ABSTRACTS FOR SYMPOSIA

Opioid substitution therapy: A boon or bane: Experience from 4 sites in India

Abdul Majid, Sandeep Bola¹, Gojendra Singh², Amar Shinde³

SKIMS Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, ¹Punjab, ²Manipur, ³Pune, Maharashtra, India

Introduction: Opioid dependence remains a major public health concern worldwide, with significant medical, psychological, and social consequences. In recent years, Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) has emerged as a cornerstone in the management of opioid dependence, aiming to reduce harm, prevent relapse, and restore functionality. However, its implementation continues to generate debate — is it truly a boon that rehabilitates, or a bane that merely replaces one addiction with another?. The symposium would help in enhancing our knowledge by sharing experiences which would help in better management of patients who need OST as treatment.

Background: Definition: OST involves the administration of a long-acting opioid agonist (e. g., Buprenorphine or Methadone) as a substitute for the abused opioid, under medical supervision.

Objectives:

- To prevent withdrawal symptoms and cravings

- To reduce illicit opioid use and associated risk behaviors

- To improve psychosocial functioning and quality of life

- In India: Initiated under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) and National

Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC), AIIMS, OST is now an integral part of harm-reduction strategies.

Conclusion: Our experience supports OST as a boon when implemented with proper monitoring, psychosocial support, and community education. The potential risks can be mitigated through strict supervision, counseling, and periodic evaluation.

OST should not be viewed as substituting addiction, but as a bridge to rehabilitation and recovery.

Suicide and its Prevention: Clinical Insights, Risk stratification and evidence based interventions

Abhinit Kumar, Kunal Kumar¹, Nikhil Nayar¹, Praneta Swarup¹

SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Sharda University, ¹SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Suicide is a leading global public health challenge, causing more than 700,000 deaths annually, with adolescents and young adults bearing a disproportionate burden. Contemporary research highlights suicide as a multidimensional phenomenon shaped by neurobiological vulnerability, psychosocial stressors, and sociocultural context. Despite advances in understanding, gaps persist in early identification and timely intervention. This symposium integrates updated evidence on epidemiology, risk stratification, and prevention strategies, aiming to equip clinicians with a structured and practical approach. Key themes include theoretical models of suicidal behavior, validated screening tools, and evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Suicide Prevention, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, safety planning interventions, and the anti-suicidal effects of lithium and clozapine. High-risk populations—including individuals with mood disorders, substance use disorders, and recent psychiatric discharge—will be explored with practical clinical algorithms. The session emphasizes communication skills, family involvement, documentation standards, and medico-legal considerations to improve outcomes. By synthesizing scientific insights with clinical application, this symposium seeks to strengthen suicide prevention efforts across healthcare settings. Keywords: Suicide, Risk Assessment, Prevention, Psychiatry, Safety Planning, Crisis Intervention References: 1. World Health Organization. Suicide worldwide in 2019: global health estimates. WHO; 2021. 2. Turecki G, Brent DA. Suicide and suicidal behaviour. Lancet.2016;387:1227 –39. 3. Oquendo MA et al. A risk assessment model for suicide. Am J Psychiatry. 2021. 4. Stanley B, Brown GK. Safety Planning Intervention. Cogn Behav Pract. 2012. 5. Zalsman G et al. Suicide prevention strategies revisited. Lancet Psychiatry. 2016. 6.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder across the lifespan: Adult diagnosis, comorbidities and Indian practice challenges

Abhinit Kumar, Pankaj Verma¹, Nikhil Nayar², Praneta Swarup²

SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Sharda University, ²SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ¹VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is now firmly established as a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder, with longitudinal data demonstrating persistence of symptoms into adulthood in approximately 60 –70%of childhood cases.^[1] Although hyperactivity tends to diminish with age, impairments in attention, working memory, executive functioning, and emotional regulation frequently continue to cause significant occupational and interpersonal dysfunction across the lifespan.^[2,3] Adult ADHD is further complicated by high rates of psychiatric comorbidity—including anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and substance use disorders which often results in diagnostic overshadowing and delayed recognition in routine clinical settings.^[4] Contemporary diagnostic frameworks such as DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 emphasize developmental continuity and incorporate adult-specific symptom descriptors to improve diagnostic clarity.^[5,6] Despite this, adult ADHD remains markedly underdiagnosed in India due to limited clinician training, low awareness, stigma associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, and restricted access to stimulant formulations.^[7] This symposium synthesises current evidence from Kaplan & Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry as well as major international studies to elucidate the developmental trajectory of ADHD, refine diagnostic strategies for adult presentations, and highlight India-specific challenges related to assessment and management^[8] By integrating neurobiological, clinical, and public health perspectives, the session aims to improve diagnostic accuracy, enhance early identification, and support culturally informed, evidence-based interventions for adults with ADHD.

Reference

1. Faraone SV, Biederman J, Mick E. The age-dependent decline of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: A meta-analysis of follow-up. Psychol Med 2006;36:159-65.

Mental health in school and college settings: Screening, prevention, crisis response

Abhinit Kumar, Kunal Kumar¹, Pankaj Verma², Nikhil Nayar¹, Praneta Swarup¹

SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Sharda University, ¹SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ²VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

There is growing global concern regarding the rising burden of mental-health problems among students in school and college settings, with anxiety, depression, learning difficulties, substance use, and self-harm emerging as major contributors to academic decline and psychosocial impairment. Early identification through structured screening programs significantly improves detection of emotional and behavioural disorders, particularly when standardized tools such as the SDQ (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) (1), PHQ-A for adolescent depression (2), GAD-7 for anxiety (3), and the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) (4) are incorporated into institutional workflows. Preventive interventions—including social-emotional learning curricula (5), teacher gatekeeper training programs (6), peer-support networks, and evidence-based anti-bullying policies are associated with reduced psychological distress and improved resilience and academic outcomes. Despite these advances, crisis-response systems remain inadequately developed in most Indian educational settings. Timely and structured crisis management, including suicide-risk assessment guided by AACAP and international youth-suicide guidelines (7), safety planning, parental engagement, emergency referral pathways, and carefully designed postvention measures to reduce suicide contagion (8), is essential to preventing adverse outcomes. This symposium proposes a comprehensive model for integrating mental-health systems within schools and colleges, emphasizing (i) scalable screening strategies adapted to the Indian context, (ii) multi-tiered prevention frameworks aligned with WHO School Mental Health guidelines (9), and (iii) a structured crisis-response protocol consistent with NEP 2020 recommendations (10). The objective is to shift institutions from reactive, event-driven responses to proactive, sustainable, system-level mental-health promotion.

Key words: Crisis intervention, prevention, school psychiatry, screening, student mental health, suicide prevention

Artificial intelligence in psychiatry: From algorithms to clinical impact

Abhinit Kumar, Pankaj Verma¹, Kunal Kumar², Nikhil Nayar², Shailendra Kumar Mishra³

SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Sharda University, ²SMS and R, Sharda Hospital, Greater Noida, ³MLN Medical College, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh, ¹VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping the landscape of modern medicine, with psychiatry emerging as one of its most promising domains. The integration of machine learning, deep learning, and big data analytics into mental health care offers unprecedented opportunities for early diagnosis, personalized treatment, risk prediction, and outcome monitoring. AI-based tools have shown encouraging results in identifying depressive disorders, schizophrenia, and neurocognitive disorders through neuroimaging, speech analysis, and digital phenotyping techniques.^[1–3] Suicide risk prediction using AI models has demonstrated higher sensitivity than traditional clinical assessments.^[4] Digital therapeutics, chatbots, and AI-assisted psychotherapy platforms are increasingly being employed to bridge the psychiatric treatment gap.^[5] However, alongside these advancements arise significant ethical, legal, and professional challenges. Issues related to data privacy, algorithmic bias, accountability, and patient autonomy remain unresolved, especially in low-and middle-income countries such as India.^[6,7] Fear of psychiatrist replacement by machines continues to exist, despite growing evidence that AI functions best as a clinical decision-support system rather than a replacement for human judgment.^[8] This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the scientific foundations of AI, its current clinical applications in psychiatry, ethical and legal concerns, and future directions. By fostering informed adoption, collaboration between clinicians and technologists, and responsible implementation, AI has the potential to enhance psychiatric care while preserving the humanistic core of mental health practice.

Spirituality in psychiatry: From concept to correlation

Achyut Kumar Pandey, Manishit Singh, P. Kishan¹, Priti Arun¹

Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, ¹Spiritual Sub Committee, IPS

Spirituality is increasingly acknowledged as a vital dimension of holistic mental healthcare, particularly within culturally diverse societies such as India. Spiritual beliefs and practices influence how individuals perceive illness, cope with distress, seek help, and engage with treatment. Despite growing empirical interest, spirituality remains inconsistently conceptualized and inadequately integrated into routine psychiatric practice. This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive and clinically grounded exploration of spirituality in psychiatry by integrating conceptual, clinical, psychotherapeutic, and neuroscientific perspectives.

The symposium begins by examining foundational definitions of spirituality, distinguishing it from religiosity, and situating it within Indian philosophical traditions and contemporary psychiatric frameworks. It then addresses the clinical relevance of spirituality through structured assessment approaches, including validated tools that allow systematic yet sensitive incorporation of spiritual dimensions into psychiatric evaluation. The discussion extends to spiritually informed psychotherapeutic models, highlighting meaning-making processes and their application in common psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, and recovery-oriented care. Finally, emerging neuroscientific evidence related to meditation, mindfulness, transcendence, and other spiritual practices is reviewed, with emphasis on neural correlates, brain networks, and implications for psychiatric rehabilitation and well-being.

By bringing together senior academic leadership and national faculty with expertise in spirituality and mental health, this symposium seeks to bridge conceptual clarity with clinical applicability. It aims to stimulate informed dialogue on ethically sound, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based integration of spirituality into psychiatric practice, research, and training within the Indian context.

Psychocardiology in practice: Bidirectional links, biological mechanisms, and safe psychotropic prescribing

Aishwarya Rao, Supriya Hegde Aroor

Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, India

Psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) share a complex, bidirectional relationship that significantly impacts patient outcomes. Depression, anxiety, and severe mental illnesses are established independent risk factors for coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, metabolic dysfunction, and sudden cardiac death. Pathophysiological mechanisms such as chronic inflammation, HPA axis dysregulation, autonomic imbalance, and increased platelet activation interact with behavioural factors including smoking, physical inactivity, and medication non-adherence. This highlights the crucial role of psychiatrists in recognizing and mitigating cardiovascular risk in routine care.

Conversely, cardiovascular events themselves often precipitate psychiatric morbidity. Post-

myocardial infarction depression, adjustment disorders, anxiety, health-related fears, and post-traumatic stress symptoms are common yet under-recognized, and are associated with poorer adherence, higher readmission rates, and increased mortality. Integrating mental health evaluation and timely intervention into cardiac rehabilitation can significantly improve quality of life and survival.

Additionally, psychotropic medications contribute variably to cardiometabolic burden.

Antipsychotics, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers can lead to QTc prolongation, arrhythmias, myocarditis, orthostatic hypotension, weight gain, dyslipidemia, and diabetes, making ongoing monitoring essential. Evidence-based algorithms for ECG screening, metabolic surveillance, and collaborative cardiology care support safer prescribing.

This symposium aims to explore how psychiatric disorders and cardiovascular events influence each other, and the cardiovascular effects of psychotropic medications, with practical strategies for early detection and management. The session will synthesize current research, guideline updates, and real-world clinical strategies tailored for busy practitioners for an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to reduce preventable cardiometabolic complications and enhance holistic psychiatric practice.

Revitalising psychotherapy training in India: An Indian Teachers of Psychiatry forum initiative

Ajay Kumar, Jyotsana Jain¹, M. Kishor², Nitisha Verma³, Mohan Issac⁴

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, ¹Bhopal Memorial Hospital and Research Center, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, ²JSS Medical College, Mysore, Karnataka, ³ABVIMS and Dr RML Hospital, New Delhi, India, ⁴School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia

Psychotherapy has evolved from the traditional “couch” method to encompass over 450 approaches and now assumes a crucial role in psychiatric treatment. Amidst the existential crisis facing psychotherapy, its significance in psychiatric education is under active debate. Nevertheless, psychotherapy is gaining prominence; contemporary approaches, inspired by experiential and reflective narration, have recently been rejuvenated through more evidence-based research. Training in psychotherapy represents an essential component of postgraduate psychiatry residencies. The need for psychotherapy training (PT) and practice has been recognized globally; both Western and national surveys have highlighted the necessity of enhancing training in psychotherapy. Western and national reports indicate that residents’ PT is vital for their future clinical practice and professional identity as psychiatrists. The National Medical Commission (NMC) emphasizes the importance of developing adequate competence in psychotherapy for effective mental health care. Despite this, psychotherapy training (PT) remains inconsistent across many Indian institutions. A recent national survey by Kumar et al.(2024) found that PT training is generally inadequate, underscoring the urgent need for improvement. The symposium reviews recent international and national research concerning psychotherapy training, explores current perspectives, challenges, and barriers at various levels, and discusses the perceived necessity of PT. It also evaluates how offline and online training programs organized by the Indian Teachers of Psychiatry (IToP) for psychiatry postgraduates and early career psychiatrists are contributing to bridging this gap.

Revisiting psychiatric diagnosis through a trauma lens: Developmental trauma, diagnostic gaps, and clinical implications

Amit Arya

Department of Psychiatry, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: Robust evidence indicates that early childhood trauma has enduring effects on neurodevelopment, emotional regulation, identity formation, and vulnerability to a wide range of psychiatric disorders. However, current diagnostic systems, including DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, remain largely symptom-based and atheoretical, often failing to adequately capture the developmental, relational, and attachment-related consequences of chronic interpersonal trauma. As a result, individuals with early, repeated trauma are frequently assigned multiple comorbid diagnoses, leading to fragmented clinical formulations and suboptimal treatment planning. The proposal of Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) by van der Kolk and colleagues sought to address these limitations through a developmentally informed trauma framework, yet it remains absent from formal psychiatric nosology, generating ongoing debate within stress-and trauma-related diagnostic workgroups.

Objectives: This symposium aims to critically examine the role of early developmental trauma in current psychiatric diagnostic frameworks, explore conceptual and methodological challenges in integrating a developmental trauma perspective, and discuss the clinical implications of existing diagnostic gaps.

Symposium Structure and Presentations:

Dr. Pawan Kumar Gupta, will outline the developmental trauma perspective and rationale for DTD.

Dr. Amit Arya, will review trauma-related diagnoses in DSM-5-TR and ICD-11.

Dr. Eesha Sharma, will discuss research and clinical challenges in child and adolescent trauma.

Dr. Shivangi Mehta, will highlight real-world diagnostic and treatment challenges.

Is decision making capacity valid yardstick for non-consensual intervention? expanding boundaries beyond bolam and bolitho

Amitabh Shanker Saxena, Tejvir S Walia¹, Neha Sharma², S. P. Panda²

Indian Air Force, ¹Military Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, ²Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Mental capacity is a dynamic construct, that needs to be assessed holistically. It is not an all-or none phenomena. Not only The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, but the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita presupposes mental capacity in all adults. Mental health professionals are often challenged clinically when tasked to determine capacity and treat persons who have may have impaired capacity due to mental illness, delirium, intoxication, age and neurodivergence related ailments. Howsoever comprehensive the laws may be, they cannot address the varied nuances of human behaviour. Allowing a choice in persons who should not be allowed to choose or disallowing a valid choice is legally untenable. The intuitive erasure of the mind body dichotomy in putting the mentally ill on the same platform as the physically ill is fraught with danger. This criteria has been challenged successfully in the European and English Courts. The use of mental capacity in the Indian socio-cultural context and the pitfalls therein would be analysed and solutions suggested.

Lost opportunity in public health: Digital mental health at the crossroads of innovation and risk

Amresh Srivastava, Manushree Gupta¹, Kunwar Vaibhav², Ashini Patel¹, Pankaj Verma¹

Mansik Shakti Foundation, Thane, Maharashtra, ¹VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, ²Ayodhya Medical College, Hansa Pur, Uttar Pradesh, India

India’s rapidly expanding digital mental-health ecosystem—spanning Tele-MANAS, NDHM-linked services, and private mental-health apps—has dramatically increased access to care but has simultaneously introduced a critical, under-recognised vulnerability: the liability of missed opportunity. In psychiatry, any contact made by a distressed individual—whether a message, a chat entry, a call, or an app interaction—constitutes a clinical event, generating ethical, professional, and legal obligations. When digital platforms fail to assess, triage, or follow up on such contact, they inadvertently create clinical risk and violate core patient rights.

This presentation argues that India is facing a silent digital mental-health crisis in which millions of help-seeking individuals believe they have accessed care, yet receive superficial or automated interactions insufficient for detecting severe depression, psychosis, or suicidality. Such failures breach the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017, principles of medical ethics, and fundamental human-rights protections. Evidence shows that current AI-driven triage systems miss 30 –40% of high-risk cases, making missed opportunities predictable and preventable.

We propose that every digital mental-health interaction be governed by a framework of mandatory minimal screening, human-in-the-loop clinical oversight, structured escalation protocols, and MHCA-compliant informed consent. Digital platforms must transition from wellness-oriented tools to clinically responsible gateways that can safely identify risk and ensure continuity of care.

Digital innovation can expand access only if it carries commensurate responsibility. Treating every digital contact as a clinical event transforms digital mental health from a marketplace of tools into a system of care, ensuring that no cry for help—however small—is lost to digital silence.

Unravelling early cognitive decline-understanding the agitated mind

Amritha Prasad, Abeer Abdul Rezak Parayil

Sree Gokulam Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Background: Early cognitive decline represents a transitional stage between normal aging and established dementia. this phase is often marked by subtle yet distressing behavioral and psychological changes. among these, agitation frequently emerges as a clinically significant symptom, sometimes preceding noticeable cognitive deterioration. understanding this interplay is critical for timely identification and intervention.

Objective: This symposium aims to explore the neurocognitive underpinnings of early cognitive decline, examine agitation as an early behavioral marker, and highlight assessment and management strategies to improve patient outcomes.

Conclusion: Recognizing agitation as a potential early indicator of cognitive decline enables clinicians to intervene sooner, improving prognosis and quality of life. this symposium will provide a comprehensive understanding of clinical markers, neurobiological mechanisms, and evidence-based management pathways for early cognitive impairment and associated agitation.

Content Overview:

• Dr. Amritha Prasad Will Address Early Cognitive Changes, Emerging Neurobiological Markers, And Evidence-Based Screening And Assessment Tools For Early Detection.

• Dr. Abeer Abdul Rezak Parayil Will Explore Behavioral And Emotional Manifestations Associated With Early Cognitive Decline, Emphasizing The Neural Circuitry Linking Agitation And Cognitive Dysfunction.

• Dr. Pallavi abhilasha will discuss current therapeutic approaches and future directions in management, highlighting pharmacological and psychosocial strategies to address agitation in the prodromal stages of cognitive disorders.

Keywords: Agitation, behavioral symptoms, dementia prodrome, early cognitive decline, early intervention, neuropsychiatry

Challenges in disability certification for homeless persons with mental illness: Gaps, innovations, abd the way forward

Anadrika Debbarma, Shruti Garg, Rashmita Saha, Shipra Singh

IHBAS, Delhi, India

Background: Homeless persons with mental illness (HPMI) face significant barriers in accessing disability certification, which is a prerequisite for availing welfare benefits, rehabilitation services, and legal protection under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. Issues of identity proof, lack of caregivers, fluctuating clinical course, and systemic bottlenecks compound these challenges. This symposium will discuss existing hurdles, share innovative models, and explore policy-level solutions. The following topics will be covered : Psychiatric Illnesses & the Homeless Mentally Ill This session will provide an overview of the prevalence and epidemiology of psychiatric disorders among homeless individuals. It will also examine clinical outcomes and highlight the challenges of rehabilitation. Barriers to Disability Certification: Legal and Ethical Perspectives Speakers will explore the multiple barriers faced by HPMI in obtaining certification, including difficulties with proof of identity and residence, fluctuating clinical states, and the requirement for periodic reassessment. Ethical dilemmas, lack of coordination between health & social welfare agencies, & policy –practice gaps will also be critically examined. Global Perspectives on Disability Benefits for HPMI This segment will examine international models of disability certification and welfare support for homeless persons with mental illness. Lessons from global practices will be reviewed to identify strategies that may be adapted to the Indian context. Innovations 7 the Way Forward The final session will present institutional and community-based models such as those implemented at IHBAS, DMHP outreach, and shelter homes. It will also highlight strategies for intersectoral coordination, simplification of procedures for vulnerable groups.

