The branch of the Croatian Catholic Medical Association (HKLD) in Vinkovci held a professional lecture entitled “Is there a cure for addictions?” in the Vinkovci City Library. The guest lecturer was prim. dr. sc. Ivan Ćelić from the Department for Dual Disorders of the Vrapče Psychiatric Clinic in Zagreb

At the beginning of his lecture, prim. Ćelić pointed out that the problem of addiction should be viewed comprehensively, taking into account its biological, social, psychological and spiritual components. Addiction, like other diseases, can be prevented, it is now successfully treated, it changes the biology of the body, and if left untreated, it can lead to an increased rate of morbidity and mortality and seriously affect the quality of life of the patient.

According to the new paradigm of addiction, no one can choose to become an addict, only an individual who has this receptivity to be an addict becomes an addict. Genetic factors are responsible for 40-60% of a person’s vulnerability to the development of this disease, but environmental factors such as stress, trauma, violence, but also the availability of drugs should also be highlighted.

Prime. Ćelić then pointed out the term dual disorders, which is used in the field of mental health and refers to those patients who suffer from addiction and some other mental disorder at the same time. The occurrence of this complex and challenging problem is now the rule, not the exception, so a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach is necessary, which often requires intersectoral cooperation. In this sense, the importance of therapeutic communities that offer a quality rehabilitation and resocialization program was emphasized, and during the COVID-19 epidemic in Croatia, a model of providing telepsychiatric care was developed that increases the duration of treatment, which is directly related to better treatment outcomes.

After the lecture, members of the HKLD Branch in Vinkovci held an election assembly at which Dr. Kata Krešić, epidemiology specialist and director of the Institute of Public Health of the Vukovar-Srijem County, was elected president, Dr. Mladen Karlić, internal medicine specialist and Dr. Miroslav Kasić, surgery specialist, was elected vice-president, Dr. Laura Mijatović, school medicine resident, was elected secretary, and Dr. Branka Tutiš Župarić was elected treasurer. Anesthesiology Specialist.

Kata Krešić, MD, PhD