored for CUD), oxytocin (explored for alcohol use disorder- AUD and as add-on to methadone for comorbid opioid and cocaine use disorder), N-acetylcysteine (investigated for AUD and nicotine use disorder), NT-814 (neurokinin-1 and -3 receptor antagonist, investigated for opioid use disorder), memantine (a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist explored in patients with AUD), baclofen (a GABA-B receptor agonist explored for AUD, opioid withdrawal, and psychostimulants use disorder) and various biological therapies for NUD and cocaine use disorder.

There are hopes related to an extensive number of investigational products that undergo different stages of clinical research for a large variety of SUDs, targeting multiple neurotransmitters and hormonal pathways, and even biological therapies that could block the action of the drugs of abuse before reaching their targets.

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Women are diagnosed with depression twice as often as men. Although depression is more common in women, men have higher suicide rates. Instead of seeking help, men tend to use various coping mechanisms that can be considered dysfunctional. These behaviors include risk-taking behaviors, aggressive behaviors, and alcohol and substance use. In addition, men’s failure to seek mental health services may be related to their beliefs about gender and masculinity. That symptom cluster is called a male depressive syndrome and can be seen in both sexes.

The present study aimed to measure depression with a widely used scale and a gender-sensitive scale among men with addiction disorders. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate relations between addiction severity, depression and masculinity.

Fifty-one male patients with alcohol and substance addiction participated in the present study. BAPİRT-alcohol and BAPİRT-drug questionnaires, Beck Depression Scale, Gender Sensitive Depression Scale, and Precarious Manhood Beliefs.

The mean age of the patients was 40.56 ± 12.35, and most were single (64.7%). Regarding the cut-off scores of BAPİRT scales, 45.9% of patients screened as high risk for substance addiction, and 86.27% screened as high risk for alcohol addiction. Depression scores were evaluated using the cut-off values. Both the Beck Depression Scale and the Gender Sensitive Depression Scale determined a depression prevalence of 60.8%, with diverse participants. Table 1 shows the intersection of the depression screening with the two scales.

Male patients with addiction showed a high prevalence of depression (%60.8). Gender-sensitive depression was related to substance addiction severity.

Male patients with addiction may experience depression with a specific symptom cluster, which includes irritability.

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Tobacco and alcohol use are two of the main risk factors for most of the non-communicable diseases and causes of death worldwide. Healthcare professionals can play an important role in helping patients to quit smoking and alcohol consumption, but this role is undermined if they themselves have the same addictions.

The aim of this study was to study the effect of smoking and alcohol use on healthcare professionals’ quality of life. In addition we aimed to identify any demographic and occupational factors that affect quality of life.

The research sample of the present cross-sectional study consisted of 200 health professionals. The Demographic Questionnaire, the Smoking Addiction Inventory (Fagerstrom), the Alcohol Addiction Inventory, and the Quality of Life Inventory (EQ-5D) were used. The statistical analysis was performed using the statistical package IBM Spss v.27

Among the sample, the 46.5% stated that were smokers. The mean score of alcohol dependence was found to be 3.61 (±3.29), while the corresponding mean value of Fagerstrom was calculated to be 3.96 (±2.27). The EQ-5D quality of life score was found to be 0.93. Finally, the EQ-Vas score was found to be 7.95 (± 1.57).

A particularly high prevalence of smoking was found among the healthcare professionals in the study, while alcohol consumption was moderate. The results showed that tobacco and alcohol consumption negatively affects the quality of life of healthcare professionals.

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Illness Anxiety Disorder denotes an excessive fear of becoming critically ill. Even when a medical exam does not indicate a significant medical problem, people may have no physical symptoms or think that familiar body sensations or minor symptoms are symptoms of a dangerous sickness.

We aimed to estimate and compare the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder among health colleges students at King Saud University. Also, we examined whether the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder is influenced by the specific field of study within the medical disciplines and whether the disorder manifests differently among students based on their chosen area of specialization.

This was an observational cross-sectional study. Data were collected through an online self-administered questionnaire called The Short Health Anxiety Inventory (SHAI) and was analyzed using SPSS 23rd version.

The prevalence of IAD in this study was found to be 5.8% (n=325). with a significant relation to gender, college, the presence of psychiatric disorders, and being subjected to abuse or neglect.

This study found that the prevalence of illness anxiety disorder was low compared to other studies published in the past.

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Binge-eating behavior and anxiety disorders pose a significant public health issue worldwide, as it has severe implications for both the physical and mental health of the adolescent population. The present study evaluated the prevalence of binge-eating behavior, anxiety disorders, and associated factors among the northern Saudi adolescent population.

Assessed the correlation between binge eating and anxiety.

The present population-based cross-sectional study was carried out among adolescents in the Aljouf region of Saudi Arabia from June 2023 to December 2023. A total of 384 eligible participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. The present study used a pretested Arabic version of the binge eating scale (BES) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) to assess the binge-eating behavior and anxiety disorders among the target population. The Spearman correlation test determined the strength and direction of the correlation between BES and HAM-A scores. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was applied to find the associated factors for binge-eating behavior among the study participants.

Of the 384 participants, moderate and severe binge-eating behaviors were found among 11.2% and 8.3% of the respondents, respectively. Regarding the severity of anxiety as assessed by the HAM-A scale, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety were shown among 12.8%, 9.6%, and 7.5% of the participants, respectively. Also, the study found a positive correlation between binge eating and anxiety scores, with a correlation coefficient of 0.26 and a p-value of 0.001. Furthermore, being female (p = 0.001), moderate (p = 0.004), and severe anxiety (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with binge-eating behavior.

The present research findings advocate for the implementation of targeted interventions and support services aimed at decreasing binge-eating behavior and anxiety, thereby promoting the overall well-being of adolescents and building stronger future generations. Moreover, it is recommended that optional courses about binge eating be incorporated into the curricula of schools and universities.

None Declared

Binge-eating behavior and anxiety disorders pose a significant public health issue worldwide, as it has severe implications for both the physical and mental health of the adolescent population. The present study evaluated the prevalence of binge-eating behavior, anxiety disorders, and associated factors among the northern Saudi adolescent population.

assessed the correlation between binge eating and anxiety.

The present population-based cross-sectional study was carried out among adolescents in the Aljouf region of Saudi Arabia from June 2023 to December 2023. A total of 384 eligible participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. The present study used a pretested Arabic version of the binge eating scale (BES) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) to assess the binge-eating behavior and anxiety disorders among the target population. The Spearman correlation test determined the strength and direction of the correlation between BES and HAM-A scores. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis was applied to find the associated factors for binge-eating behavior among the study participants.

Of the 384 participants, moderate and severe binge-eating behaviors were found among 11.2% and 8.3% of the respondents, respectively. Regarding the severity of anxiety as assessed by the HAM-A scale, mild, moderate, and severe anxiety were shown among 12.8%, 9.6%, and 7.5% of the participants, respectively. Also, the study found a positive correlation between binge eating and anxiety scores, with a correlation coefficient of 0.26 and a p-value of 0.001. Furthermore, being female (p = 0.001), moderate (p = 0.004), and severe anxiety (P = 0.001) were significantly associated with binge-eating behavior.

The present research findings advocate for the implementation of targeted interventions and support services aimed at decreasing binge-eating behavior and anxiety, thereby promoting the overall well-being of adolescents and building stronger future generations. Moreover, it is recommended that optional courses about binge eating be incorporated into the curricula of schools and universities.

None Declared