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia: Diagnostic challenges and therapeutic strategies

Anaf Kololichalil, Vignesh Kuppusamy, Nileswar Das¹

AIIMS, New Delhi, ¹AIIMS, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India

Treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) remains one of the most complex and disabling forms of psychotic disorders, accounting for nearly one-third of individuals with schizophrenia and contributing to substantial functional impairment, caregiver burden, and healthcare utilization. Despite the availability of effective interventions, delayed recognition and suboptimal treatment pathways continue to limit outcomes. This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive, clinically relevant overview of TRS through three interrelated sessions.

The first session will address diagnostic challenges in TRS, focusing on contemporary definitions, operational criteria, and the distinction between true treatment resistance and pseudo-resistance. Key issues such as inadequate treatment trials, poor adherence, pharmacokinetic variability, substance use, and comorbid medical or affective conditions will be discussed, along with practical approaches for systematic assessment in routine clinical settings.

The second session will review evidence-based treatment options for TRS, with emphasis on guideline-supported strategies. This includes timely initiation and optimization of clozapine, therapeutic drug monitoring, management of adverse effects, and evidence for pharmacological and psychosocial augmentation strategies, highlighting areas of strong evidence as well as ongoing clinical controversies.

The third session will explore therapeutic options beyond clozapine for individuals with inadequate response or intolerance. Emerging pharmacological approaches, use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics, electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, and structured psychosocial interventions will be discussed, with attention to real-world applicability and future directions in personalized care.

Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies preparatory masterclass (2)-understanding risk assessment, patient management, mental health legislations and Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies evaluation by RC Psych South Asian Division

Angshuman Das, Abir Mukherjee¹, Sabyasachi Mitra², Bhavneet Kaur³, Sonakshi Jyrwa⁴

Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals, ¹Manipal Group of Hospitals, Kolkata, West Bengal, ²C. K. Birla Group of Hospitals, Gurugram, Haryana, ³Consultant in South Delhi, Delhi, ⁴AIIMS, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Background: Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK (MRC Psych) is obtained after proper training and passing the examinations organized by the College. The Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC) is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) designed to assess practical clinical skills, and it is the final part of the MRC Psych exams (following written Papers A and B).

Learning Objectives and Structure of the Symposium: Following on from the introductory CASC masterclass, the second symposium will introduce candidates to the specifics of common risk assessment scenarios and their management approach. There will be opportunity to ask about the journey of membership qualification from some of the recent members of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. The symposium will also touch upon ways of patient management discussions during the CASC examination. There will be live role plays of some representative real CASC scenarios and discussion on how stations are evaluated as “clear” or “borderline” pass, and “clear” or “borderline” fail. Basic framework of mental health regulations and mental capacity will be discussed along with their relevance in the exam format. At the end there will be a session of Q&A s open for the house with all the presenters. Talks-

1. Journey of preparation for CASC by Dr. Bhavneet Kaur & Dr. Sonakshi Jyrwa

2. Risk assessment and management in CASC by Dr. Angshuman Das

3. Mental Health legislations in the UK by Dr. Sabyasachi Mitra

4. Evaluation process of CASC and Q and As by Dr. Abir Mukherjee.

Deprescribing in psychiatry: From polypharmacy to precision care

Anindo Mitra, Ashish Mittal, Rahul Rai

Athena Behavioral Health, Gurgaon, Haryana, India

Background: Psychiatric polypharmacy has become increasingly prevalent in routine clinical practice, driven by diagnostic complexity, partial treatment response, and sequential prescribing without systematic review. While psychotropic medications remain central to psychiatric care, unnecessary long-term use and inappropriate combinations contribute to adverse effects, functional impairment, and reduced treatment adherence. Deprescribing has emerged as an evidence-informed approach to optimize psychopharmacological treatment while minimizing harm.

Aims: This symposium aims to examine the rationale, evidence base, and practical application of deprescribing in adult psychiatric practice, with emphasis on patient safety, clinical outcomes, and ethical decision-making.

Methods: The symposium will comprise three structured presentations. The first will outline the conceptual framework of deprescribing, epidemiology of psychiatric polypharmacy, and ethical considerations relevant to Indian clinical settings. The second will focus on clinical implementation, including patient selection, risk stratification, tapering strategies, management of withdrawal phenomena, and medico-legal documentation. The third will present anonymized clinical case vignettes illustrating deprescribing across common psychiatric scenarios, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and psychotic disorders. Audience interaction and case-based discussion will be incorporated.

Results: Across presented cases and clinical experience, systematic deprescribing was associated with reduction in medication burden, improvement in tolerability, and maintenance or improvement of functional outcomes when conducted using structured protocols and shared decision-making.

Conclusion: Deprescribing represents a critical component of rational psychopharmacology rather than medication discontinuation per se. Integrating structured deprescribing practices into routine psychiatric care can enhance patient safety, reduce long-term adverse effects, and promote precision-oriented treatment.

Female sexual health issues: Opening a blindfold

Anita Verma, Nupur Niharika¹, Roopam Kumari²

AIIMS, ¹Patna Medical College Hospital, ²Nalanda Medical College and Hospital, Patna, Bihar, India

Aim: To present evidence regarding neglected state of Female Sexual Health among patients suffering from Psychiatric illnesses and their management.

Background: One facet of feminine health that is frequently overlooked, particularly in patriarchal societies, is female sexual dysfunction (FSD).

The majority of Indian research in this area has tiny sample numbers, and none of the studies have made FSD the main issue. For many women, female sexual dysfunction can significantly lower their quality of life. In the US, 40% of women are thought to have sexual complaints. Underdiagnosis and undertreatment of these illnesses are common.

Sexual Reproductive Health issues are plaguing Women with Mental Illnesses in the reproductive age group. To overcome the problems and have a healthy sexual life, it is crucial to talk about and address sexual health risk behaviours.

1. Current Scenario/lacunae in understanding and management of female sexual health.

Clinicians often neglect SRH in favour of treating patients with mental illnesses. It has been noted that women are reluctant to talk about their sexual demands since they will be preoccupied with worrying psychological symptoms.

2. Epidemiology of female patients suffering from Psychiatric Illnesses.

A small number of studies found that individuals with psychiatric disorders had a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction, with significant differences in the frequency and stage of reported sexual dysfunction between patient groups.

3. Management of Female Sexual Dysfunction in Psychiatry Patients and on Psychotropes.

Treatment is multifaceted and prolonged, involving pharmacological, psychological, and behavioral therapy in both partners.

Adult ADHD: Missed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood?

Anjali Bhasin, Rajesh Sagar¹, Harsha, Vignesh Kuppusamy¹, Siddhant Yadav¹

Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS-CAPFIMS, New Delhi, ¹Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, Delhi, India

This programme on adult ADHD covers five key sessions, each addressing critical aspects of this under-recognised public health concern in adult psychiatry. The first session provides an overview, emphasising diagnostic delays, misdiagnosis, functional impairment, and the need for focused discussions. It reviews global epidemiology, gender differences, cross-cultural variability, and traces the shift in understanding ADHD from a childhood disorder to a lifespan neurodevelopmental condition.

The second session explores the genetic basis and neurobiological models of ADHD, focusing on fronto-striatal and fronto-parietal networks and neurotransmitter mechanisms. It details the core clinical features of adult ADHD, DSM-5 criteria, and discusses symptom trajectory, persistence, remission, and the debated notion of adult-onset ADHD.

Session three delves into neuroimaging findings, showing network-level abnormalities, alongside neuropsychological assessment strategies and the limitations of current biomarkers. It addresses the complexities of differential diagnosis, particularly in the context of comorbid disorders such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance use, autism, and personality disorders, as well as secondary ADHD-like syndromes from brain injuries and medical conditions.

The fourth session outlines evidence-based management, including both stimulant and non-stimulant medications, and highlights tailored treatments for comorbidities. It stresses the importance of non-pharmacological approaches such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, psychoeducation, and skills-based interventions.

Finally, the fifth session reviews emerging treatments, covering new pharmacological agents, digital therapeutics, and research directions that promise to advance the future management of adult ADHD.

Sexual syndromes beyond DSM and ICD: The unclassified, the contested, and the clinically real

Tss Rao, Aayushi Shobhani, Niharika Singh, Harsha

AIIMS-CAPFIMS, Delhi, India

Background: Contemporary sexual medicine and psychiatry increasingly encounter patients with distressing, reproducible sexual syndromes that remain outside formal nosological systems such as DSM-5-TR and ICD-10/11. Conditions like post-orgasmic illness syndrome, post-coital dysphoria, persistent genital arousal disorder variants, drug-induced sexual syndromes, and culture-bound sexual distress challenge traditional categorical models and are frequently misdiagnosed or pathologized.

Speaker 1 will introduce the concept of unclassified sexual syndromes, outlining limitations of current DSM and ICD frameworks, historical evolution of sexual disorder classification, and the clinical consequences of diagnostic orphanhood, including stigma, inappropriate psychiatric labeling, and barriers to care.

Speaker 2 will focus on ejaculation-, orgasm-, arousal-, and pleasure-related syndromes beyond formal categories, including POIS, post-coital dysphoria, sexual anhedonia, atypical arousal states, and pain or sensory sexual syndromes. Emphasis will be placed on phenomenology, proposed neurobiological and psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms, and practical approaches to clinical assessment and differential diagnosis.

Speaker 3 will address neuropsychiatric, medication-induced, trauma-related, and culture-bound sexual syndromes, such as hypersexuality in neurological disorders, post-SSRI sexual dysfunction, post-finasteride syndrome, orgasm-associated trauma responses, and semen-loss anxiety syndromes. Coding strategies, ethical considerations, and medico-legal implications will be discussed.

Speaker 4 will integrate emerging models and future directions, highlighting the need for dimensional, transdiagnostic, and biopsychosocial frameworks. The symposium aims to equip clinicians with conceptual clarity, pragmatic diagnostic approaches, and advocacy perspectives, reinforcing that absence from classificatory manuals does not negate clinical validity or patient suffering. It encourages research collaboration, improved documentation, and sensitive clinical communication to bridge gaps between lived experience and formal psychiatric nosology globally.

Reversal of extrapyramidal symptoms by Pregabalin - A case series

Ankit Halder, Navna Panchami Ravindran¹, Akhil Joshi², Parth Nagda³

Santiniketan Medical College and Hospital, ²Chirayu Medical College and Hospital, Bolpur, West Bengal, ¹KIMSHEALTH Trivandrum, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, ³Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Background: Antipsychotic these drugs causes a wide range of distressing acute and delayed movement disorders, collectively known as ‘extrapyramidal symptoms’ (EPS)Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) are very common with antipsychotic medications. Despite the availability of many traditional remedies, here we present a case series of EPS reversed by addition of pregabalin in the regimen. Judicious use of such molecules in such cases can benefit the overall management of such cases.

Aims and Objectives: The main aim of this symposia is to discuss the possible biochemical mechanisms of pregabalin as an agent to reverse EPS in the light of existing research.

Results: Pregabalin can have a beneficial role in reversing EPS as a part of the treatment regimen itself.

Conclusion: Use of pregabalin in treatment of such complications antipsychotics can open up new management regimens and scope for research.

The fragile balance: Addressing prescription drug misuse and dependence in late life

Ankita Chattopadhyay, Kamini Verma¹, Tanmay Joshi², Preethy Kathiresan³

Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi, ¹All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Kalyani, West Bengal, ²All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, ³All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Older adults frequently receive opioids and benzodiazepines for chronic pain, insomnia, and anxiety, often in low doses and with therapeutic intent. However, age-related physiological changes, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy significantly heighten their vulnerability to dependence, cognitive impairment, falls, and adverse drug interactions. Misuse in this population is often subtle and under-recognized, creating a complex challenge for clinicians who must balance symptom relief with patient safety.

This symposium examines the growing problem of prescription opioid and benzodiazepine misuse among older adults through clinical, pharmacological, and policy lenses. It brings together experts in geriatric psychiatry and addiction medicine to present evidence on prescribing trends, hidden dependence, and barriers to identification. The session will highlight practical tools for early detection, safe tapering, and deprescribing, alongside alternative strategies for managing comorbidity in late life.

Emphasis will be placed on interdisciplinary collaboration, including the role of pharmacists, family caregivers, and integrated geriatric –addiction models of care. The symposium will also explore international and Indian perspectives, with practical approaches to identifying misuse early, improving clinician training, and strengthening policy frameworks to ensure safety.

Together, the aim is to equip clinicians, researchers, and policymakers with actionable strategies to reduce prescription drug –related harm while preserving quality of life for older adults. A concluding discussion will focus on translating evidence into practice and addressing ethical dilemmas inherent in managing sedative and analgesic use in aging population.

Psychiatry in the digital age: Mastering social media for professional growth, education, and advocacy

Anusha Garg, Sachin Arora¹, Madhu Vamsi², Madhur Rathi³

IHBAS, Delhi, ¹National Faculty, DAMS, ²MV Clinic, ³Yatarth Super Speciality Hospital, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

Social media has redefined how psychiatrists communicate, learn, and advocate. In an era where Instagram reels, LinkedIn discussions, and Facebook communities influence public understanding of mental health, digital presence has become an essential extension of professional identity. Yet, navigating these spaces demands clarity, strategy, and ethical awareness.

This symposium aims to equip young psychiatrists with the tools to use social media effectively and responsibly. The first session focuses on building a professional and authentic digital identity that reflects one’s values, voice, and expertise while maintaining clinical credibility. The second session explores ethics and boundaries, emphasizing professionalism, confidentiality, and responsible engagement with online audiences.

The third session provides platform-specific insights how Instagram can simplify mental health messages through visuals, how Facebook fosters community engagement, and how LinkedIn strengthens academic visibility and collaboration. The final session highlights how social media can be a powerful medium for education, mentorship, and mental health advocacy, helping psychiatrists amplify credible voices in an increasingly digital society.

By blending practical strategies with reflective discussions, this symposium encourages psychiatrists to embrace the digital space confidently and ethically. Participants will gain actionable skills to educate, collaborate, and advocate for mental health using digital platforms transforming online presence into a force for awareness, learning, and professional growth.

Bridging the gap: Strengthening school mental health systems in India

Aparna Goyal, Shipra Singh, Hiral Kotadia¹

Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, Delhi, ¹Sri Aurobindo Medical College, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India

The School as a Strategic Setting for Mental Health

Schools are vital in influencing children’s cognitive, emotional, and social development. Globally, School Mental Health Initiatives (SMHIs) have emerged as essential platforms for promoting well-being, preventing psychological distress, and enabling early intervention. Meta analyses in LMICs show that school-based interventions overall yield significant improvements in anxiety, depression, PTSD and general wellbeing among 6 18 year olds. hese initiatives often follow a tiered model—ranging from universal promotion to specialized care—and offer accessible, non-stigmatizing mental health support, especially in resource-limited settings.

The Indian Context: Gaps and Emerging Opportunities

In India, nearly one in seven children and adolescents faces a diagnosable mental health condition, yet service utilization remains critically low. While national programs like RKSK and the District Mental Health Programme have begun integrating school-based components, implementation remains patchy and urban-centric. Many Indian programmes are short term, universal, urban centric, and rely heavily on teachers rather than specialized mental health staff. Barriers such as stigma, low mental health literacy, shortage of trained personnel, and unclear referral mechanisms persist.

The Way Forward: An Integrated Approach

To scale SMHIs in India, a culturally relevant, tiered framework is needed—blending universal promotion with targeted support and clear referral pathways. This must include capacity building for teachers and counselors, intersectoral collaboration across health and education ministries, and evidence-based practices tailored to diverse Indian contexts. With strategic investment, schools can become key arenas for fostering resilience and safeguarding the mental health of India’s youth.

The spiritual dimension of mental health: Evidence-based clinical strategies

Apparao Biradar, Shabbir Amanullah¹, Prutha Desai²

Peace Arch Hospital, Whiterock, ¹University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, ²Hampshire and Isle of White NHS Foundation Trust, Newport, England

Aim: This review explores the role of spirituality in mental health outcomes and provides clinicians with evidence-based strategies for integrating spiritual care into practice. Recognising spirituality as an essential aspect of holistic well-being, the review seeks to enhance patient outcomes by combining spiritual, psychological, and biological perspectives.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PsycINFO, Medline, CINAHL, and Embase using the terms spirituality, mental health, and outcomes. Thirteen relevant papers were identified, including systematic review, clinical review, cross-sectional studies and longitudinal study.

Results: Most studies were community-based and conducted in North America. Across varied populations, higher spirituality correlated with better psychological well-being, reduced depression and anxiety, and improved coping and optimism. Positive spiritual traits—such as forgiveness, connectedness, and daily spiritual experiences—were linked to stronger meaning-making and psychosocial functioning. Conversely, negative beliefs and spiritual struggles were associated with distress and poorer outcomes. The findings emphasize assessing spiritual histories, supporting spiritual coping, and enhancing clinician education on spirituality’s therapeutic value.

Conclusion: Existing evidence shows that spirituality promotes resilience, recovery, and well-being. Integrating spirituality into clinical care can enhance holistic, person-centered practice through:

• Assessment: Routinely explore patients’ beliefs and struggles.

• Integration: Support adaptive spiritual coping aligned with cultural and personal values.

• Collaboration: Involve chaplains or spiritual care providers for complex needs.

• Caution: Address negative spiritual beliefs sensitively.

Further longitudinal research is needed to strengthen evidence for spiritual integration in mental health settings.

Echoes of pain: The interplay of emotional dysregulation, online reinforcement, and clinical ethics is self-harm

Arnab Biswas, Siddhartha Sankar Daha, Anannya Roy

Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

1. From Emotional Dysregulation to Self-Injury

Speaker: Dr. Siddhartha Sankar Saha

Background: Cluster B traits, especially BPD, are strongly linked to emotional dysregulation and deliberate self-harm (DSH). Neurobiological factors, trauma, and attachment difficulties contribute to impulsive affective responses.

Discussion: Emotional dysregulation drives the self-harm cycle, where heightened amygdala activity and reduced prefrontal control increase vulnerability. Self-injury offers brief relief but reinforces maladaptive coping. Shame and distress perpetuate repetition. Interventions like DBT, MBT, and trauma-informed care strengthen regulation and reduce reliance on self-harm.

2. Social Media, Validation, and Cluster B Dynamics

Speaker: Dr. Arnab Biswas

Background: Social media influences identity and emotion, often intensifying vulnerabilities in individuals with Cluster B traits.

Discussion: Platforms reward dramatic emotional expression, reinforcing instability, attention-seeking, and identity fragmentation. Online validation through likes and comments creates intermittent reinforcement, while algorithm-driven content may normalize or aestheticize self-harm. Clinicians must assess digital behavior to understand its impact on psychopathology.

3. Risk Management vs Compassionate Care in Self-Harm

Speaker: Dr. Anannya Roy

Background: Managing self-harm requires balancing safety with autonomy and dignity.

Discussion: Risk-averse strategies like supervision or restraint may ensure safety but can feel invalidating or retraumatizing. Compassion-based approaches emphasize collaboration, validation, and shared safety planning. DBT-informed care and CAMS integrate harm reduction with respect for patient agency, aligning safety with humane, trauma-sensitive practice.

Gender diverse clinics: Mental health aspects

Arnab Deb, Pawan Kumar¹, Surabhi Mitra²

Dr BSKIMS and Rama Hospital, Kanpur, ¹Department of Psychiatry, KGMU, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, ²Consultation Psychiatrist, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Transgender and gender-diverse individuals in India often avoid government healthcare facilities due to stigma, discrimination, and fear of involuntary disclosure. This leads to delayed help-seeking, self-medication, and fragmented care through private providers. In this context, gender diverse clinics have emerged as safe, confidential, and identity-affirming spaces for transgender, non-binary, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, and broader LGBTQIA+ populations, addressing both mental health needs and structural barriers.

Aims: This symposium aims to highlight the unique mental health needs of gender-diverse individuals and share experiences from gender-affirming psychiatric services functioning across government and private healthcare settings.

Summary of Presentations: The first presentation discusses the psychosocial determinants shaping mental health among gender-diverse individuals, focusing on stigma, minority stress, trauma, and healthcare barriers. It also describes the functioning of the Gender Diverse OPD at King George’s Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, emphasising culturally sensitive and identity-affirming psychiatric care.

The second presentation focuses on a private-practice –based gender-affirming clinic in Nagpur, outlining common patient vulnerabilities, therapeutic approaches, medico-legal considerations, and partnerships with community groups and NGOs to ensure comprehensive care.

The third presentation offers insights from a government hospital model, addressing administrative constraints, institutional stigma, interdisciplinary coordination, and strategies to develop sustainable, patient-centred, gender-affirming services within public health systems.

