More than 1,400 of the world’s leading mental health researchers and clinicians will convene in Chicago

CHICAGO, IL, USA, January 14, 2019 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Although highly treatable, only one-third of the 40 million adults, and one in eight children struggling with anxiety disorders, receive treatment.

To combat this staggering statistic, more than 1,400 international researchers and clinicians specializing in anxiety, depression, and related disorders will convene at the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s (ADAA) Annual Conference. The conference will be held at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Chicago from March 28-31, 2019.

This annual conference, now in its 39th year, is hosted by ADAA. ADAA is the leading international nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the prevention, treatment, and cure of anxiety, depression, and related disorders through education, training, and research.

“ADAA’s annual conference promotes scientific innovation and engages a diverse network of clinicians and researchers with backgrounds in medicine, psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, neuroscience, genetics, and epidemiology to advance mental health science and new treatments,” said Dr. Beth Salcedo, ADAA Board President.

Many of the world’s leading mental health experts will participate in more than 160 workshops, symposia, roundtables, and special sessions to address depression and a wide range of anxiety disorders including PTSD, OCD, substance abuse, and suicide prevention.

Breaking the cultural, racial, and socioeconomic barriers to treatment and the inflammatory processes in stress, anxiety, and depression will also be a focus of this year’s programming.

New this year is a pre-conference program on suicide prevention. Focused on the sharing of cutting-edge research and clinical initiatives aimed to improve the understanding of why people die by suicide, this day-long program will cover what can be done to begin reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Leaders from the scientific, clinical, and advocacy sectors will discuss neuroscience, genomics, digital health, big data, dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments, and key funding priorities.

Also new this year is the Science Spotlight Series, which will feature researchers who are working to shape new directions in understanding and treating depression and anxiety disorders. The Ross Symposium, a key component of the conference, will bring together a group of experts with extensive experience in the clinical use of ketamine and psilocybin, their psychopharmacology, and potential substance abuse.

Through the conference’s 15 master clinician sessions, experts will present on relevant topics encountered in the practice setting including MDMA development for PTSD and the use of Ketamine in treating addiction and treatment-resistant depression.

Alan Schatzberg, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine’s Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, will deliver the keynote address. In his presentation, Potential Drugs of Abuse as Antidepressants and Anxiolytics: Pluses and Minuses, Dr. Schatzberg will review recent data and discuss key issues regarding how to balance risk-benefit both for individual patients and society at-large.

Programming on mindfulness, trauma, mental health apps, alternative therapies, telemental health, veteran-focused therapy, new and novel pharmacotherapies, and culturally sensitive therapy for diverse communities will also be offered.

“After four intensive days of learning, sharing, and networking, conference attendees will leave feeling more connected to their peers and better able to integrate research and practice into their communities,” Salcedo said. “This is critical as co-existing anxiety and depression can lead to substance use and suicide, and is considered the most disabling mental health disorder in the United States.”

For more details about special session offerings and registration information visit ADAA’s website.

Members of the media are invited to cover the conference and will have the opportunity to interview experts and attend all sessions. To register, email Lise Bram, ADAA’s Deputy Executive Director, at lbram@adaa.org or call 240.485.1016. Registration is limited to credentialed journalists and journalists who have assignment letters on the letterhead of a media organization. All media personnel must be registered and wear their conference badges while attending any conference session or activity. The conference program is available online and printed programs will also be available on site. Selected papers will be available electronically upon request. Media can make hotel reservations online.

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) is an international nonprofit membership organization (with more than 1,800 professional mental health members) and a leader in education, training, and research for anxiety, depression and related disorders. More than 38 million people from around the world visit the ADAA website annually to find current treatment and research information and to access free resources and support.

Lise Bram
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
+1 240-485-1016
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