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Welcome message

Dear colleagues,

For yet another year, the Organizing Committee is pleased to introduce the 32nd edition of the International Symposium on Controversies in Psychiatry, which will focus on "Mental disorders of the 21st century". The meeting will take place on April 16 and 17, 2026.

This year we once again offer the mixed event format introduced in 2016, with in-person attendance and the possibility of joining via live videostreaming, in order to reach all professionals anywhere in the world who cannot travel to Barcelona. In any case, we trust that Controversies in Psychiatry will continue to be a reference meeting for the global community of mental health professionals.

Each year the symposium deals with a relevant Mental Health topic for which the main experts from around the world are invited as speakers. Each of them presents their experience and the results of their research completely independent of the pharmaceutical industry. Controversias is the only event of its kind in continental Europe and we believe that the continued success of the audience over time validates its format and proposed methodology.

This year’s theme, “Mental disorders of the 21st century”, will address four areas: emerging addictions beyond traditional substance use, including digital overload, chemsex and new substances; depression and affective disorders, with emphasis on why they are harder to treat and the debate on psychedelic therapy; self-harm and suicide, with special focus on adolescence and risk prediction using AI and biomarkers; and emotional dysregulation and the limits of distress, including adolescent distress, behavioral alteration and the role of psychiatry in a society obsessed with happiness.

We look forward to your attendance and that we can meet again in Barcelona or online.

Yours sincerely,

Organizing Committee

Organizing Committee

  • NARCÍS CARDONER M.D., Hospital de Sant Pau & Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona
  • EDUARD VIETA M.D., Hospital Clínic de Barcelona & Universitat de Barcelona

Organizing Entity

  • Associació de Controvèrsies en Psiquiatria

Managing Director

  • Alex Vallejo-Blanxart, Eng.PhD MBA MSc, Doctor TIC co.

Collaborating Companies

  • Bocemtium co.: On-site attendance (attendees, speakers & venue)
  • Doctor TIC co.: Online attendance (webinar, webcasts) & Marketing