Conclusion: Gender diverse clinics significantly reduce healthcare avoidance and improve mental health outcomes for transgender and gender-diverse individuals. By presenting two distinct service models, this symposium aims to guide mental health professionals and stakeholders in developing inclusive, accessible, and affirming psychiatric care across diverse healthcare settings in India.

From disability to recovery: A perspective on severe mental illness rehabilitation

Arshia Sood, Surabhi Gupta, Promil Redhu¹

PGIMER, Chandigarh, ¹ESIC, Faridabad, Haryana

Severe and chronic mental illness leading to disability is now understood through the recovery model, which emphasizes functional improvement and social reintegration. From a social psychiatry perspective, recovery extends beyond symptom remission to include environmental influences, relationships, and access to community resources.

The first speaker will introduce psychosocial rehabilitation using a strength-based recovery framework. Key social determinants—poverty, stigma, disrupted education, and housing instability—will be highlighted for their impact on illness course and functional outcomes. Core elements of rehabilitation such as skills training, supported employment, cognitive remediation, and family psychoeducation will also be discussed.

The second speaker will focus on real-world implementation of psychosocial rehabilitation in India. Drawing on models including halfway homes, day-care centers, peer support initiatives, and DMHP-linked services, the talk will explore what is effective and where gaps persist. Attention will be given to the central role of caregivers, cultural beliefs, and the need to adapt Western rehabilitation approaches to Indian contexts.

The third speaker will examine the interface between mental health policy, disability legislation, and rehabilitation services. A critical look at the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act will highlight how they support recovery-oriented care. Challenges such as limited access to services, workforce shortages, and stigma in rural and underserved areas will be outlined, along with policy recommendations for strengthening rehabilitation within public mental health systems.

By integrating clinical care with social and structural supports, the focus moves from merely managing disability to enabling full social participation.

Combat psychiatry: Learning from ukraine conflict

Arun Kumar Dwivedi, Amit¹, Carol¹, Shilpa¹

Military Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, ¹Dr Command Hospital (AF), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Modern conflicts such as the Ukraine war have highlighted the profound psychological and neuropsychiatric burden experienced not only by combatants but also by civilians and entire communities. The dynamic nature of contemporary warfare—with drone strikes, cyberattacks, prolonged attrition, mass displacement, and blurred frontlines—has reshaped the understanding of combat psychiatry. These insights hold significant relevance for the Indian Armed Forces and the broader Indian population, given evolving regional security challenges.

This symposium examines key psychiatric lessons emerging from the Ukraine conflict, including the prevalence of acute stress reactions, PTSD, depression, moral injury, traumatic brain injury, and substance misuse among military personnel. Equally critical are the effects on civilians: mass trauma, family separation, chronic uncertainty, loss of livelihood, and widespread community distress. The war also underscores the importance of mental-health preparedness, scalable psychosocial interventions, and continuity of care during prolonged conflict.

Drawing parallels to the Indian context, the symposium explores how these learnings can enhance mental-health resilience in the Armed Forces through improved screening, battlefield psychiatric protocols, peer-support systems, and early-intervention models. Additionally, it addresses strategies for civilian and community-level preparedness, including rapid psychological first aid, community resilience frameworks, and digital mental-health solutions tailored for crisis settings.

By synthesizing global evidence with Ukraine-specific observations, the symposium aims to strengthen India’s military and civilian mental-health readiness, build resilient communities, and integrate combat psychiatry principles into national disaster and conflict-response frameworks.

Women psychiatrists in the mental-health scape of India: Current scenario and the path to empowerment

Aruna Yadiyal, Niska Sinha¹

Father Muller Medical College, Mangalore, Karnataka, ¹Dr Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

It is an evident truism that the scene has changed for females as therapists, in the field of mental health, more so in the recent decade. From an era where women psychiatrists could be counted with the fingers of one hand, today Psychiatry as a specialty is emerging as a female predominant field with percentage of postgraduate residents being females globally ranging from 52-65.9% globally. Despite the huge surge in numbers, the representation of women has not been qualitatively equitable, where in still, only 29% of IPS members were women in 2021-2022, with no much data available about same in any publicly accessible domain. We see a ‘Top light-bottom heavy’ picture, when it comes to female representation, be it be in the power corridors of IPS, or the academic spaces in national journals or posts/chairs in National/premier institutions. The reasons for this underrepresentation are multifactorial and various barriers can be identified, which needs discussion, in order to address this skewed representation and move it towards a more balanced one, so that gender parity and women empowerment can be achieved, at least, in the future decade.

This symposium aims to shed light on the current scenario of under-representation of women psychiatrists in terms of statistics, contexts, barriers and the role that organizations like IPS, with its eminent members both male and female, can play in empowering its women members.

Recent advances in management of suicide in India: Interventions and policies

Ashish Pakhre, Arabinda Brahma¹, Archna Singh², Heena Merchant³

AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, ¹Dr Girindra Sekhar Bose Clinic, Kolkata, West Bengal, ²NSMCH, Patna, Bihar, ³LTMMC, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Suicide management in Indian Scenario: Overview: India reports significantly high rate of suicide deaths worldwide. Recent literature has focused on concentrating on epidemiology, risk factors, and current suicide prevention strategies to identify important challenges and priorities for suicide prevention. India has developed a national suicide prevention strategy.

Suicide Preventions Strategies: Even though a number of measures have demonstrated efficacy in preventing suicide, a combination of strategies may be more effective than a single strategy. The low base rate of suicide in the community makes it difficult to assess and define successful outcomes for suicide prevention efforts. It is still difficult to identify the best practice features in each strategy because many of the interventions discussed are complex.

Recent Updates in Suicide Interventions: Recent research suggests ketamine decreases suicidal ideation in patients and more thorough trials are required. Effectiveness and consequences of educating gatekeepers about suicide behaviour in young people have been encouraging. Algorithm-driven electronic health record screening, Internet-based screening, and smartphone passive monitoring are helpful methods for developing further suicide interventions.

Suicide and Policies Framework: Indian Context: India has introduced its National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS). By creating efficient monitoring systems (by 2025), implementing suicide prevention services in every district through the District Mental Health Programme (by 2027). The strategy comprises an implementation framework for a number of initiatives involving multilevel stakeholders, including national ministerial stakeholders, state and district governmental stakeholders, mental health facilities, and strategic partners.

Cinema and mental health: Exploring the social impact, issues and potential for mental health education

Ashish Pakhre, Manaswi Gautam¹, Bhavuk Garg²

AIIMS, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, ¹Guatam Hospital and Research Centre, Jaipur, Rajasthan, ²Department of Psychiatry, LHMC New Delhi and Mental health Division, Directorate General of Health Services, MoHFW, GOI, New Delhi, India

Cinema and mental Health: Overview: Cinema is a creative way to convey one’s own ideas, opinions, and emotions. It’s interesting to note that art has changed along with humankind, and the most common medium for artistic expression nowadays is motion images, or movies. They discuss a variety of topics of human interest, including fantasy, science fiction, contemporary society, and, more recently, emotions. Films give audiences a glimpse into how society currently views mental diseases.

Cinema and Mental Illness Portrayal: Popular films have a significant impact on how society views mental illness, diagnosis, mental health procedures, and practitioner qualities. Additionally, how the public views and responds to those who suffer from mental health problems can be greatly influenced by how mental illness is portrayed in movies, especially when it comes to stigma, marginalisation, and prejudice.. Many movie depictions of mental anguish can be sympathetic and beneficial. However, the function of mental health professionals and the available treatments are typically presented unfavourably.

Cinema and Mental Health: Navigating the Impact of Movies on Mental Well-Being

In order to educate the public, de-stigmatize patients, and provide them with innovative psychotherapy, mental health professionals now have access to motion picture arts. It enables active learning through expressing emotions, and investigating one’s own and others’ feelings. Naturally, the creative interaction that takes place among all those involved in filmmaking and viewing is an extra benefit that helps to inspire and develop proper understanding of mental illness and its concept.

Prevalence of substance use and associated factors among medical students in Ahmedabad: A cross-sectional observational study

Ashish Yadav, Deepti Bhatt, Vishal Damani

Gujarat Institute of Mental Health, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

Background: Substance use among medical students is a growing public health concern. Academic stress, peer influence, and easy accessibility contribute to increased risk. However, regional data, particularly from Gujarat, are scarce. This study investigates the prevalence and factors associated with substance use among medical students in Ahmedabad.

Aim: To assess the prevalence and sociodemographic factors associated with substance use among medical students in Ahmedabad.

Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 314 participants. Data were collected using a sociodemographic proforma and the ASSIST questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to analyze the data.

Results: Tobacco (53.5%) and alcohol (33.1%) were the most commonly used substances, followed by cannabis (4.8%). Severe tobacco and alcohol use was predominantly observed among postgraduates and older students (≥25 years). Hostel residents reported significantly higher substance use. Younger students (<20 years) reported higher levels of severe cannabis use, suggesting curiosity as a key driver.

Conclusion: Substance use is prevalent among medical students in Ahmedabad, driven by academic stress, peer influences, and residence in hostels. The findings provide valuable insights for designing policies and programs, including stress management programs and hostel-based awareness campaigns to support the well-being of future healthcare providers.

Refractory delirium tremens: Management difficulties and newer treatment options

Asmita Vashisht, Deepali Negi, Shreya Shukla, Roshan Bhad

National Drug Dependance Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Delerium Tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal occurring 48 – 72 hours of cessation of alcohol in patients with chronic and heavy use of alcohol. It is a medical emergency characterized by presence of delirium that is rapid in onset and fluctuating course with disturbances in the level of consciousness, cognition, psychomotor activity, and sleep-wake cycle along with tremors, autonomic hyperactivity, transient hallucinations, increased psychomotor hyperactivity, nausea and headache. The mainstay of management is benzodiazepine class of drug which act by reducing excitotoxicity by reducing imbalance between GABA and Glutamate neurotransmission. Refractory Delerium Tremens is defined as “Persistent CIWA-Ar >25, frank delirium or inability to control symptoms despite medication” and/or “requirement of ≥200 mg diazepam or ≥30 mg lorazepam in the initial 3 hours or ≥400 mg of diazepam or ≥60 mg of lorazepam in the first 8 hours”. Management of refractory delirium tremens is challenging and lack of timely intervention can result in mortality. The treatment options include Phenobarbitone, Propofol, Dexmedetomidine, Haloperidol and Ketamine. Objectives: This symposium aims to highlight the management difficulties and treatment options for refractory delirium tremens in emergency settings. Sessions will be focused on assessment, case vignettes and emerging literature on treatment options for managing this condition. The speakers will be presenting the symposium under the following headings: 1. Delerium tremens and Refractory Delerium Tremens: Introduction and assessment. 2. Case Vignette 1: Management with Phenobarbitone 3. Case Vignette 2: Management with Propofol 4. Treatment of Refractory Delerium Tremens: current evidence and emerging treatment options.

Decoding the multi-faceted migraine in clinical practice: Precision psychiatry for smarter care (focus on recent advances)

Auroshreeta Das, J. P. R. Ravana, Dheeraj Katula¹, Neha B. Kulkarni²

DRIEMS IHS, Cuttack, Odisha, ¹CMC, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, ²LGBRIMH, India

Ranked among the top causes of worldwide disability, migraine is much more than “just a headache”. This symposium aims to re-ignite attention towards migraine sub-typing by decoding the key clinical differentiators and highlight tailored management strategies beyond the “one-size-fits-all” analgesia.

The first speaker traces the continuum “From Aura to Anatomy”, emphasising the role of the complex and unique neurobiological underpinnings on dictation of symptomatic signature, risk patterns, assessment protocols and roadmaps.

The second speaker discusses “Looking Beyond the Pain: Sub-typing Matters”, highlighting how modern clinicians have begun looking beyond the traditional dichotomous classification of ‘classical migraine’ versus ‘migraine without aura’. The advent of a much richer taxonomy by International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) has paved the path to more intricate landscapes-hemiplegic migraine, vestibular migraine, ocular migraine, migraine with brainstem aura and others. As psychiatrists dwell at unique crossroads by frequently encountering cases where migraine intersects with a multitude of other disorders (anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, somatoform presentations, cognitive complaints or medication overuse), recognizing the migraine subtype in the room (based on cardinal symptoms) enables more precise treatment planning, avoidance of contraindicated therapies, improved liasoning for a better integrated multidisciplinary and multidimensional care.

The third speaker focuses on “Tailoring Assessment and Treatment to Subtype”. This talk integrates clinical pearls for subtype-specific assessment along with contemporary therapeutic strategies, including CGRP-targeted treatments, neuromodulation techniques, psychotropic considerations and personalized behavioural approaches. Recent advances and future directions in precision Neurology-Psychiatry collaboration is outlined.

Unmasking psychiatric mimics: The role of electroencephalography at the neurology –psychiatry interface

Ayan Basak, Sayantan Chattopadhyay¹

Charnock Hospital, ¹Barasat Government Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Background: Psychiatric symptoms frequently overlap with neurological disorders, often resulting in diagnostic uncertainty and delayed appropriate management. Conditions such as epilepsy, non-convulsive status epilepticus, autoimmune encephalitis, metabolic encephalopathy, and toxic states may present predominantly with behavioural, affective, or psychotic symptoms. Electroencephalography (EEG), though conventionally associated with seizure disorders, remains an underutilised yet valuable investigative tool in psychiatric practice.

Objectives: To explore the role of EEG in identifying neurological conditions masquerading as primary psychiatric disorders and to emphasise its clinical relevance across common psychiatric presentations.

Content: This symposium presentation discusses the application of EEG in various psychiatric disorders, including psychotic disorders, mood disorders, dissociative states, anxiety disorders, personality disorders, and acute behavioural disturbances. Emphasis is placed on recognising EEG patterns suggestive of organic pathology, identifying clinical “red flags” warranting EEG evaluation, and understanding EEG findings in psychiatric emergencies such as acute confusion, catatonia, and violent or altered behaviour. The influence of psychotropic medications on EEG recordings and the limitations and pitfalls of EEG interpretation in psychiatry are also highlighted.

Conclusion: EEG serves as an important diagnostic bridge at the neurology –psychiatry interface. When used judiciously and interpreted in appropriate clinical context, EEG can unmask neurological mimics of psychiatric illness, prevent misdiagnosis, reduce unnecessary treatment, and guide timely intervention. Integrating EEG into selected psychiatric assessments enhances diagnostic accuracy and contributes to improved patient outcomes.

Digital dependence and the changing landscape of human cognition: How digital reliance is reshaping critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity

Barasha Saharia, Rima Phukan¹

Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, Jorhat, ¹Tezpur Medical College and Hospital, Tezpur, Assam, India

Digital technologies and algorithm-driven systems have become integral to daily cognitive functioning, influencing how individuals attend, remember, decide, and create. While these tools enhance efficiency and access to information, growing empirical evidence suggests that excessive reliance on digital aids may alter core cognitive processes. The first subtopic focuses on cognitive offloading and attention fragmentation. Research in cognitive psychology has demonstrated that reliance on external digital supports—such as search engines and navigation systems—can reduce internal memory consolidation and spatial reasoning (e. g., GPS-related decline in hippocampal engagement). Studies on multitasking consistently show reduced working memory capacity and impaired executive control, despite subjective perceptions of productivity. At the same time, AI-based tools can positively augment intelligence by reducing cognitive load, supporting diagnostic accuracy, and enabling complex problem-solving when used judiciously. The clinical challenge lies in distinguishing cognitive enhancement from maladaptive dependency, particularly in presentations resembling ADHD, academic decline, or decision fatigue. The second subtopic examines creativity, problem-solving, and the AI paradox. Experimental studies on divergent thinking indicate that instant access to solutions may reduce cognitive struggle, a process central to creativity and deep learning. Emerging data suggest that constant stimulation suppresses default mode network activity, potentially limiting imagination and reflective thinking. Clinically, this may manifest as reduced frustration tolerance, anxiety in ambiguous situations, and increased dependency on external guidance. This symposium intends to address emerging cognitive challenges in the context of rapid technological advancement and to emphasize balanced digital use.

Huntington’s disease prevalence in Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Basavaraja Papanna, Meera Purushottam¹, Biju Viswanath¹

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, UK, ¹Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Introduction: The epidemiological studies suggest Huntington’s disease (HD) is significantly lower in the Asian Population than Western Population.

Aim: To systematically review the epidemiological studies of HD in Asia comparing the level of impact of the disease on the Asian Population to that of Western population.

Methods: Original articles and reviews about HD prevalence in the Asian Population were found through databases; Embase, Medline, Psych Info and subsequently analysed. A meta-analysis was performed on prevalence rates to find the degree of similarities with I2. Point prevalence measured as the number of people affected by HD in a 100,000 population and was expressed as Point Prevalence (PP) = Number of people affected/100,000 with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI95).

Results: Random-effect meta-analysis show the highest point prevalence of HD in the Middle East with PP=4.0 (CI95=2.90-5.30). The lowest point in the Chinese population PP=0.25 (CI95=0.16-0.36). Europe has a high prevalence than Asia with PP=1.00 (CI95=0.82-1.19). Asia’s overall prevalence is P=0.70 (CI95=0.44-1.0).

Conclusion: Our study reveals that HD disease affects the population of Asia to a lesser extent than in Europe. The explanation for differences in prevalence is that in some countries, the affected individuals will not self-refer to HD screening for fear of social stigma, negative influence in marriage, and lack of genetic and neurological testing. Another explanation is that studies that used genetic testing were able to identify the CAG repeats, subgroups of CAG repeat A1 & A2, and haplogroup C, which has less predisposition to high HD prevalence in Asia.

Moral injury in psychiatry: From recognition to repair of invisible wounds

Bhagwan A. Bahroo^1,2,3, Marketa Wills³, Dhruv R. Gupta⁴, Ravindra R. Abhyankar⁵

¹Uniformed Services University and Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital, Bethesda, MD, ²Saint Elizabeths Hospital, ³American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, ⁴New York City Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, New York, NY, USA, ⁵C. G. C., B. J. Wadia Hospital for Children, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Moral injury, conceptualized within the United States military psychiatry, defines psychological, spiritual, and social distress when individuals perpetrate, witness, or are unable to prevent acts that violate their moral beliefs. It is recognized in healthcare professionals, first responders, law enforcement officers, and civilians manifesting as guilt, shame, loss of meaning, and spiritual or existential disorientation. Presenters will discuss how moral injury contributes to psychiatric comorbidities, including PTSD, depression, and suicide risk, and examine it through a cross cultural lens, emphasizing its relevance to Indian psychiatry and its resonance with narratives from the Hindu itihasa and Greek epics. These traditions illustrate moral injury as a struggle, embedded in narratives of duty, honor, and conscience. We will review assessment strategies that signify the moral, spiritual, and relational dimensions of distress. Therapeutic interventions include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Moral Injury (ACT-MI), which emphasize accepting moral pain and clarifying personal values, and adaptations of trauma-focused therapies such as Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Contemplative practices such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindful Self Compassion (MSC), and Compassion Meditation offer evidence-based pathways for moral repair. These align with karma, dharma, yoga and meditation, emphasizing awareness, compassion, and ethical clarity, thus providing frameworks for healing. Discussants will highlight narrative medicine, community-based healing, and psychiatrist’s role in linking moral repair with resilience and contemplative insights. Moral injury provides a ground for dialogue between psychiatry and culture, inviting Indian clinicians to contextualize frameworks within culturally grounded wisdom to heal the invisible wounds of conscience.

Linking causation to consequence across the lifespan: Differential PTSD outcomes following accidents, sexual abuse, terrorism, and war

Bhagwan A. Bahroo^1,2,3, Vishal Madaan³, Rajiv Kumar Saini⁴, Thanh T. Nguyen⁵

¹Uniformed Services University and Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland, ²Saint Elizabeths Hospital, ³American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, ⁵Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, Maryland, USA, ⁴Indian Psychiatric Society

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) manifests heterogeneously depending on the individual’s age and on the precipitating event’s intentionality, interpersonal context, and duration.

Accident victims report dissociative symptoms during the trauma, focus on loss of physical safety, express self-blame related to the accident or guilt over survival, accompanied by phobic avoidance of situational cues and a pronounced startle response.

Sexual abuse survivors exhibit severe affective dysregulation, interpersonal mistrust, and profound negative self-concept and self-blame. Their avoidance is centered on intimacy, touch, or situational reminders.

Terrorism-related PTSD presents with heightened hypervigilance, pervasive fear of public or symbolic spaces, and persistent fear of future attacks with high rates of externalizing symptoms such as anger and aggression.

War-related PTSD is characterized by chronic re-experiencing of combat scenarios, survivors’ guilt, and emotional numbing, frequently comorbid with moral injury, depression, substance use, and difficulties reintegrating into civilian life.

