On Thursday, 22 October, the 2nd Nova Gradiška Symposium on Mental Health was held in Nova Gradiška, titled “From Discomfort to Comfort and Back – The Interplay of Anxiety and Addictive Behaviour in Children and Adolescents”. The symposium took place immediately after World Mental Health Day and ahead of the upcoming Month of the Fight Against Addiction, further highlighting the importance of continuous care for the mental health of the youngest members of society.
Invited speaker Siniša Brlas, a professor of psychology and specialist in clinical psychology, presented a lecture titled “The Pursuit of Pleasure and Return to Anxiety – Mechanisms and Dynamics of Addiction in Adolescence”. His presentation provided insight into the mechanisms linking the pursuit of pleasure and the development of addictive behaviour during adolescence.
The symposium was organised by the Association for Promoting Quality of Life and Maintenance of Mental Health “Pozitiva” from Nova Gradiška and the Brod-Posavina County, and was held within the framework of the implementation of the Action Plan for Action in the Field of Addiction in the Brod-Posavina County. Participants in the gathering were experts of various professional profiles from different sectors in the Nova Gradiška area, which enabled an interdisciplinary discussion on the challenges faced by children and adolescents.
Siniša Brlas serves as the chair of the Commission for Combating Addiction in Virovitica-Podravina County and is one of the creators of the Action Plan for Action in the Field of Addiction in that county. His guest appearance at the symposium is an example of inter-county cooperation in the field of mental health care and addiction prevention among young people.
Virovitica-Podravina County has once again been recognised as a community where notable activities aimed at health care are implemented, serving as examples of good practice in other counties of the Republic of Croatia. This emphasised the importance of exchanging experiences and joint action in the prevention of addiction and the preservation of mental health in children and adolescents.