PTSD symptoms differ across age groups due to developmental, cognitive, and social factors. Young children show regressive behaviors, separation anxiety, and trauma reenactment through play. Adolescents exhibit irritability, risk-taking, emotional numbing, and academic decline. Adults experience intrusive memories, hyperarousal, avoidance, and negative mood changes. Seniors express somatic complaints, and sleep disturbances, complicated by cognitive decline or isolation.

Recognizing these distinctions is essential for tailoring interventions: accident victims from exposure-based therapies targeting situational triggers, sexual abuse from trauma-focused treatments factoring relational safety and self-concept, terrorism and war-related may benefit from community-based resilience approaches. Contextualizing PTSD symptoms within the trauma type will advance precision psychiatry and improve clinical practices.

Our experience of running opioid substitution therapy centre and addiction treatment facility centre under the psychiatry department

Bhaveshkumar Mlakdawala, Neha M. Patni

Narendra Modi Medical College and Sheth L. G. General Hospital, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India

The Government of India has launched Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) Centres in India under NACO for injecting opioid drug users. Our centre was launched in 2013. I am a Nodal Officer of the centre. Other required staffs are there. We have registered 399 cases so far and put 369 cases on treatment. About 65 patients are taking treatment actively per month. All required investigations are done before starting the treatment. Positive patients (like HIV) are getting the full course of medicine from our hospital. As already mentioned, many people are consuming substances orally. For them Addiction Treatment Facility Centre (ATF) has been launched by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre (NDDTC) run by AIIMS, New Delhi by the grant received from Dept. of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India. On 1st December 2023, our centre started under Psychiatry Dept. Our Administration is taking keen interest in smooth running of centre. I am Nodal Officer and entire department is very actively involved in day to day activity of centre. We are getting an overwhelming response from other departments also. Other required staffs are there to run the centre. All staffs are trained by very senior faculty of NDDTC, AIIMS, New Delhi. ATF centre is giving services to patients with non-injecting Opioid users, Alcohol Use Disorder, Cannabis Use Disorder, Nicotine/Tobacco Use Disorder & all other substance disorders on OPD & Indoor base. Till today (25th November 2025) we have put 611 patients on treatment.

Key words: Addiction treatment facility, NACO, NDDTC, opioid substitution therapy, psychiatry, SUD

Culture and stress response: Tales from two countries

Bheemsain Tekkalaki, Ethan R. Siegel¹, Shreya Patel¹

KLE University’s J. N Medical College, Belagavi, Karnataka, India, ¹Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Background: This joint case conference highlights the nuances of trauma related psychopathology through two culturally complex cases from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (USA) and from KLE University (India). The first case reviews a 47-year-old man with chronic Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), longstanding depressive symptoms, and significant functional impairment rooted in childhood sexual trauma as well as complicated medical comorbidities including supraventricular tachycardia with recurrent syncopal episodes. The second case reviews a 45 year old male with dissociative disorder secondary to stress arising out of difficulties he was facing in his sexual life and also power struggle in his joint family.

Objective: To explore the similarities and differences of trauma focused care cross culturally through a discussion of patient symptoms, diagnostic criteria, treatment methods, barriers in care, support systems, and cultural context to enhance global perspectives in psychiatric training.

Methodology: Joint case conference.

Discussion: We will consider the complexities of initiating trauma focused treatment in adulthood and integrating psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic approaches in individuals with limited prior mental health engagement. We will also discuss the limitations and challenges in providing psychotherapy for a rural dwelling Indian patient.

Conclusion: This joint case study throws light on how culture affects every aspect of healthcare delivery starting from symptom manifestation to the treatment and outcome.

Aggression in classroom-managing a naughty child

Bikram Kumar Dutta, Tanmay Agrawal, Virendra Vikram Singh

Armed Forces Medical Services, India

Background: Children who are labelled as “naughty” in classrooms often represent unmet emotional, developmental, or environmental needs rather than deliberate disobedience. Their behavior poses challenges to teachers and peers alike, raising the question of whether exclusion or guided inclusion best supports their learning and growth.

Aim: To explore the underlying causes of classroom misbehavior and to propose empathic, inclusive, and evidence-based strategies for managing such children within mainstream educational settings.

Methods: A conceptual review of behavioral, psychosocial, and pedagogical factors contributing to disruptive classroom conduct was undertaken. A case illustration demonstrates how understanding individual needs and using structured behavioral interventions can transform outcomes.

Results: Preventive approaches—such as establishing clear rules, nurturing teacher –student rapport, designing engaging lessons, and using positive reinforcement—significantly reduce misbehavior. Corrective strategies that emphasize empathy, logical consequences, parental collaboration, and professional support promote long-term behavioral regulation more effectively than punitive measures.

Conclusion: The “naughty” child deserves inclusion, understanding, and structured support rather than exclusion. Teacher empathy, emotional intelligence, and consistency are crucial for transforming disruptive behaviors into opportunities for emotional growth and character development. Integrating psychological principles into classroom management bridges education and mental health—fostering resilience and empathy in both students and educators.

Key words: Child mental health, classroom behavior, early intervention, emotional intelligence, inclusion, teacher empathy

Transcranial direct current stimulation in alcohol use disorder

Chetan Dilip Vispute, Kush Goyal, Khushboo Sahni, Lehak Khanna

D Y Patil Medical College, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as a promising non-invasive neuromodulation technique to target the neural circuits underlying craving and relapse in alcohol use disorder (AUD). This symposium will examine the rationale, evidence base, and clinical implications of tDCS in AUD, with a focus on dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) –centered circuits implicated in impaired executive control and heightened cue reactivity. tDCS delivers weak direct current through scalp electrodes to subtly shift neuronal resting membrane potentials, producing polarity dependent changes in cortical excitability and network dynamics that can outlast the stimulation period. Anodal stimulation over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) tends to facilitate pyramidal cell activity and glutamatergic transmission, whereas cathodal stimulation relatively dampens excitability, with both polarities also influencing local GABAergic interneuron function and synaptic plasticity through long term potentiation/depression like mechanisms. The session aims to provide clinicians and researchers with a concise, clinically oriented overview of how tDCS may be positioned as an adjunctive tool in management of alcohol use disorder. We will examine the key neural circuits engaged by tDCS in alcohol use disorder and outline evidence based stimulation montages and dosing parameters. The symposium will also highlight gaps and limitations in current evidence on tDCS for alcohol craving and relapse prevention.

Recent advances in dementia: From diagnosis to disease-modifying and beyond

C. T. Sudhir Kumar, P. T. Sivakumar¹

Mental Health Action Trust, Kozhikode, Kerala, ¹National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Recent years have seen incremental but clinically meaningful developments in dementia care, which are highly relevant to psychiatric practice. Dementia management is gradually moving beyond a purely syndromic and symptomatic approach toward more biologically informed, stage-specific interventions, while continuing to emphasize person-centered care. Clinical practice is evolving steadily, with new evidence providing psychiatrists with additional tools to refine diagnosis, monitoring, and long-term management.

This symposium brings together clinically relevant updates on selected advances in dementia care, with a focus on potential application within routine clinical services. The session will highlight current trends in dementia prevalence, diagnostic patterns, neuropsychiatric symptom burden, and clinical interventions, drawing on national-level data to consider the implications of recent advances in diagnosis and treatment. It will also focus on recent changes in dementia classification systems and progress in biomarker-based diagnosis, discussing how these developments may support early identification and intervention.

Another presentation will review the latest evidence on disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, outlining current indications, limitations, and safety considerations, and examining their realistic role within contemporary psychiatric practice. The session will also explore non-pharmacological interventions and the emerging role of digital innovations in dementia care, emphasizing strategies for practical implementation.

Collectively, this symposium aims to equip psychiatrists with an updated, pragmatic framework for future clinical care. By integrating emerging diagnostic and therapeutic advances with person-centered approaches the symposium aims to help gain insights to enhance outcomes for individuals living with dementia and support their families effectively.

Intellectual disability certification assessment in low-resource rural medical colleges-legal and ethical challenges and the way forward

Darshan Nitin Kalal, Tejeswini Vasave, Jeevan Pawar

Shri Bhausaheb Hire Government Medical College, Dhule, Maharashtra, India

Introduction: Intellectual disability (ID) certification is a critical gateway to accessing legal protections, educational support, rehabilitation services, and social welfare entitlements under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016. However, rural medical colleges face significant legal, ethical, and operational barriers in delivering equitable, accurate, and rights-aligned ID assessments. These challenges span inadequate workforce capacity, limited standardised tools, fragmented coordination with district disability systems, ethical dilemmas around consent and misuse prevention, and the persistent gap between certification and meaningful community services.

Objectives:

1) To clarify the legal framework (RPwD Act 2016, current assessment guidelines) and institutional responsibilities of rural medical colleges in disability certification

2) To identify key challenges at institutional, clinical, ethical, and community levels

3) To present practical, low-resource solutions implementable within existing rural health infrastructure.

Brief Discussion: We present a comprehensive mapping of challenges: resource shortages, workforce training gaps, privacy and documentation risks, family misunderstandings, and system coordination failures. We then propose feasible interventions clustered at three levels:-

(1) inside the college-standardised SOPs, capacity-building, and internal ethics oversight;

(2) process improvements-structured assessment tools, UDID portal optimisation, and privacy safeguards

(3) community partnerships-outreach, linkage with NGOs, community-based rehabilitation, and integration with existing rural programmes.

Special emphasis is placed on ultra-low-cost, high-impact strategies using existing human resources and infrastructure. Through case vignettes and practical examples, we demonstrate that rural medical colleges can significantly improve the quality, equity, and ethical integrity of ID certification without substantial additional investment.

Intimacy in later life: reclaiming sexual health, identity, and psychosexual wellbeing in older adults

Debanjan Banerjee, Ravi Soni¹, T. S. Sathyanarayana Rao²

APOLLO Multispecialty Hospitals, Kolkata, West Bengal, ¹Consultant Geriatric Psychiatrist, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, ²Department of Psychiatry, JSS Medical College and Hospital, Mysore, Karnataka, India

Sexuality in older adults remains one of the most overlooked dimensions of healthy ageing. Despite significant cultural, biological, and psychosocial shifts that accompany later life, sexual health continues to be framed narrowly or dismissed as irrelevant. This symposium aims to challenge these stereotypes by presenting an evidence-based, person-centred exploration of intimacy, sexual function, and psychosexual disorders in older adults, highlighting clinical relevance across psychiatry, geriatric medicine, and sexual health.

The first talk will focus on sexual changes with ageing, including hormonal transitions, chronic diseases, medication effects, changing sexual response cycles, and the impact of physical frailty. It will emphasize how clinicians can sensitively assess sexual concerns without pathologizing normal ageing.

The second talk will examine shifts in the perception and meaning of sexuality in older age—how companionship, emotional intimacy, body image, health status, cultural norms, widowhood, and digital influences reshape sexual identity. It will also address stigma, societal invisibility, and the myths that silence older adults’ sexual needs.

The third talk will discuss psychosexual disorders and their management in late life, including erectile dysfunction, female arousal disorders, compulsive sexual behaviours, partner mismatch, and the influence of neurocognitive disorders. Practical approaches integrating medical, psychological, and relational frameworks will be highlighted.

Together, these sessions aim to promote dignity, broaden clinical understanding, and empower healthcare professionals to proactively address sexual wellbeing in later life—an essential but long-neglected component of holistic geriatric care.

The wellness trap: Mental health in the age of toxic positivity

Depanjan Dutta, Dipanwita Biswas¹, Rubina Khan², Shrabosti Pal

Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, ¹Calcutta Pavlov Hospital, ²Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

The burgeoning wellness industry and its pervasive “positivity-first” culture present complex challenges to mental health in contemporary society. While optimism and self-care are widely celebrated, a growing body of empirical research suggests that toxic positivity—the rigid insistence on being upbeat while minimizing or invalidating negative emotions—can lead to harmful psychological outcomes. Conceptual analyses in nursing have identified dimensions such as emotional suppression, forced gratitude, and unrealistic optimism as core features of toxic positivity.

Further, qualitative work among young adult workers in Malaysia highlights how “good vibes only” norms limit emotional authenticity and exacerbate distress. In social-media contexts, research in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication found that users frequently perceive toxic positivity being shared as a self-promotion strategy—both commercial and personal. These dynamics contribute to a facade of perpetual happiness that may suppress vulnerability, perpetuate emotional isolation, and hinder meaningful connection.

The psychological costs are not trivial. Literature reviews associate enforced positivity with emotional dissonance, burnout, anxiety, and reduced emotional resilience. In professional environments such as healthcare, toxic positivity has been linked to shame, guilt, and pressure to maintain a façade of competence.

This symposium critically examines how toxic positivity, when co-modified through wellness culture and social media, distorts mental-health discourse. By interrogating its neuroscientific allure, marketing power, and role in self-diagnosis, we aim to reclaim more authentic, evidence-based approaches to mental well-being—grounded in emotional truth rather than curated joy.

Artificial intelligence in mental health: The way forward

Dhritiman Das, Tathagata Biswas, Skarma Spalzang

AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Components of Artificial Intelligence and Role in Mental Healthcare. Artificial Intelligence has emerged as one of the most promising technological aids to us over the last few decades. It refers to the field of computer science and technology that is expected to do tasks that normally requires human intelligence. Artificial Intelligence has several components including supervised and unsupervised machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and computer vision. AI in mental health has also made significant progress where tools utilizing voice analysis, facial expression analysis and wearable devices that track real time data on individual’s behavior are used for early detection and predictive models for mental health disorders. AI algorithms use patient data including past treatment history, medical history and genetic make up to suggest personalized treatment plans and reduce trial and error often associated with psychiatric treatment. Limitations and challenges in Indian context-There are several challenges that have emerged as we increase incorporation of AI in management of mental health disorders. Concerns about data security and privacy that are used in AI, transparency of AI algorithms and lack of clarity on the accountability for the services provided by AI have been raised all over the world. In developing countries like India, concerns about acceptability of AI, accessibility, cost efficiency, lack of digitalization of health records and cultural diversity pose as significant challenges. Therefore, acknowledging them and finding means to improvise them is the only way forward.

Gen Z and gen alpha: The evolving language of psychiatry

Dhritiman Das, Tathagata Biswas, Skarma Spalzang

AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

The rapid sociocultural transitions over the past decade have profoundly reshaped how younger generations—Gen Z and Gen Alpha—express emotions, distress, identity, and interpersonal experiences. Digital nativity, instant communication, and the influence of online subcultures have generated a new lexicon of psychological self-expression that often differs significantly from traditional psychiatric terminology. This symposium explores how contemporary youth linguistics, memes, hashtags, and online narratives intersect with clinical psychiatry, influencing symptom reporting, help-seeking behaviour, and therapeutic engagement. Through four integrated sessions, the symposium examines (1) Digital Vernacular and Mental Health Expression—how phrases like “I’m dissociating, ” “touch grass, ” “social battery, ” or “brain fog” reflect subjective distress yet blur clinical meanings; (2) Memetic Culture and Identity—how humor, irony, and self-labeling trends shape peer validation, stigma management, and online identities related to neurodiversity, trauma, and personality traits; (3) Clinical Challenges and Miscommunication—highlighting risks of over-pathologizing colloquial expressions or, conversely, missing significant psychopathology due to unfamiliar slang or coded digital language; and (4) Strategies for Culturally Competent Engagement—offering practical frameworks for clinicians to bridge generational language gaps, enhance rapport, improve diagnostic clarity, and support mental-health literacy using developmentally and culturally attuned communication styles. The symposium emphasizes the need for psychiatrists to understand the evolving vocabulary and communication ecosystem of Gen Z and Gen Alpha to ensure relevance, empathy, and accuracy in clinical practice. By integrating linguistic insights with modern psychopathology, this session aims to equip clinicians, educators, and trainees with tools to navigate and decode the new language of youth mental health while safeguarding clinical rigor.

Critical leadership skills to prepare for the future of psychiatry

Dhruv R. Gupta, Nita Nautiyal¹, Ranna Parekh², Vinay Kumar^3,4, Vishal Madaan⁵

New York City Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, NY, ¹Chevron Corporation, California, ²MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, ⁴Indian Psychiatric Society, ⁵American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, USA, ³Manoved Mind Hospital, Patna, Bihar, India

Objectives: Examine the role of mentorship, sponsorship, and coaching in developing future psychiatric leaders and fostering professional growth.

Apply collaborative negotiation strategies to navigate institutional and systemic challenges in an evolving psychiatric landscape.

Utilize public health and population-based models to enhance mental health care delivery for large and diverse communities, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Integrate lessons from the American Psychiatric Association (APA) to steer meaningful change and innovation in global psychiatric practice.

Session Description: As psychiatry evolves to meet global mental health challenges, strong leadership is essential in driving systemic change and expanding access to care. This session explores key strategies to develop and empower psychiatric leaders worldwide. Presenters highlight the role of mentoring, sponsorship, and coaching in cultivating physician leaders who can navigate the rapidly shifting psychiatric landscape. They also examine how collaborative negotiation serves as a critical leadership tool for overcoming institutional and systemic barriers. Additionally, the session explores how public health and population-based models can be leveraged to improve mental health outcomes, particularly in developing countries. The discussion will further emphasize how these models support scalable interventions, interdisciplinary collaboration, and sustainable workforce development in diverse contexts. To further enrich the session, presenters share insights on leading transformation across national and international psychiatric systems. Examples will include innovations in training, advocacy, and policy development that enhance leadership effectiveness. Finally, the session concludes with discussion driven by audience questions and current opportunities and challenges facing psychiatric leaders today, with particular attention to preparing early-career psychiatrists for future leadership roles.

Courageous conversations: Critical communication skills for complex clinical cases and improved team collaboration

Dhruv R. Gupta, Manju Peethambaran¹, Nita Nautiyal², Ranna Parekh³, Vishal Madaan⁴

New York City Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, NY, ²Capital Project Opportunity Manager, Chevron, California, ³MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, ⁴American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, USA, ¹Consultant Psychiatrist, Mavelikara, Kerala, India

Objectives: Recognize behavioral indicators of psychological safety in medical settings and apply practical tools to promote courageous conversations.

Leverage professionalism during high-stakes conversations while managing emotional responses.

Identify common ground and respectfully advocate for patients while preserving professional relationships.

Psychiatry is grounded in attentive listening, empathic attunement, and thoughtful response—skills essential for healing relationships and professional collaboration. At the same time, increasing pressures in medicine can undermine psychological safety, disrupt team cohesion, and affect care quality.

Psychiatrists are uniquely positioned to model courageous conversations and create environments where individuals feel safe expressing concerns. Yet many clinicians struggle to translate familiar therapeutic skills to emotionally charged professional contexts shaped by divergent perspectives and evolving legislative landscapes. Political-neutrality requirements, combined with the clinical necessity of discussing culture, trauma, discrimination, and social determinants of health, create further tension for educators and trainees.

Courageous communication requires clinical sensitivity, professional integrity, and personal authenticity—mirroring competencies we teach patients, including emotional regulation, empathic listening, respectful disagreement, and collaborative problem-solving. Using evidence-based frameworks and real-world examples, including targeted application of the Thomas-Kilmann conflict-management model (avoiding, accommodating, competing, compromising, collaborating), this session equips participants with practical strategies for navigating high-stakes discussions, strengthening team communication, and promoting ethical, patient-centered, culturally informed care within complex institutional environments.

Combating social isolation in the medical profession

Dhruv R. Gupta, Manju Peethambaran¹, Marketa Wills², Ranna Parekh³, Vishal Madaan²

Adult and Forensic Psychiatrist, New York City Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Hospital Center, New York, NY, ²American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, ³MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA, ¹Consultant Psychiatrist, Mavelikara, Kerala, India

Objectives: Review evidence-based literature on social isolation in medicine across diverse settings globally.

Assess the health and mental health consequences of social isolation and the benefits of fostering connectedness.

Examine how social isolation uniquely impacts individuals that are underrepresented in medicine.

Discuss strategies to overcome social isolation in medicine for diverse populations.

Social isolation in medicine has been a longstanding issue, but it has gained renewed attention in the post-pandemic era amid growing conversations about physician well-being—particularly for underrepresented groups—and its impact on their career trajectories. It is increasingly recognized as a significant public health concern, with strong links to negative health outcomes and increased odds of premature mortality. This session reviews evidence-based literature on social isolation in medicine across diverse settings and its health and mental health consequences, especially on individuals that are underrepresented in medicine. After shared personal narratives, the presenters discuss strategies to overcome social isolation in medicine through three key approaches: building communities, fostering connections, and strengthening mentorship at individual and systemic levels. They will also discuss how these strategies can be adapted and applied in diverse settings, ranging from individualistic to collectivist societies. Finally, the session concludes by engaging the audience, inviting them to share experiences and solutions from their own practices and communities to overcome social isolation.

Behavioural treatment of tic spectrum disorders: evolution, efficacy and current best practice

Dipesh Patel, Himanshu Tyagi

University College London and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Objectives: To discuss the evolution of behavioural treatments for Tic Spectrum Disorders (TSD) including Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome and to examine the evidence supporting current behavioural interventions.

Synopsis: Modern evidence supports behavioural interventions as first-line non-pharmacological treatments, with clinically meaningful reductions in tic severity and functional impairment across age groups. This symposium will combine a historical overview of the evolution and an evidence-based clinically relevant update on the current effectiveness of behavioural interventions for TSD. Early non-pharmacological strategies will be discussed through reference to clinical accounts and evolving theoretical perspectives. Contemporary intervention approaches, including Habit Reversal Training (HbRT) and the Comprehensive Behavioural Interventions for Tics (CBiT), will be presented using clinical guidelines, controlled trial data, and illustrative case examples. Factors influencing treatment efficacy-such as comorbidities, premonitory urge awareness, and engagement in behavioural strategies-will be discussed. Practical considerations relating to implementation in psychiatric settings and integration alongside pharmacotherapy will also be covered.

Rewiring developmental circuits: The role of neuromodulation in neurodevelopmental disorders

Diveesha Munipati, Rahul Mathur, Merlin Mathew, Sarthak Kukreja

AIIMS, New Delhi, India

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and Tourette’s disorder, are increasingly conceptualised as disorders of aberrant brain development rather than isolated symptom clusters. Converging evidence from neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and translational neuroscience highlights disrupted cortical excitability, excitation –inhibition imbalance, and large-scale network dysfunction involving fronto-striatal, fronto-parietal, and cortico-thalamo-cortical circuits. This evolving understanding provides a compelling neurobiological rationale for circuit-based therapeutic interventions. Neuromodulation refers to a range of invasive and non-invasive techniques aimed at modifying neuronal excitability and network dynamics. Modalities such as transcranial direct current stimulation, high-definition tDCS, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and, in selected refractory cases, deep brain stimulation have been explored as potential tools to influence neural circuits implicated in attention, executive functioning, social cognition, emotional regulation, and motor control. Emerging clinical studies across ADHD, ASD, and Tourette’s disorder report modest and heterogeneous benefits across symptom domains, with treatment response influenced by stimulation parameters, cortical targets, developmental stage, and individual neurobiological variability. Despite its promise, neuromodulation in children and adolescents remains largely investigational. Key challenges include small sample sizes, protocol heterogeneity, placebo effects, ethical concerns related to neuroenhancement, and limited data on long-term safety in the developing brain. At present, neuromodulation is best viewed as an adjunct to established pharmacological and behavioural interventions rather than a standalone treatment. Future directions lie in the development of developmentally informed, biomarker-guided, and personalised neuromodulation strategies, supported by advances in neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and rigorous longitudinal research to establish safety, efficacy, and real-world clinical applicability.

What psychiatrists need to know about recent update on “passive euthanasia”, “living will” and “prison psychiatry” – Case based discussion

S. K. Divya, B. K. Arpitha¹, Neha B. Kulkarni²

Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences, Mandya, ¹Sukoon Psychiatry Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ²LGBRIMH, Tezpur, Assam, India

Legal issues and psychiatric care are increasingly interlinked, making it essential for psychiatrists to remain updated on relevant legislative developments. With the implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017, and the legalization of passive euthanasia in India, psychiatry residents working in general hospital settings and practicing clinicians are frequently encountering complex medico-legal challenges in routine clinical practice. These include supporting families in end-of-life decision-making, interpreting and implementing living wills, and guiding patients regarding Advance Medical Directives (AMDs). With MHCA in force, Police bring wandering mentally ill, PMIs who are in conflict with law. All mental health professionals are expected to handle such cases in their clinics.

Euthanasia in India: Passive euthanasia involves withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, allowing death to occur due to the underlying illness rather than through an active intervention. This symposium will discuss the legal processes involved in passive euthanasia in India, with special emphasis on the role, responsibilities, and challenges faced by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals whose opinions may be sought in decisions related to Do-Not-Attempt-Resuscitation (DNAR).

AMDs: Advance directive enables individuals to express their values, goals of care, and treatment preferences for future healthcare decisions. Components include living wills, healthcare power of attorney, DNAR statements, and directives for care during incapacity. Practical and legal aspects of drafting living wills, will be discussed.

Prison Psychiatry: Prison psychiatry, focusing on the assessment and management of mental disorders among prisoners and under-trial inmates, with case-based discussions and practical tips for clinicians in general hospital settings.

Deep brain stimulation in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Neural circuits, very long-term outcomes and cost effectiveness

Himanshu Tyagi, Yihui Cheng

UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established intervention for severe treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but its wider adoption has been limited by three key concerns: uncertainty regarding underlying neural mechanisms, lack of long-term outcome data, and high upfront costs. Recent collaborative work has generated new evidence addressing these issues. We present findings from three linked programmes of work: (1) multi-centre connectomic analyses examining neural circuits associated with DBS response; (2) an international retrospective observational cohort evaluating long-term clinical and functional outcomes following DBS or stereotactic lesioning; and (3) a UK-based cost-offset model comparing DBS with ongoing maintenance treatment for extreme treatment-refractory OCD. Connectomic analyses involving more than 80 patients demonstrated that clinical improvement is associated with modulation of shared fronto-striatal-subthalamic networks, irrespective of anatomical target. Long-term follow-up data from over 50 patients from a world-wide dataset showed sustained group-level improvement in OCD symptoms of just over 50% from baseline over a mean follow-up of approximately 7 years, with no evidence of systematic loss of effect. Symptom trajectories were heterogeneous, with fluctuations observed, but functional outcomes improved substantially across the cohort. Health-economic modelling indicated that, despite high initial costs, DBS becomes cost-saving after approximately 7 years for responding patients, driven mainly by reduced inpatient admissions and intensive care use. New evidence integrating circuit neuroscience, long-term outcomes, and economic evaluation addresses the principal criticisms of DBS for OCD. These findings support DBS in OCD as a durable, network-based intervention whose clinical and economic value becomes apparent over extended follow-up.

AI-enabled decision-support for Indian mental health systems: Opportunities and challenges

Gautam Anand, Millie Pant¹, Tanishi Anand², Princy Verma¹

Department of Psychiatry, Muzaffarnagar Medical College, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Department Applied Mathematics and Scientific Computing, Dean IIT Roorkee SRE Campus, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, ²Defence Institute of Technology (STD), Pune, Maharashtra, India

Category: K – Technology & Psychiatry (specifically K 02 “AI in Psychiatry”) Background: In the past few years AI has emerged as a potential tool in the healthcare domain. In psychiatry, challenges such as heterogeneous patient populations, complex comorbidities, limited resources, and the need for personalised interventions create a compelling case for decision-support systems and optimisation frameworks. This symposium aims to bring together experts from psychiatry, data science, and AI/ML to explore the current state, challenges, ethical considerations, deployment issues, and future directions of AI in mental health services. Significance of the symposium: The rapidly evolving landscape of AI in health care demands a sharp focus on psychiatry, where complexity of diagnosis and treatment is high. This session will help in bridging the gap between algorithmic research and clinical uptake by bringing multidisciplinary voices. Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 1. Describe key AI/optimisation techniques (e. g., metaheuristics, multi-criteria decision-making, deep learning) and how they apply to psychiatry. 2. Recognise real-world use-cases of AI in mental-health screening, triage, treatment planning and resource allocation. 3. Identify the ethical, legal, and data-governance challenges specific to AI deployment in psychiatry (privacy, bias, interpretability). 4. Outline a roadmap for future research and collaborations bridging applied mathematics/optimisation and psychiatric care. Proposed Format: Duration: 90 minutes Structure: Title Name and Designation Title of the Talk Duration Introduction by Symposium Chair Prof Dr Gautam Anand, Prof and Head, Department of psychiatry.

Sleep disorders: Latest innovations in the treatment

Gautam Saha, Rajashree Roy Bandopadhyay, Suvayan Saha, Esha Saha

Clinic Brain Neuropsychiatric Institute and Research Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Insomnia is a prevalent sleep disorder that is clinically characterized by subjective difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, which must be present for at least three days a week for three months to meet ICSD-3 diagnostic criteria. In India, 30% adults show symptoms of Insomnia, whereas 10% adults have severe insomnia with daytime effects. Commonly prescribed Benzodiazepine drugs have a late onset of action and longer biological half-life, which leads to next-day residual effects affecting work efficiency. Zolpidem is a non-benzodiazepine (non-BZD) that acts on the alpha subunit of the GABA, receptor complex to enhance GABA binding, leading to sedation. It is a globally approved drug for the short-term treatment of insomnia. The American Society of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends zolpidem for sleep onset and sleep maintenance insomnia in adults. Conventional oral zolpidem tablets lead to delayed sleep onset, as it takes about 45 minutes for sleep induction. Sublingual zolpidem in spray form is advantageous over Zolpidem tablets as it induces sleep within 10 minutes. Further, it has a shorter half-life of 1.5-2.5 hours with no next-day residual effects and low risk of addiction without tolerance. Pharmacokinetic study of sublingual zolpidem spray showed that 2 sprays equivalent to 10 mg zolpidem at bedtime induces sleep in 10 minutes and maintains sleep for up to 8 hours. Clinical studies in insomniac patients have shown significant improvement of subjective sleep parameters with sublingual zolpidem spray. Moreover, patients on low-dose BZD and those intolerant to high-dose BZD with discontinuation can also be

Integrated strategies for AUD: Anxiety management and detoxification best practices

Gautam Saha, Deepak Raheja, Raghav Shah

Clinic Brain Neuropsychiatric Institute and Research Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Management of AWS is a major challenge in India. If not treated properly, this condition can lead to life-threatening complications. Hence there is a need to educate HCPs on the right approach to managing patients with alcohol withdrawal; including an understanding of right dose of chlordiazepoxide, duration of therapy, concomitant medications, monitoring to reduce risk of relapse and improve patient outcomes. Given that AWS is widely prevalent in the Indian scenario, there is a need to educate young emerging psychiatrists on the recent updates, scientific evidence and guidelines for managing these conditions. Also, Psychiatrists need to be educated on the proper down-titration techniques, involving use of different dosage strengths of chlordiazepoxide, to aid smoother withdrawal. The objective of the session is to educate Indian psychiatrists on management of AWS with right dose, duration and choice of Benzodiazepine (BZD) therapy aiming at improving patients care and reducing the risk of relapse. There will also be a focus on role of long-acting BZDs with low abuse potential, leading to a smooth withdrawal in these patients. The session/discussion will help young emerging psychiatrists to manage patients with AWS in a better manner with proper down-titration, thereby improving patient outcomes.

Clinical, ethical, and policy challenges in psychiatric clearance of nicotine-using transplant candidates in India

Geetika Chopra, Rabiya Haque, Manju Bhaskar

MGUMST, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Nicotine use constitutes a central concern in pre-transplant psychiatric evaluation, especially in the Indian context where diverse smoking and smokeless products are culturally prevalent and frequently under-reported. Conventional international recommendations emphasise documented abstinence prior to transplantation; however, Indian transplant programmes increasingly encounter candidates requiring urgent listing, limiting the feasibility of prolonged cessation periods or biochemical confirmation. In such situations, psychiatrists must determine clearance in the presence of incomplete abstinence, recent cessation, or uncertain relapse potential, often without clear guidance or consensus between medical teams.

Ethical tensions arise between organ stewardship, maximising post-transplant outcomes, and ensuring fair access to life-saving interventions. The absence of standardised national policy contributes to significant variability in clearance decisions, and exposes psychiatrists to medico-legal and ethical dilemmas when rapid decisions are necessary. Family nicotine use, limited cessation resources, and socioeconomic factors further complicate management during emergency evaluations.

This symposium will examine clinical and ethical decision-making frameworks relevant to emergency pre-transplant situations, particularly when nicotine use cannot be definitively excluded. Strategies for conditional clearance, documentation of risk, informed consent, and mandatory post-transplant cessation will be discussed, along with the need for nationally relevant guidance. The session aims to support contextually appropriate, transparent and ethically defensible psychiatric clearance practices in urgent transplant settings in India.

Intergenerational trauma in family systems: Protective and stress-inducing dynamics

Geetika Chopra, Rabiya Haque, Manju Bhaskar

MGUMST, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Family systems exert a powerful influence on psychological development, functioning simultaneously as protective environments and as sources of chronic stress. Intergenerational trauma involves the transmission of unresolved emotional conflicts, culturally reinforced expectations, and rigid relational patterns across generations. In culturally cohesive societies such as India, families provide extensive emotional, social, and economic support. However, these same structures may reinforce hierarchical norms, idealized parental expectations, restrictive gender roles, and complex in-law dynamics that contribute to ongoing psychosocial strain. These pressures can limit autonomy, suppress emerging belief systems, and increase vulnerability to psychiatric morbidity in subsequent generations.

This symposium examines the dual nature of family systems by exploring how supportive structures and stress-inducing mechanisms coexist within the same cultural context. Key themes include the impact of unrealistic parental expectations, generational value conflicts, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law stress dynamics, gender-role obligations, and the internalization of culturally sanctioned behavioural norms. Clinical and sociocultural case material from Indian settings will demonstrate how vulnerabilities and resilience are shaped simultaneously within families.

The symposium aims to equip mental health professionals with conceptual frameworks to identify intergenerational trauma, understand its cultural determinants, and integrate family-level insights into psychiatric assessment and care.

Screen time saga and solutions … brainstorming new perspectives

Gulbahar Singh Sidhu, Deepali Gul¹, Fabian Almeida², Vishal Chhabra³

Doaba Hospital, Jalandhar, ¹Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar, Punjab, ²Wellsprings Clinic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, ³New Delhi, India

The smartphone has entered our lives quietly and has gone on to usurp the mind space that we had for social connections and the interactions with the Mother Nature that surrounds us. The advent of social media platforms has compounded this problem as they thrive on the time that the user spends on the particular platform. The advent of the “reels,” among other developments, has increased the allure of the smartphone. We are spending ever-increasing time on the screens of our smartphones.

What are the repercussions of this trend? Is our mental health being affected? If yes, in what ways? What is the data available concerning the research carried out in this regard?

What are the potential benefits, if any, of the increasing time that we are spending on smartphones? Does it have a positive effect on our cognitive skills?

What are the measures that are advocated to limit screen time? How is the world coping with it, across age-groups and across social classes?

We aim to address these topical questions in this symposium and stimulate a discussion regarding this mental health problem of today and tomorrow.

Women’s mental health seen through the cinematic mirror

Gulbahar Singh Sidhu, Deepali Gul¹, Darpan Kaur²

Doaba Hospital, ¹Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences, Jalandhar, Punjab, ²MGM Medical College, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Cinema as a medium of mass communication continues to have tremendous sway over the community, despite the onslaught of social media. The portrayals of different issues on the silver screen contribute significantly to public opinion and societal biases. This applies to the issues related to mental health as well. We aim to have a closer look at how the different aspects of women’s mental health have been portrayed on the silver screen with specific focus on the sensitive issue of sexuality, mood disorders and psychotic disorders. This includes the conventional female characterization of the “Two poles” in movies and the attempts, down the years, to break this stereotype. We also intend to include examples from the latest avatar of cinema, that is, the OTT platforms, in the symposium.

Gatekeeper training programme for suicide prevention for faculty development in India

Gurvinder Pal Singh, Shiv Parsad¹, Pankaj Verma²

AIIMS, Bathinda, Punjab, ¹Department of Psychiatry, Lady Harding Medical College, ²VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

Gatekeeper training programme for suicide prevention is the need of hour in our country. The mental health concerns among health professional is on rise since last one decade. This is a cause of concern for policy planners. In the symposium.

First speaker will discuss Hon’ble Supreme Court guidelines related with suicidal prevention among students studying in educational institutions. The need of mandatory training for mentors for detecting early signs of suicidal warning among students will be emphasised.

Second speaker will discuss the review of literature and clinical evidence related with gatekeeper training.

Third speaker will discuss the methods and QPR technique and outcome of gatekeeper training among mentors(faculty).

Care of the homeless mentally ill

H. Chandrashekar, C. Ramasubramanian¹, G. Gopalakrishnan²

ESIC Medical College and PGIMSR, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ¹Chellamuttu Trust, ²Sowmanasya, Tamil Nadu, India

According to the Census of India 2011 there are 1.78 million homeless individuals in India, based on global estimates 25% of homeless people may be living with a diagnosable mental health condition. Scanty clothing, malnutrition, fear and alienation characterise the daily lives of homeless personswith mental illness.

They become easy targets for abuse and neglect, incarceration, coercive and long-term institutionalisation and, in the worst cases, nefarious acts of experimentation and organ theft. soumanasya, chellamuttu trust have Decades of experience in managing homeless persons with mental illness our symposium we’ll discuss how to take care of the persons who are homeless with mental illness modality of treatment and rehabilitation of such persons and legal and ethical issues and government policies with respect to management of homeless persons with mental illness.

Understanding journal metrics and selecting quality journal in mental health research

Hariom Pachori, Avinash Sharma

Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Mental Health education has passed through significant incremental changes in the past few years, where especially postgraduate education has become increasingly slanted toward advanced knowledge of clinical work and research methods. Among many educational activities, a great source of learning is from Understanding Journal Metrics and Selecting Quality Journal in Mental Health Research.

Introduction to Research Metrics

• Journal Indexing & Databases

• Impact Factor and Citation Metrics

• Predatory Journals

• Researcher Identifiers: ORCID, DOI

• Tools for Journal Verification

• Key Takeaways & Q&A

Revisiting traumatic brain injury: from pediatric injury to adult neuro-psychiatric sequelae

Hemant Choudhary, Rohit Verma, Bichitra Nanda Patra, Vaibhav Patil

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with various neuropsychiatric manifestations. As incidence rates climb and symptoms frequently persist long after the initial injury, its significance in public health is becoming increasingly evident. TBI ranges from mild to severe injuries with varying degrees of long-term consequences. Post-TBI cognitive changes are observed in up to 80% of cases. Commonly involved cognitive domains are attention and concentration, processing speed, memory, and executive functions. Consequently, they have a significant impact on long-term functioning, with studies suggesting poor functioning over five years in more than half of the cases of moderate-severe TBI. Mild TBI (mTBI) constitutes the majority of the TBI cases, with poor reporting, limited help-seeking, and persisting mild neuropsychiatric manifestations that impact functioning in the long run. Additional attention is being raised by growing attention towards the long-term impact of multiple mTBIs in contact sports. Children and adolescents constitute another vulnerable group, with reports suggesting that TBI is the leading cause of disability and death in children. Their injury patterns, symptomatic presentations, and long-term outcomes differ when compared to adults. This highlights the need for further investigations and discussions regarding this growing public health concern.

AI avatar kiosks in mental health settings: Enhancing patient engagement, safety, and therapeutic support using QOZA

Hemanth Kumar Satyanarayana

Imaginate Technologies, Inc., Hyderabad, Telangana, India

The rapid evolution of conversational AI and avatar technologies offers an unprecedented opportunity to enhance patient care across psychiatric hospitals, de-addiction centers, and rehabilitation facilities. This symposium will introduce QOZA, an AI-avatar platform that enables institutions to deploy secure, controlled, and highly customizable virtual agents through self-service kiosks or in-room television systems. These avatars can provide patients with guided information on treatments, medication routines, coping techniques, and institutional processes—reducing the burden on clinical staff while improving patient understanding and engagement.

Designed for safety in clinical environments, QOZA operates entirely within pre-approved guardrails set by the host institution, ensuring that patients are not exposed to the open internet, external media, or unverified information. The avatars can be tailored to different therapeutic contexts: a child-friendly psychologist persona for younger patients, a calm supportive “buddy” for adolescents facing loneliness during inpatient stays, or a spiritual-counselor style guide for older adults who benefit from culturally sensitive reassurance.

By offering 24×7 voice-based interaction, QOZA has the potential to reduce patient distress, enhance adherence, and provide a comforting presence in inpatient rooms—particularly in settings where staffing constraints limit continuous human interaction. The symposium will present deployment models, case examples, customization workflows, guardrail frameworks, and early learnings from clinical pilots.

Participants will gain a practical framework for adopting avatar-based technology to strengthen patient education, safety, and engagement across diverse mental-health care environments.

Changing trends in non-suicidal self-injury and suicide: Are we ready to tackle it? An Indian perspective

Hemendra Singh, C. Swati, Anita Gautam¹, Manaswi Gautam¹

Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ¹Gautam Hospital and Research Center, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Suicide is the third leading cause of death worldwide and India ranks 49th in most suicides in the world. Unlike the global trends, India has shown an increase in suicide rates in the past 10 years from 11.2% in 2012 to 12.4% in 2022, a 10% increase. The 1-year prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury in India is 30-32%, almost double that of the western population. This highlights the need to explore the changing trends in self-injurious behavior and to explore strategies that are socio-culturally and socioeconomically relevant for our population. Dr Anitha Gautam will be highlighting on the hidden epidemiology of suicide. Majority of individuals visited general hospital setting before death by suicide. As history of past suicide attempt is an important risk factor for future suicide, hence there is need for timely intervention to prevent suicidal behaviour. Dr. Hemendra Singh will discuss about his experience in suicide prevention based on brief intervention module at the general hospital setting. Dr Manaswi Gautam discusses on Non suicidal Self Injury and various other strategies for suicide prevention. Dr Swati C would be discussing about gatekeeper training and its importance in capacity building for prevention of suicide.

Key words: Gatekeeper training, non-suicidal self-injury, suicide attempts, suicide prevention

Psychedelics in clinical practice: Bridging history, neuroscience, and future policy

Ifrah Naz, Richa Gautam, Pratap Sharan

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

The contemporary resurgence of interest in psychedelics marks a pivotal moment in psychiatric research, reigniting questions about their therapeutic potential, scientific validity, and place within modern mental health care. Once sidelined due to methodological flaws and rising recreational misuse, psychedelics have re-entered mainstream discourse as advances in neuroscience, psychopharmacology, and clinical trials illuminate their ability to induce profound shifts in consciousness, emotional processing, and neuroplasticity. Classic psychedelics such as psilocybin and LSD, along with empathogens like MDMA, modulate corticolimbic pathways and serotonergic signaling in ways that may facilitate rapid and durable improvements in conditions such as treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, and anxiety related to life-threatening illness.

Despite promising outcomes, these substances also bring complex challenges. Acute perceptual and emotional disturbances, the possibility of destabilising vulnerable individuals, the influence of set and setting, and unresolved questions regarding long-term safety and addiction risk all necessitate cautious appraisal. Moreover, ethical tensions, particularly around consent, therapist boundaries, and heightened suggestibility, underscore the need for rigorous standards. Regulatory landscapes remain uneven globally, with countries negotiating issues of access, oversight, and integration into existing mental health systems. Learning objectives include understanding the core pharmacology of psychedelic compounds, analysing associated risks and safety protocols, appraising current scientific evidence supporting their therapeutic use, and evaluating their potential placement within future psychiatric practice and mental health policy.

Mental illness and Indian legislation: Understanding the link

Indira Sharma, Choudhary Laxmi Narayan¹, Pavan Kumar Kulkarni², Nimesh G. Desai³

National Academy of Medical Sciences, ³Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi, ¹Nirvana Hospital, Gaya, Bihar, ²Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences, Karimnagar, Telangana, India

Background: Many cases implicated under women centric and other legislations have mental illness which needs to be understood.

Aim: To study the relationship between certain legislations and mental illness.

1. Women centric laws and mental illness: CL Narayan

On 3rd February 2025 the Supreme Court dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the Dowry Prohibition act and alleging misuse of women-centric laws relating to dowry, domestic violence and crueltyThe underlying mental illness in the party(s) is usually overlooked.

2. Divorce and mental illness: PK Kulkarni

S13-HMA 1955 lays down the conditions for divorce, cruelty, adultery, desertion, and mental illness. Parties often seek divorce under the clause of ‘cruelty’, rather than mental illness. Thus, mental illness, if present, is ignored.

3. Sexual offences against children and mental illness: Indira Sharma

The SC in May 2025 recommended to GOI to decriminalize consensual relationship between adolescents of similar age, but GOI has disagreed. Decreasing the age of consent would very risky. The fact that Bipolar disorder in the parties can be the cause for romantic relationships in adolescents has been ignored.

4. Sexual offences against women and mental illness: NG Desai

Legislative provisions relating to sexual violence are complicated. A perpetrator is not absolved of criminal responsibility when a crime is committed after voluntary intake of alcohol. However, a perpetrator can be absolved of criminal responsibility when a crime is committed during the active phase of severe mental illness (bipolar disorder/schizophrenia). In real life situations bipolar disorder and alcohol/disorder often go together.

Right to access treatment versus right to refuse treatment for mental illness: India-UK experience

Indira Sharma, Shruti Srivastava¹, Mahesh Gowda², Astha³, Jatinder Kour³

National Academy of Medical Sciences, ¹University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India, ²Spandana Health Care, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, ³Tees Esk and Wear Valleys, National Health Service, United Kingdom

Background: Every patient with mental illness (PwMI) has a right to access treatment (The Mental Healthcare Act (MHA) 2017).The Act provides for independent admission in a mental health establishment when Health Capacity’ (MHC) of the PwMI is intact and supported admission when MHC is impaired, and there are symptoms of severe mental illness (SMI) (danger to himself, danger to others, or cannot take care of himself), and advance directive (AD) is considered.

MHA assumes everyone has intact MHC. Assessment of MHC has limitations. MHC and AD are primary considerations for supported admission, not the need of patient. Many PwSMI, who are in need for admission cannot be admitted with application of MHA 2017. MHA 1987 provided for involuntary admission for PwMI when there was a need for treatment. Enforcement of AD is problematic. Thus clinicians find the provisions of MHA 2017 challenging and difficult to implement.

1. Right to accept versus refuse treatment: Shruti Srivastava

Cases from a general government hospital, wherein difficulties arose in PwMI who were in need for treatment but refused the same.

2. MHA 2017 and proposed amendments: Indira Sharma

Caveats in MHA 2017 shall be described and addressed via amendments.

3. Difficulties in private psychiatric practice: Mahesh Gowda

Case illustrations of PwMI in the private sector shall be presented with respect to challenges posed by implementing MHA 2017

4. Problems in assessment of MHC: Astha, Jatinder Kour

Cases illustrations on implementing NHS protocols shall be presented highlight specific cultural factors of UK.

The handicap of being wealthy: Increased risk for mental illness and ill-health

Indira Sharma, Kshirod Mehta¹, Nupur Niharira², Ganesh Shanker³

National Academy of Medical Sciences, Delhi, ¹Department of Psychiatry, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Maharashtra, ²Department of Psychiatry, Patna Medical College and Hospital, Patna Medical College, Patna, Bihar, ³Department of Psychiatry, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: There is little realization regarding the handicaps of being rich.

Aim: To present evidence regarding the association between wealthy status and alcohol abuse, irresponsible sexual behavior, unhealthy food and lack of exercise.

1. Addiction to alcohol in wealthy: Kshirod Mehta

Rising economic status has been linked to alcohol use/dependence, both in children, men and women. Knowledge regarding the harmful effects of alcohol; potential for aberrant behavior/addiction; and availability of treatment and has not deterred many wealthy people. This is well illustrated by the cold response to letter from Dr Atul Goel, DGHS, to doctors to avoid alcohol.

2. Wealth and irresponsible sexual behavior: Nupur Niharika.

Extramarital, homosexual, bisexual relations, multiple partners are particularly common in wealthy, both in married and unmarried. This is despite the knowledge of social, medical and legal complications. Cases of politicians and celebrities are presented for illustration.

3. Wealth and unhealthy food: Indira Sharma

High rates of obesity in wealthy are witnessed. Many wealthy people prefer weight reducing drugs, rather than life-style changes, which are expensive and risky. A recent landmark study involving over 2 million patients reported Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro to double the risk of pancreatitis.

4. Wealthy status and lack of exercise: Ganesh Shanker

As one grows wealthy one strives for a scooter, then a car to improve social status, but in the process adopts a sedentary lifestyle. The later increases risk for all causes of death. Indirect ill-effects occur because of air pollution, which also adversely affects health.

Clinical dilemmas – A tryst with the law

Indu V. Nair, Anil Prabhakaran¹, V. P. Anusree²

Mental Health Centre, ¹SMCSI Medical College, ²Mental Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

The presence of laws makes the practice of Psychiatry difficult in many occasions. It is true that laws governing mental health care are designed to protect patient rights, but in certain individual cases at least, it disables us in providing the best care practices. It is true that MHCA 2017 has been a quantum leap regarding patient rights, but has been facing a lot of criticisms post implementation. More and more practical problems emerge as we unravel more and more interpretations of the act.

We are presenting three such clinical scenarios, which we encounter in daily practice, where the law fails to give a satisfactory solution to circumvent the problem. We discuss some solutions, which might need visualizing the act through a different lens, interpreting it from a different angle.

Schizo obsessive spectrum disorders – An update

Indu V. Nair, Sobha Mathew, Bhagyalakshmi Mohan, M. Sreesankar

Mental Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

The increased comorbidity of schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive symptoms or OCD appears to be considerably higher than previously expected. The concept though old, lost its place in any of the classificatory systems like DSM 5 or ICD 11. The manifestations of schizo obsessive spectrum are diverse. This spectrum has important clinical implications, many challenges in the management and in the overall course and prognosis.

This symposium deals with the different aspects of this complex condition, its relevance in clinical practice and the challenges faced.

Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder-concept to clinical reality

Jagjot Singh, Malay Dave¹, Priyanka Banokar Pande²

Fortis Hospital, India, ¹Consultant Psychiatrist, ²Consultant Onco-Psychiatrist

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) persists into adulthood in 60 –70% of childhood cases and has a community prevalence of 4.4 –5.1% worldwide. In adults, classic hyperactivity often evolves into inner restlessness, chronic disorganization, time blindness, emotional dysregulation, and impaired executive function—symptoms frequently misattributed to anxiety, depression, or personality traits, leading to diagnostic delay averaging 10 –15 years. Neuroimaging and genetic studies confirm dysregulation of prefrontal-striatal networks and catecholamine (dopamine/norepinephrine) signaling. Comorbidities are the rule: ≥75% have at least one additional psychiatric disorder, markedly elevating risks of unemployment, relationship breakdown, substance use disorders, and suicide attempts. Accurate diagnosis requires retrospective childhood history, validated rating scales (e. g., ASRS-v1.1, DIVA-5), and exclusion of mimics (thyroid dysfunction, sleep disorders, substance effects). Pharmacotherapy remains first-line: stimulant medications (methylphenidate, amphetamine formulations) achieve 70 –80% response rates; non-stimulants (atomoxetine, guanfacine, viloxazine) offer alternatives when comorbidity or misuse risk is high. Cognitive-behavioral therapy tailored for ADHD significantly improves coping skills, time management, and emotional regulation when combined with medication. Emerging digital therapeutics and workplace accommodations show promise for functional recovery. Early identification and multimodal treatment dramatically improve quality of life, productivity, and long-term outcomes. This presentation reviews current diagnostic strategies, neurobiological understanding, and practical treatment algorithms to equip clinicians for effective management of adult ADHD in diverse practice settings.

Integrated care approaches in schizophrenia: Bridging pharmacotherapy and psychosocial interventions

Jahanara M. Gajendragad, Deepak Kumar, Pravin B. Yannawar

IHBAS, Delhi, India

Speaker 1 (DK): Pharmacotherapy as a primary treatment approach:

Schizophrenia is a multifaceted psychiatric disorder that demands an integrated and person-centred approach to care. While pharmacotherapy remains the foundation for stabilizing symptoms, preventing acute episodes, and managing long-term relapse risk, medication alone cannot fully address the complex psychological, social, and functional challenges associated with the illness. This symposium emphasizes the need for coordinated, holistic treatment models that effectively combine biological and psychosocial strategies to support sustained recovery.

Speaker 2 (JMG): Psychosocial Interventions as adjunctive treatment:

The Symposium will explore the synergistic relationship between antipsychotic medication management and evidence-based psychosocial interventions such as psycho-education, cognitive-behavioral therapy, social skills training, family interventions, supported employment, and community-based rehabilitation. Special focus will be given to how psychosocial approaches enhance treatment adherence, reduce relapse rates through early-warning-sign monitoring, strengthen coping and problem-solving skills, and promote engagement in meaningful social and occupational roles. Combining pharmacological advancements with structured psychosocial strategies result in synergistic benefits leading to improved quality of life, reduced hospitalization, and enhanced community participation. It will also address current gaps in service delivery, challenges in implementing integrated care models and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration among mental health professionals.

Speaker 3 (PY): Relapse Prevention Strategies in Schizophrenia:

By bridging pharmacotherapy with psychosocial interventions, this symposium underscores a comprehensive model that fosters symptom stability, functional improvement, and overall well-being. Participants will gain practical insights for delivering integrated, person-centred care that empowers individuals with schizophrenia and supports their families in the journey toward sustained recovery.

Consolidating psycho-oncology in India: Clinical, educational, and research perspectives

Jayita Deodhar, Soumitra S. Datta¹, Chitra Venkateswaran²

Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, ¹Tata Medical Centre, Kolkata, West Bengal, ²Believers Church Medical College and Hospital, Kochi, Kerala, India

Background: Psycho-oncology is steadily evolving in India as an essential discipline at the intersection of mental health, oncology, and palliative care. However, psychosocial care provision and training remain inconsistent nationally.

Aim: To present models of clinical psycho-oncology service delivery, examples of multidisciplinary training, and applied research in the field, and demonstrate the further development of context-driven, robust, and scalable, psycho-oncology services in India.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the symposium, participants will be able to:

1. Identify key psychosocial issues experienced by patients with cancer and their families across the illness trajectory and evaluate interventions for them.

2. Interpret research approaches in psycho-oncology practice in the Indian context and plan clinical models.

The symposium will include following lectures:

1) Do we need psycho-oncology? Evidence of need and service gaps

2) Training in Psycho-oncology

3) Today’s research in Psycho-oncology will be tomorrow’s treatment

Methods: The symposium synthesises programmatic experiences from diverse settings of oncology and palliative care, with review of current evidence on communication and psychosocial issues in patients on cancer treatment and survivorship. Research conducted in India on psychosocial needs assessments, interventions, and qualitative studies will be presented.

Results: Evidence on assessment and management of psychological distress and challenges are highlighted. The presenters’ training and research initiatives have strengthened interdisciplinary competencies and informed service development. The recently formed national association for psycho-oncology furthers development of psycho-oncology in India.

Conclusion: The symposium highlights an evolving, structured approach actionable strategies for integration of psycho-oncology in routine cancer care in India.

Adolescent mental health crysis in digital world

Jishnu Bhattacharya, Niska Sinha¹

Birbhum Medical College, Birbhum, West Bengal, ¹Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India

The rapid digital transformation of the past two decades has reshaped adolescent development, creating both opportunities and vulnerabilities for mental health. In India, where internet penetration and smartphone use among youth are rising exponentially, concerns about the “digital mental health crisis” have gained increasing urgency. Adolescents today navigate a complex online ecosystem marked by social media, gaming, cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and the pressure of constant connectivity. While digital platforms can foster social support, learning, and self-expression, excessive or maladaptive use has been linked to anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, reduced academic performance, and impaired interpersonal relationships.

Unique sociocultural factors in India, such as family dynamics, academic stress, and limited access to mental health resources, further compound the impact of digital stressors. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated screen reliance, blurring boundaries between education, recreation, and social interaction, thereby amplifying mental health risks. Despite these challenges, the digital space also offers opportunities for early identification, psychoeducation, and scalable interventions through apps, telepsychiatry, and online counseling.

This symposium will critically examine the dual role of the digital world as both a risk and a resource for adolescent mental health. It will highlight recent evidence, cultural considerations, and clinical observations from India, aiming to frame balanced strategies that protect vulnerable adolescents while harnessing technology for mental health promotion. Addressing this crisis requires a collaborative approach involving psychiatrists, educators, parents, policymakers, and digital stakeholders to ensure the well-being of India’s young population.

Role of spirituality in mental health

Jishnu Bhattacharya, Narottam Halder¹, Shikha Murmu²

SIURI Super Speciality Hospital and Medical College, Birbhum, ¹Ranaghat Superspecialty Hospital, Ranaghat West Bengal, ²Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

Spirituality has historically played a profound role in shaping concepts of health and healing, particularly in India where diverse spiritual traditions are deeply interwoven with daily life. In recent years, psychiatry has increasingly acknowledged the relevance of spirituality as an important dimension of mental health, complementing biological and psychological perspectives. Spiritual beliefs and practices are known to provide individuals with a sense of meaning, connectedness, and inner strength, which can serve as protective factors against stress, anxiety, depression, and substance use. Moreover, incorporating spirituality into mental health care has been shown to enhance resilience, improve coping strategies, foster social support, and strengthen adherence to treatment.

However, spirituality is not without challenges in psychiatry. Rigid dogmas, guilt-inducing beliefs, or misinterpretations of spiritual experiences may worsen psychopathology or delay professional help-seeking. This highlights the need for psychiatrists to adopt a balanced and culturally sensitive approach, acknowledging the positive dimensions of spirituality while addressing potentially harmful aspects. Within the Indian context, where spirituality often forms a core component of identity, neglecting this dimension may lead to gaps in therapeutic alliance and patient satisfaction.

This symposium will explore the multifaceted role of spirituality in mental health, focusing on clinical evidence, case experiences, and integrative approaches in psychiatric practice. The aim is to bridge modern psychiatry with spiritual wisdom, fostering a holistic, patient-centered model of care that resonates with cultural realities in India. Such an approach has the potential to enrich therapeutic outcomes and contribute to the overall well-being of individuals & communities.

Adolescent mental health crysis in digital world

Jishnu Bhattacharya, Niska Sinha¹, Sarmishtha Chakraborti^2,3

Birbhum Medical College, Birbhum, ²Insight Medical Centre, ³Columbia Asia Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, ¹Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India

The rapid digital transformation of the past two decades has reshaped adolescent development, creating both opportunities and vulnerabilities for mental health. In India, where internet penetration and smartphone use among youth are rising exponentially, concerns about the “digital mental health crisis” have gained increasing urgency. Adolescents today navigate a complex online ecosystem marked by social media, gaming, cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, and the pressure of constant connectivity. While digital platforms can foster social support, learning, and self-expression, excessive or maladaptive use has been linked to anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, reduced academic performance, and impaired interpersonal relationships.

Unique sociocultural factors in India, such as family dynamics, academic stress, and limited access to mental health resources, further compound the impact of digital stressors. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated screen reliance, blurring boundaries between education, recreation, and social interaction, thereby amplifying mental health risks. Despite these challenges, the digital space also offers opportunities for early identification, psychoeducation, and scalable interventions through apps, telepsychiatry, and online counseling.

This symposium will critically examine the dual role of the digital world as both a risk and a resource for adolescent mental health. It will highlight recent evidence, cultural considerations, and clinical observations from India, aiming to frame balanced strategies that protect vulnerable adolescents while harnessing technology for mental health promotion. Addressing this crisis requires a collaborative approach involving psychiatrists, educators, parents, policymakers, and digital stakeholders to ensure the well-being of India’s young population.

Utilization of artificial intelligence in psychiatry: Theory to practice

Jitender Aneja, Deepak Ghormode¹, Mahak Aggarwal

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, Punjab, ¹Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India

Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving from theoretical discussions into everyday psychiatric practice. Clinicians encounter AI in various forms like, screening tools, digital behavioural assessments, predictive models, and emerging therapy-support platforms. Despite rapid expansion, most practitioners face problems regarding how these technologies work, how reliable they are, and how to integrate them without compromising clinical judgment or therapeutic relationship. This symposium offers a practical overview of how AI can be meaningfully used across different stages of psychiatric care.

Objectives:

1. To understand core concepts and current uses of AI in psychiatric practice

2. To examine how AI-driven tools can be used for predictive, preventive, and personalised care

3. To explore the role of AI in augmenting psychotherapy.

Structure of the Symposium:

Talk 1: “AI in Psychiatric Practice: Foundation and Clinical Possibilities”.

Presenter: Author 1: Covers basic AI concepts relevant to clinicians, current diagnostic and screening applications, and real-world limitations.

Talk 2: “Precision Psychiatry and Clinical Decision Support: AI for Prediction and Personalisation”.

Presenter: Author 2: Discusses predictive models, relapse prediction, neuroimaging analytics, wearable-based digital phenotyping, and integration into routine practice.

Talk 3: “AI-Augmented Psychotherapy: Digital Tools That Enhance Therapy”

Presenter: Author 3: Explores digital therapy tools, AI-generated therapeutic guidance, conversational agents, and therapist-AI hybrid care models.

Conclusion: The symposium would provide a balanced understanding of the promise and boundaries of AI in psychiatric practice. This session would equip clinicians with practical insights of use of AI in psychiatry.

Pharmacogenomics in psychiatry: Paving the path toward precision mental health care

Johnson-Pradeep

St. John’s Medical College Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Despite significant advances in psychopharmacology, psychiatrists face wide variability in treatment response and adverse effects among patients. Pharmacogenomics offers a powerful tool to personalize psychiatric treatment. Learning Outcomes: Participants will: 1. Understand key genetic determinants influencing psychotropic drug response. 2. Validated clinical applications of pharmacogenomic testing. 3. Ethical and implementation challenges in India Detailed program 0 –5 mins | Intro-RP 2 6 – 15 mins | Session 1: The Science Behind Psychiatric Pharmacogenomics-RP3 Focus: • key pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic genes for mental disorders • Mechanisms of how gene variants affect psychotropic response • Population genetics and implications for Indians 16 –25 mins | Session 2: Clinical Applications — From Antidepressants to Antipsychotics – RP 4 and 6 Focus: • Evidence base for pharmacogenomic testing in Mental Disorders • Clinical decision support tools and case illustrations • Advances in genomics in India and limitations 26 –35 mins | Session 3: Bipolar Disorder genomics focussing on Lithium – RP 1 Focus: • Bipolar Disorder: Predicting Course and Treatment Outcomes • Pharmacogenomics of Lithium: Pathway to Personalized Psychiatry in India 36 –45 mins | Session 4: The Future of Precision Psychiatry — AI, Multi-Omics, and Digital Platforms – RP 2 Focus: • Integration of pharmacogenomics with AI and big data. • Combining genomic, proteomic, and behavioral data to predict treatment outcomes • Initiatives and collaborative research opportunities 46 –55 mins | Session 5: Implemenatation in practice of pharmacogenomics of psychiatry in India— Challenges and Ethical Considerations – RP 5 Focus: • Ethical, cultural, and regulatory aspects.

Self paced virtual reality based exposure therapy in clinical practice

Jyothirmayi Kotipalli, Hemanth Satyanarayana¹

Manaha Clinic | Mind and Neuro Center, ¹Imaginate Technologies, Inc., Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Virtual Reality (VR) based exposure therapy is emerging as a significant innovation in psychiatric practice by providing immersive, controllable, and graded environments for treating fear and anxiety. VR recreates real-world triggers with high ecological validity, allowing patients to confront feared situations safely. This approach is especially valuable for fear of flying, where real-life exposure is often difficult, expensive, or logistically constrained. At Manaha Clinic, we have developed a self-paced VR series for fear of flying using environments from Hyderabad Airport, an in-flight cabin simulation, and Chennai Airport. These modules replicate check-in, security screening, boarding, take-off, cruising, turbulence, and landing to create a complete exposure pathway. A virtual therapist appears at key stages to help patients recognise emotional responses, manage anxiety, and practice coping strategies. The system also prompts breaks when needed, ensuring a sense of autonomy. This integrated guidance allows patients to use the program at home or with a clinician in any mental health setting. This model reduces earlier challenges where VR therapy required specialised software, technical expertise, or continuous therapist presence. Clinics and psychology centres can now simply procure a VR device and deliver the entire experience without additional infrastructure. The combination of self-paced progression and in-experience therapeutic assistance enables scalable distribution and consistent quality of care. This symposium will outline the scientific foundations of VR exposure therapy, demonstrate practical implementation workflows, and share clinical insights from our program. Ethical, logistical, and operational considerations will also be discussed to support wider adoption in clinical practice.

Neuromodulation as a viable option for management of peripartum/postpartum mood disorders: A comprehensive evidence-based review

Jyoti Kapoor

Manasthali-Mental Health and Wellness Services, Gurugram, Haryana, India

Background: Peripartum depression affects 10-20% of women globally and constitutes a leading cause of maternal mortality. Traditional pharmacological interventions face unique challenges during the perinatal period, including concerns about fetal exposure, breastfeeding compatibility, treatment resistance, and delayed onset of action (4-8 weeks). Neuromodulation techniques offer non-pharmacological, targeted, and potentially rapid-acting alternatives. This presentation provides a comprehensive, evidence-based review of available neuromodulation modalities for peripartum mood disorders, with specific focus on efficacy, safety profiles, practical implementation, and relevance to the Indian context.

Objectives: Systematically review neuromodulation modalities for peripartum mood disorders, analyzing efficacy, safety profiles, and practical implementation with specific relevance to Indian psychiatric practice. Evidence-based clinical decision-making frameworks and current research for each technique will be presented.

Learning Outcomes: Attendees will-

> Understand mechanisms, efficacy data, and safety profiles of major neuromodulation techniques (rTMS, ECT, tDCS)

> Interpret meta-analytic evidence on effect sizes and response rates in perinatal populations

> Assess maternal-fetal safety data and long-term offspring developmental outcomes

> Compare cost-effectiveness, availability, and implementation feasibility across Indian healthcare contexts

> Apply evidence-based selection criteria for appropriate interventions based on severity, urgency, patient factors, and resource availability

> Critically evaluate arguments for and against each modality with current research citations

> Identify infrastructure and training requirements for expanding neuromodulation access in India

This comprehensive review equips psychiatrists with practical knowledge to integrate neuromodulation into peripartum mental health care, addressing the urgent need for safe, effective alternatives during this critical period.

The evolution of the concept of the mind through global civilizations and the Indian intellectual legacy

Jyotika, Himabrata Das¹, Rachit Sharma²

AIIMS, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, ¹Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, ²Military Hospital, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: The concept of mind has evolved scientifically and through diverse cultural and philosophies throughout world. This symposium aims to trace this evolution across multiple civilizations; highlighting Indian contribution. Psychiatry has neuroscientific and biomedical models, yet patients’ beliefs about mind, self, and distress are deeply rooted in our cultural and philosophical traditions showcasing extensive Indian intellectual heritage including Vedas, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads; Buddhist and Jain system of knowledge.

Objectives: 1. To deepen understanding of the historical roots of mind concepts across cultures. 2. To highlight India’s unique intellectual legacy in shaping concepts of mind. 3. To encourage integration of culturally informed frameworks into psychiatric science. 4. To foster dialogue on developing an Indian conceptual model of mind for modern psychiatric practice. 5. The highlight the emergence of consciousness studies as an interdisciplinary field of scholarship.

The first part is “Mind across world civilizations from soul to psyche” with subtopics exploring mind and mental illnesses through civilization including Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Islamic and China.

The second part is “The Indian framework of mind” with subtopics including envisaged matrix of mind through the Vedas and Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhist psychology, Jain thought processes and Ayurvedic views.

The third part is “Bridging Traditions: Integrating Indian Mind Models into Modern Psychiatric Practice” with subtopics of application of classical Indian ideas to modern clinical psychiatry showcasing how concepts from Indian origin align with contemporary evidence on emotional regulation, neuroplasticity, mindfulness, and psychotherapy with proposal of outline of a potential “Indian Model of Mind”.

Mental health in higher institutions of education: Navigating past, present and future

Kalpana Srivastava, Jitendra Nagpal¹, Sandeep Vohra², Amit Kumar³

Amity Institute of Behavioral Health and Allied Sciences, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Moolchand Hospital, ²Vohra Neuropsychiatry Center, ³Air Force Central Medical Establishment, New Delhi, India

Mental health challenges faced by university students have grown exponentially over last few years. According to 2025 data, about 20 –50% of university students globally experience mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and stress during their studies. In India, over 70% of students report psychological distress, with nearly 70% experiencing moderate to high anxiety and close to 60% facing depression, with female students disproportionately affected. Suicide rates have also shown an upward graph suggesting a cry for help from students.

Globally, mental health conditions are a leading concern for young adults in higher education, with many encountering new or persistent mental health disorders during their first year of study. These issues often contribute to poorer academic performance and higher dropout rates. Despite these challenges, significant treatment gaps remain, with many students unable to access adequate support due to stigma, lack of resources, or awareness.

The symposium highlights evidence-based future directions, including integrating mental health literacy into curricula, expanding peer and professional support services, and deploying digital mental health tools. Emphasis is placed on culturally sensitive and inclusive interventions that recognize diverse student populations and institutional capacities. By aligning mental health initiatives with academic goals, higher education can become a supportive environment fostering both student well-being and success.

Key words: Evidence based approach, higher education, mental health

Microbiota –Gut –brain axis: Unraveling mechanisms, psychiatric correlates, and pioneering therapeutic

Kamini Verma, Namrata Kumar, Zinedine Zidane, Sayani Bisoi

AIIMS, Kalyani, West Bengal, India

The microbiota –gut –brain axis represents a complex bidirectional communication network linking the intestinal microbiota and the central nervous system via neural, immune, endocrine, and metabolic pathways. This axis regulates neurodevelopment, cognition, emotion, and behavior through mechanisms involving vagal nerve signaling, tryptophan metabolism, microbial neurotransmitter production, immune modulation, and maintenance of blood –brain barrier integrity. Alterations in gut microbial composition and function are consistently observed in major psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder, and irritable bowel syndrome, characterized by dysbiosis, inflammation, and disrupted microbial metabolites. Advanced methodologies including 16S rRNA sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, metabolomics, and fecal microbiota transplantation enable characterization and functional understanding of these microbial signatures. Therapeutically, interventions such as probiotics, prebiotics, dietary modifications, psychobiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation are being explored, along with emerging approaches involving engineered bacteria and personalized microbiome-centric psychiatry. Despite promising findings, challenges remain due to heterogeneous study designs, predominantly correlational evidence, and unresolved safety and regulatory issues.

Mobile phone addiction: Emerging behavioral concern in psychiatry

Kashish Singhal, Shubham Fojdar¹

Sankalp De-Addiction Treatment Centre, Beed, Maharashtra, ¹ESIC Hospital, Alwar, Rajasthan, India

Background: The pervasive integration of smartphones into daily life has led to a concerning rise in behavioral patterns resembling addiction. Termed “nomophobia, ” or the fear of being without one’s mobile device, this phenomenon reflects growing psychological dependence, particularly among adolescents and young adults. Individuals often experience anxiety, irritability, and disorientation when deprived of phone access.

Objective: To discuss the psychiatric implications, diagnostic considerations, and psychosocial consequences of mobile phone addiction, while emphasizing its relevance as an emerging behavioral disorder in clinical practice.

Discussion: Recent studies estimate that approximately 6.3% of global smartphone users meet criteria suggestive of addiction. Research indicates a marked escalation in device engagement, with a 427% increase in notifications and a 278% rise in text exchanges over the past decade. Such patterns have been associated with symptoms overlapping with impulse-control disorders and anxiety spectrum conditions. Adolescents, due to heightened social and cognitive vulnerability, represent a particularly at-risk group. Excessive use has been linked to sleep disturbances, poor concentration, emotional dysregulation, and impaired interpersonal functioning.

Conclusion: Mobile phone addiction represents a growing psychiatric concern necessitating greater clinical attention. Early identification, psychoeducation, and incorporation of digital hygiene strategies within mental health practice are vital. Recognizing mobile addiction as a potential behavioral disorder can aid in developing preventive and therapeutic frameworks tailored to modern digital lifestyles.

The dual relationship dilemma in small worlds: Navigating boundaries in overlapping roles

Kashish Singhal, Shubham Fojdar¹

Sankalp De-Addiction Treatment Centre, Beed, Maharashtra, ¹ESIC Hospital, Alwar, Rajasthan, India

Background: Dual or multiple relationships—where a psychiatrist and a patient share another significant relationship outside the therapeutic context—are often inevitable in “small worlds” such as rural areas, minority communities, or tight-knit professional circles. Although ethical principles emphasize maintaining therapeutic boundaries, the reality of such overlapping roles is complex and under-discussed within psychiatric practice.

Objective: To explore the challenges, ethical considerations, and adaptive strategies for psychiatrists encountering dual relationships in various professional and cultural contexts.

Discussion: In rural psychiatry, clinicians may find themselves treating patients who are also neighbors or acquaintances, blurring personal and professional boundaries. Within minority or culturally close-knit communities, psychiatrists often treat individuals from shared social, linguistic, or cultural networks. Academic psychiatry presents another dimension, where supervisory relationships can evolve into therapeutic ones. The rise of online presence further complicates boundaries, as patients may access psychiatrists via social media or professional platforms. Similarly, professional networking settings can blur the lines when colleagues seek psychiatric care. Each of these scenarios poses dilemmas involving confidentiality, objectivity, transference, and potential conflicts of interest.

Conclusion: While avoidance of all dual relationships is neither practical nor always possible, ethical practice demands self-awareness, transparent communication, and clear boundary management. Ongoing supervision, peer consultation, and institutional support systems are crucial in navigating these complexities. Recognizing and openly discussing dual relationships can transform them from ethical pitfalls into opportunities for reflective, context-sensitive psychiatric care.

Sex, sexuality, and the silent treatment: Breaking the taboo in psychiatric practice

Kashish Singhal, Shubham Fojdar¹

Sankalp De-Addiction Treatment Centre, Beed, Maharashtra, ¹ESIC Hospital, Alwar, Rajasthan, India

Background: Despite its centrality to human experience, sexuality remains one of the least addressed areas in psychiatric consultations. Discomfort—both personal and professional—often leads to avoidance, incomplete assessments, and missed opportunities for therapeutic engagement. This silence persists even though sexual health intricately connects with mood, identity, trauma, and interpersonal functioning.

Objective: To explore the barriers preventing psychiatrists from engaging openly with sexual themes, and to highlight the need for competence, comfort, and inclusivity in addressing sexual health within psychiatric care.

Discussion: Psychiatrists frequently struggle to discuss sexual dysfunctions due to embarrassment or fear of boundary violations. Avoidance of sexual trauma details may stem from clinicians’ own anxiety, potentially impeding trauma-informed care. LGBTQ+ affirmative psychiatry demands a shift from mere tolerance to genuine celebration of diversity in sexual and gender identities. Similarly, emerging relationship models such as polyamory and kink require clinicians to approach nontraditional expressions of sexuality without bias or pathologization. Training deficits further compound the issue—sexual health education remains limited in psychiatric curricula, leaving many practitioners ill-equipped to address these complex realities. The psychiatrist’s own sexual discomfort can inadvertently shape patient engagement and treatment outcomes.

Conclusion: Open, informed, and affirming discussions of sex and sexuality are essential to comprehensive psychiatric practice. Addressing personal biases, improving training in sexual health, and fostering a culture of comfort rather than avoidance can transform the therapeutic encounter—turning silence into understanding and stigma into support.

Efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy across psychiatric disorders: A comparative study of initial and repeated sessions

Kashish Singhal, Shubham Fojdar¹

Sankalp De-Addiction Treatment Centre, Beed, Maharashtra, ¹ESIC Hospital, Alwar, Rajasthan, India

Background: Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) remains a cornerstone intervention for treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders. Administered under general anesthesia, ECT involves the controlled induction of a brief seizure, which leads to neurochemical changes associated with rapid symptom improvement. Despite its proven efficacy, the optimal number of sessions for maximal therapeutic benefit remains an area of clinical interest.

Objective: To compare the clinical improvement observed after the first ECT session with that following a full course (10 –12 sessions) in treatment-resistant cases of schizophrenia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar affective disorder.

Methodology: A comparative observational study was conducted involving patients with treatment-resistant forms of the above psychiatric conditions who received ECT as part of their management. Clinical response and symptom improvement were assessed using standardized psychiatric rating scales after the first ECT and again after completing 10 –12 sessions. The improvement percentage was then compared across diagnostic categories.

Results: Patients demonstrated measurable improvement following the first ECT session. However, repeated ECT sessions (10 –12) produced approximately 1.5 times greater clinical response compared to the initial treatment. The degree of improvement varied across diagnoses, with depressive and bipolar patients showing the most significant incremental gains.

Conclusion: While a single ECT session may yield early symptomatic relief, sustained and amplified therapeutic outcomes are observed with repeated treatments. The findings reinforce the importance of completing a full ECT course in treatment-resistant psychiatric disorders for optimal efficacy.

Migration and mental health

Kaustav Chakraborty, Ranjan Bhattacharyya¹, Rajarshi Guha Thakurta²

College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, Kalyani, ¹Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital, Bankura, ²Midnapur Medical College and Hospital, Midnapur, West Bengal, India

Migration—whether internal or international—is a complex social process that can profoundly affect mental health. Migrants frequently encounter pre-migration adversities such as poverty, conflict, displacement, discrimination, or environmental stressors, which may predispose them to psychological vulnerability. The process of relocation itself often involves separation from family, disruption of social support, and uncertainty regarding employment, legal status, and identity, all of which contribute to emotional and cognitive burdens. Post-migration, individuals may face language barriers, cultural incongruence, marginalization, and difficulties accessing healthcare. Together, these factors increase the risk of depression, anxiety disorders, trauma-related conditions, substance misuse, and psychosomatic presentations. However, migration is not uniformly detrimental. Many migrants demonstrate remarkable resilience, supported by community networks, religious and cultural continuity. Acculturation may facilitate personal growth, enhanced autonomy, and improved socioeconomic opportunities. Mental health outcomes therefore reflect a dynamic interaction between risk and protective factors operating at individual, familial, community, and policy levels. Service utilisation among migrants remains suboptimal due to stigma, structural barriers, and inadequate cultural competence within healthcare systems. Culturally sensitive assessment, trauma-informed interventions, language support, and community-based outreach can mitigate service gaps. Public health policies addressing social determinants—housing, employment, education, and legal protection—are essential for promoting psychological well-being. In addition, research focusing on migrant subgroups, including refugees, undocumented migrants, women, and children, highlights the heterogeneity of experiences requiring tailored responses. Overall, migration represents both a challenge and an opportunity for mental health, demanding integrated approaches that combine clinical services with broader social policies to foster resilience, inclusion, and equitable mental healthcare.

Psychiatric consequences of excessive AI interaction: Assessment and management in clinical practice

Kritika Chawla, Aman Naqvi, Ankita Saroj¹, Vaibhav Singh¹

Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical College, Kanpur, ¹King George Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence technologies, particularly conversational AI chatbots, has introduced novel psychiatric presentations requiring clinical recognition and management. Recent data indicates approximately 0.07% of weekly ChatGPT users exhibit signs of psychosis or mania, while 17-24% of adolescents demonstrate AI dependence symptoms.

Aims: This symposium aims to provide Indian psychiatrists with comprehensive understanding of AI-related psychiatric disorders, including epidemiology, clinical presentations, risk stratification, severe complications, and evidence-based management strategies.

Methods: A four-speaker structured symposium addressing: (1) epidemiology and at-risk populations; (2) clinical spectrum from compulsive use to parasocial relationships and emotional dependence; (3) severe complications including AI-induced psychosis, reality-testing impairment, and suicide risk; (4) clinical management, prevention, and ethical considerations.

Results: The symposium integrates current literature on AI addiction, technostress, AI psychosis, technological folie à deux, and pathological AI attachment. Clinical case examples and assessment frameworks are presented to facilitate recognition. Evidence-based interventions including psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral approaches, digital detoxification protocols, and crisis management in AI-vulnerable populations are discussed.

Conclusion: As AI integration becomes ubiquitous in society, psychiatrists require updated knowledge on these emerging disorders. This symposium provides a comprehensive clinical framework for assessment and management of AI-related psychiatric consequences, directly applicable to Indian psychiatric practice.

Engaging patients and communities in strengthening mental health integration: Reflections from a research advisory group under the ICMR –MINDS project

Kshitiz Sharma, Abhishek Ghosh, Pragyapti Malav

PGIMER, Chandigarh, India

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is increasingly recognized as essential for ensuring the relevance, acceptability, and sustainability of mental health interventions. This symposium presents reflections from the Research Advisory Group (RAG) established under the ICMR –MINDS Project, which aims to integrate mental and substance use disorder services into primary healthcare.

Speaker 1: Establishing the RAG and Rationale for PPI in Implementation Research. will describe why a Research Advisory Group is necessary, highlighting the limitations of traditional top-down implementation strategies and the value of engaging communities directly. This presentation will explain how the initial “Patient Advisory Group” evolved into a broader RAG to ensure diverse and meaningful participation.

Methods and Conduct of RAG Meetings: The second speaker will outline how the RAG was operationalized. His presentation will describe the use of the GRIPP2 –Long Form framework, participant recruitment strategies, meeting facilitation processes, and the systematic approach used for documenting discussions and preparing them for thematic analysis.

Findings and Co-developed Solutions: The final speaker, Dr. Pragyapti Malav, will share insights from the RAG, including barriers related to inconsistent medication supply, frequent staff changes, prevailing stigma, and limited awareness. The group strongly emphasized integrating mental health services within primary care. These recommendations informed improvements in communication materials and advocacy with district authorities for medication availability.

Conclusion: This symposium demonstrates how structured PPI can strengthen primary care –based mental health integration and offers a scalable model for public health research in low-resource settings.

Digital determinants of suicidality: Assessment, risk, and intervention

Lokeswara Reddy, Veda N. Shetageri¹, I. Sarath Chandra²

Government Medical College, Nandyal, ²Manasa Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, ¹East Point College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

The symposium examines the multifaceted relationship between digital environments and suicidal behaviour. As online platforms increasingly shape communication, identity, and emotional expression, understanding their impact has become vital for mental health practice.

The first theme explores the darker side of the digital world, including cyberbullying, harmful communities, sensationalised content, and algorithm-driven exposure that can intensify distress and elevate suicide risk.

The second theme focuses on how online behaviour; such as shifting social media activity, linguistic cues, search patterns, and digital withdrawal can reveal early markers of despair and offer valuable opportunities for timely identification of risk.

The final theme highlights the growing potential of digital tools, from AI-enabled monitoring systems to crisis-support apps and telepsychiatry, in enhancing suicide-prevention efforts. Together, these perspectives provide a comprehensive understanding of how technology can both endanger and protect, urging a balanced, ethical, and human-centred approach.

This presentation examines the complex interplay between digital environments and suicidal behaviour, highlighting both risks and opportunities for intervention. This approach bridges traditional clinical assessment with the realities of modern digital life, strengthening suicide prevention strategies in an increasingly connected world.

We would like to highlight that by adopting a balanced, clinically informed perspective, mental health professionals can leverage digital insights to enhance risk detection, protect vulnerable individuals and promote safe online engagement.

Interpersonal relationships and the skills that shape them: A scenario based symposium

M. S. Arshiya Fathima, Minhajzafar Nasirabadi, Ayesha Sultana

Deccan College of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Interpersonal relationships form the foundation of human interaction and are central to both personal and professional life, including psychiatric practice. They can be understood as the dynamic exchange between two or more individuals, influenced by emotional, cognitive, and behavioural factors that determine how people connect and respond to one another. Understanding and navigating through the relationship dimensions effectively requires strong interpersonal skills such as active listening, empathy, clear communication, conflict resolution, negotiation, and collaborative problem solving. These competencies help us achieve what we need, preserve and nourish relationships, and stay true to our dignity and values.

This symposium uses everyday scenarios drawn from clinical settings and common life situations to bring these concepts to life and bridge the gap between theory and practice. The session aims to help recognise patterns, reflect on the responses, and apply more effective strategies in relationships across various contexts, thereby empowering delegates to refine these competencies in their daily practice.

Dysfunctional default mode network and difficult to treat patients: A clinician’s perspective

Madhav Gajananrao Raje, Mansi Jain¹, Vinesh D. Chandramaniya²

Mahakali Clinic, Nagpur, ¹Apex Multi Speciality Hospital-Borivali East, ²Sahajanand Mind Point-Mental Wellness Clinic, Malad-East, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Less number of clinicians work on dysfunctional default-mode-network/DMN while treating non-responding patients. Clinical experience/literature review points attribution of dysfunctional DMN to non-responding depression. /anxiety disorder/ADHD/Autism/Schizophrenia/OCD/OCSD.So, it’s imperative for clinicians to acknowledge the role of dysfunctional DMN. Patients experience excessive self-referential rumination when DMN isn’t deactivated while performing goal-directed activities, like cooking/studying/listening/interacting/working. Highly negative self-referential state or difficulty to disengage from this “attractor state” is often a presenting complaint. Clinicians identify this “impaired emotional regulation” & try to negotiate it by anxiolytics & psychotherapeutic-interventions. However, failure to recovery looms large.Recovery is difficult because of “attractor state”; which in-turn, inhibits insight/escape-route/recovery biologically; consequentially perpetuating biological negativity; reinforcing accurate pharmacotherapy. Hypoactive DMN induces apathy/emotional blunting, explaining negativity. Hyperactive DMN underlies prolong, non-responding anxiety. Every clinician confronts this frustrating clinical scenario which substantiates the necessity of this presentation. With this background, this symposium aims to create awareness & update/detail of/on dysfunctional DMN & its psycho-pharmacological treatment in clinical settings. Presentation would roll out in 3 parts of 15 minutes each followed by Q&A. First part would cover theory blended with examples of short-case-studies. Case 1 belongs to 21 year engineering-student, having salient features of anxiety, self-harm/cutting-by-razor/SI. She responded to Atmoxetine & others but relapsed when omitted. Case 2 belongs to female doctor/gynaecologist, 55, who was treated by multiple psychiatrists including hospitalization in premier institute; but in-vein. Both patients responded to Atmoxetine. Thus, role of Atmoxetine to anti-correlate connectivity between DMN & Executive network, which brings recovery is highlighted.

Introduction to clinical hypnosis

Madhur Rathi, Devashish Palkar¹, Dhawal Patel²

Yatharth Hospital, Noida Extension, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Sumandeep Vidyapeeth, Vadodara, Gujarat, India, ²Namo Medical Education and Research Institute, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman

Hypnosis has long fascinated both the scientific community and the general public, occupying a unique position at the intersection of culture, medicine, and psychology. From ancient healing practices to its recognition in modern psychiatry, hypnosis has evolved from mysticism to an evidence-based clinical tool. In this seminar, three psychiatrists will present a comprehensive overview of clinical hypnosis and hypnotherapy, with emphasis on its relevance to contemporary psychiatric practice.

The session will begin with an exploration of the history of hypnosis, tracing its development across the world and highlighting its lesser-known roots in Indian traditions of meditation and suggestive healing. A discussion on myths and misconceptions will follow, aimed at debunking popular beliefs such as hypnosis being a form of mind control or unconsciousness, while emphasizing the clinical reality of enhanced focus and voluntary participation. The seminar will then highlight the clinical applications of hypnotherapy across psychiatry and psychology, including its use in anxiety, depression, trauma, pain management, habit disorders, and psychosomatic conditions. In addition, the speakers will share their perspective on how hypnotherapeutic principles can be integrated into everyday psychiatric practice as adjunctive techniques to improve patient engagement and therapeutic outcomes.

The session will conclude with a live demonstration of hypnotherapy involving audience participation, offering attendees a practical experience of induction and suggestion techniques. By blending history, science, myth-busting, and clinical relevance with live demonstration, this seminar seeks to broaden understanding, foster curiosity, and promote the responsible application of hypnosis in psychiatric care.

Love, sex and dream11-exploring addictions beyond substances

Madhur Rathi, Rashi Agarwal¹, Pankhuri Monga², Ankita Priyadarshini³

Yatharth Superspeciality Hospital, Noida Extension, Greater Noida, ¹Lala Lajpat Rai Medical College, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, ²Jiet Medical College, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, ³Thriving Minds, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India

Affective addictions, including pathological love, relationship dependence, and codependency, mimic substance use disorders in their compulsive patterns and neurobiological underpinnings. Individuals may remain trapped in toxic relationships, display obsessional behaviors, and experience significant functional and emotional impairment. Often masked by cultural romantic ideals, these conditions are under-recognized in clinical practice.

When intimacy turns into compulsion, the line between pleasure and pathology blurs. Sexual and pornography addictions remain under-recognized yet highly distressing, often concealed by shame and stigma. The ease of digital access has only intensified these patterns, blurring boundaries between intimacy, compulsion, and pathology.

While substance-induced addictions are relatively well-mapped due to identifiable external agents acting on neurochemical pathways—particularly the mesolimbic dopamine system—behavioral addictions such as gambling, digital, and sexual addictions present a greater neurobiological challenge. These disorders arise from intrinsic behaviors rather than exogenous substances, making brain mapping more complex. Despite this, growing evidence reveals similar neurobehavioral disruptions, including impaired executive control and reward dysregulation.

Every invention comes with its pros and cons, with Internet penetrating each phase of our life, the continuous scrolling activated the brains reward system, releasing dopamine which in turn is causing compulsive behaviors. The technological shift has converted people from gambling and betting in life to online gaming and even mindless scrolling which simulates similar situations and equally addictive to the point of even having withdrawal symptoms. This symposium will highlight the various behavioral addictions like affective addictions, sexual and pornographic addictions and digital addictions and their neurobiology

Need and utility of introducing psychiatry as a core undergraduate subject in the NMC curriculum in India

Madhurima Khasnobis, Partha Sarathi Kundu¹, Soumi Ghosh²

PKG Medical College and Hospital, ¹Institute of Psychiatry, IPGMER and SSKM Hospital, ²Department of Psychiatry, JIMS, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Objectives: • To examine the burden of mental illness in India and its interface with general medical practice.• To evaluate gaps in the current UG medical curriculum regarding mental health • To discuss the feasibility, structure, and outcomes of psychiatry as a distinct UG subject under NMC.

Speaker 1

Why Psychiatry Must Be Core to Undergraduate Medical Education in India

Key Points:

• Epidemiology of mental disorders in India (NMHS data; treatment gap)

• Mental health comorbidity in: o Chronic medical illnesses (diabetes, cardiac, oncology) o Emergency and primary care settings

• Suicide, substance use, and youth mental health crisis

• Role of non-psychiatrist doctors in early detection and referral

Speaker 2

Limitations of the Current NMC UG Curriculum: What Are We Missing?

Key Points:

• Psychiatry’s current status under NMC

• Consequences

• Skill gaps in MBBS graduates

• Feedback from interns and early-career doctors

• Psychiatry vs other subjects that gained independent status

Speaker 3

Utility, Feasibility, and Roadmap for Introducing Psychiatry as a UG Subject

Key Points:

• Proposed structure under NMC

• Addressing concerns

• Long-term benefits:

• Alignment with:

• National Mental Health Program

• Mental Healthcare Act, 2017

• Ayushman Bharat & HWCs

Recent advances in the management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome

Mamidipalli Sai Spoorthy, B. C. Malathesh, Sanghamitra¹

AIIMS, Bibinagar, Telangana, ¹AIIMS, Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh, India

Background: Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome (AWS) arises when individuals with chronic alcohol dependence abruptly stop or reduce drinking, disrupting the balance between inhibitory (GABAergic) and excitatory (glutamatergic) brain systems. This imbalance leads to symptoms such as anxiety, tremors, seizures and alcohol-induced delirium. While benzodiazepines are the primary treatment, recent research emphasizes the role of neurotransmitter systems, neuroimmune responses, and gut-brain interactions in AWS.

Objectives: This symposium synthesizes current knowledge on pharmacological and behavioural treatments for AWS, explores novel therapeutic targets, and identifies future research directions. It focuses on both established neurotransmitter-based approaches and emerging strategies targeting neuroinflammation, neuromodulation and the gut microbiome.

Methods and Results: Pharmacological interventions primarily target cholinergic, opioid, GABAergic and glutamatergic pathways, while behavioural therapies aid in symptom control and relapse prevention. Recent studies explore novel targets, including corticotrophin-releasing factor, sigma and melanocortin-4 receptors, ghrelin, endocannabinoid systems, and gut microbiota modulation, reflecting a broader focus on AWS’s complex neurobiology beyond neurotransmitter imbalances. Some of the recent medications used for alcohol withdrawal include sodium oxybate, propofol, dexmedetomidine, phenobarbital, gabapentin, various antipsychotics and valproate. Furthermore, emerging evidence supports the potential of neuroimmune modulation and brain stimulation techniques, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation, in alleviating withdrawal symptoms and reducing relapse risk.

Conclusion: In advances in the understanding of AWS mechanisms are driving innovative therapeutic strategies. A balanced approach integrating pharmacological, behavioural, and emerging biological interventions holds the greatest promise for improving patient outcomes and reducing the burden of alcohol dependence.

Robots, consent, and mental health care: Emerging questions for clinicians

Manik Inder Singh, Tanmoy Chakroborty¹, Ankit Vashisht¹, Gouri Jadav, Suresh Bada Math

Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ¹Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India

Background: Embodied artificial intelligence and robots are increasingly entering mental health settings, from therapeutic companions to training tools, raising novel questions about consent, autonomy, and data protection for patients and service users. Psychiatrists and other mental health professionals often lack structured opportunities to explore these ethical, legal, and practical issues in a clinically grounded way.

Aims: This one-hour symposium, presented by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and psychiatrists from two national institutes, IIT Delhi and NIMHANS Bengaluru, will introduce participants to key ethical and legal considerations when robots or embodied AI systems are involved in mental health care or training. The focus will be on consent, capacity, privacy, and professional responsibility.

Methods: The symposium will use brief framing presentations, illustrative clinical and training scenarios, and whole-group discussion to explore questions such as: What does “informed consent” mean when the other party is a robot? How should vulnerability, coercion, and misunderstanding be assessed? Who is accountable for harms arising from interactions with embodied AI in clinical or educational environments? Data protection and regulatory themes will be touched upon, without prescribing any single model or guideline.

Expected Discussion Points: Participants will be invited to share local experiences, concerns, and potential safeguards regarding the introduction of robots into mental health services and teaching spaces. The symposium will remain intentionally open-ended, highlighting key questions and possible approaches rather than proposing definitive answers, to support ongoing institutional and professional dialogue.

Immune mediators in rheumatoid arthritis with psychiatric morbidities: findings of consultation liaison clinic in tertiary care hospital

Manjiri Chaitanya Datar, Jyoti Vittaldas Shetty

Bharati Vidyapeeth Medical College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder causing inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissues. Patients with RA experience pain, stiffness, swelling, and deterioration of joints. Severe chronic pain accompanied by progressive joint destruction, disability, and disfigurement can increase the risk of emotional disturbances. Depression could promote inflammation due to dysregulation of hormonal systems, and susceptibility to atherogenic infections. Also, systemic inflammation might induce depressive symptoms by activating the immune-brain pathway. Studies indicate symptoms of depression and anxiety are associated with increased rheumatic disease activity, a reduced response to RA symptom treatment, and a decreased likelihood of achieving RA symptom remission.

Objectives: Our tertiary care hospital has consultation liaison clinic between the department of Immuno-rheumatology and Psychiatry. Along with clinical assessment and management, the clinical and allied teams within both the departments conduct support group for addressing mental health concerns of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

An interdepartmental study of clinical global assessment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psychiatric morbidity with effects on disease burden was done. The findings of the study indicate positive correlation between immunological markers and depression and also clinical global impression scale assessed for rheumatoid disease severity and mental distress.

Following are presentations in the symposium-

1) Immunological hypothesis of depression and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis-Psychiatric implications

2) Functioning of ‘Consultation liaison Immunology-Psychiatry clinic’; and findings of study of clinical global impression with

psychiatric morbidity with correlation of immune markers in patients of rheumatoid arthritis.

ADHD in the perinatal period: Neurodiversity-informed perspectives on diagnostic and management challenges

Mano Manoharan, Joe Johnson¹

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, London, ¹Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Prescot, UK

ADHD in the Perinatal Period: Neurodiversity-Informed Perspectives on Diagnostic and Management Challenges Presenters Dr Mano Manoharan, FRCPsych – Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Dr Joe Johnson, FRCPsych – Consultant Psychiatrist, Adult ADHD Service, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust Background Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains under-recognised in women, with the perinatal period presenting unique challenges for detection and management. The physiological, psychological and social transitions during pregnancy and the postnatal phase may exacerbate ADHD symptoms, complicate differential diagnosis and contribute to increased vulnerability to depression, anxiety, and difficulties in parent –infant bonding. Maternal ADHD is associated with functional impairments that affect antenatal engagement, adherence to health advice and overall perinatal outcomes. Aims This workshop will explore ADHD in the perinatal period through a neurodiversity-informed lens. We will review prevalence, gender-specific presentations, diagnostic challenges, and management considerations, with an emphasis on collaborative, person-centred care. Clinical vignettes will illustrate the intersection of ADHD with mood, anxiety and trauma-related conditions, as well as the impact on maternal functioning and infant wellbeing. Methods Drawing on a narrative review of the literature and specialist clinical experience, the workshop will combine evidence with practice-based insights. Particular attention will be given to pharmacological management during pregnancy and breastfeeding, where limited safety data and ethical dilemmas create complexity. Non-pharmacological strategies, including psychoeducation, executive function supports and adaptations in perinatal services, will also be discussed. Conclusion By integrating perinatal psychiatry and specialist ADHD expertise, this workshop will highlight the urgent need for clinical pathways, cross-specialty

Breaking the ceiling: Women leading the future of psychiatry

Mano Manoharan, Arokiya Antonasamy¹, Lokapriya Premalatha

South London and Maudsley, London, UK, ¹Mindkonnect

Despite the increasing proportion of women entering medicine and psychiatry, gender inequities persist in leadership representation. Globally, women constitute over half of medical graduates and approximately 40 –45% of the psychiatric workforce, yet only 20 –25% hold senior academic, administrative or policymaking roles such as professorships, clinical directorships or heads of institutions (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2023; WHO, 2022). In India, women comprise nearly 30% of psychiatry trainees, but their visibility at senior faculty, governance and decision-making levels remains disproportionately low (NIMHANS Faculty Data, 2021). Evidence highlights complex systemic, structural and sociocultural barriers underpinning this gap. These include implicit bias in appointment and promotion processes, limited access to mentorship and sponsorship, overrepresentation of women in unpaid domestic labour, and persistent stereotypes regarding leadership style and competence. Women leaders continue to encounter role strain, microaggressions, and institutional invisibility, despite robust evidence demonstrating that gender-diverse leadership enhances organisational performance, research innovation and patient outcomes (McKinsey, 2020; WHO Gender Equity in Health Workforce Report, 2019). This workshop will synthesise international and Indian data to critically examine the epidemiology and drivers of leadership disparity in psychiatry. The session will explore evidence-based enablers including mentorship architectures, leadership development frameworks, gender-responsive policy, and structural reforms that promote equity. Through case vignettes, small-group analysis and reflective dialogue, participants will bridge evidence with lived experience and generate actionable solutions for advancing women into influential roles across mental health systems. Learning Objectives By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Evaluate global and India-specific data on women’s representation

Court judgments and MHCA 2017: Shaping psychiatric practice in India

Manoj Kumar, Niharika, Aarushi

IHBAS, Delhi, India

The Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017, through Section 126, repealed the Mental Health Act 1987 and came into force on 29 May 2018. While the Act is widely regarded as a progressive rights-based framework for persons with mental illness, challenges in its implementation have persisted across the country. Key components such as the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA), Mental Health Review Boards (MHRBs), and Advance Directives remain inadequately established in several states, including Delhi. As a result, gaps in administrative and statutory mechanisms have frequently led to legal disputes, requiring judicial intervention for clarification and enforcement. This symposium will highlight important court decisions—spanning District Courts, High Courts, and the Supreme Court of India—that directly influence the operationalization of MHCA 2017 and have significant implications for psychiatric practice.

Establishing mental health services at large-scale multisporting events: A framework for implementation

Mansi Vora, B. C. Malathesh¹, Pratish Thakkar²

Project Mind Clinic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, ¹AIIMS, Hyderabad, Telangana, India, ²Rampton High Secure Hospital, Woodbeck, UK

Elite athletes at major multisport events face intense psychological demands arising from performance pressure, media visibility, disrupted routines, and competitive uncertainty. Despite increasing recognition of mental health as central to athlete performance and safety, structured and scalable “Games-time” mental health service models are still evolving. This symposium will outline an evidence-informed framework for designing and delivering mental health services at large sporting events.

Key components include pre-Games preparedness, accreditation and access pathways, multidisciplinary staffing, culturally sensitive screening, triage systems, and rapid referral protocols embedded within sports medicine structures. Medico-legal considerations—confidentiality within team settings, documentation standards, informed consent, decision-making capacity during crises, and risk management—will also be addressed, given their critical role in safeguarding athletes and clinicians. Drawing from international Games, the session will highlight common psychological presentations and effective interventions. The symposium aims to equip psychiatrists with operational and medico-legal competencies essential for delivering safe, ethical, and high-quality mental health care at big games.

Digital psychiatry: “From screens to clinical scenes

Manushree Gupta, Aditya Bansal, Ashini Patel, Shreyak Chandel

Department of Psychiatry, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

Digital psychiatry is transforming how psychiatric care is accessed, delivered, and monitored, particularly in settings with large treatment gaps and uneven specialist distribution. This symposium will provide a structured overview of core concepts, emerging tools, and real-world experiences with digital mental-health solutions, while situating them within Indian clinical and health-system realities.

The first talk will introduce the scope of digital psychiatry, covering telepsychiatry, mobile health, electronic decision-support, and patient-facing platforms, and outline how these will increasingly intersect with artificial intelligence for personalised, data-driven care.

The second presentation will focus on “digital diagnostics”, including remote assessments, app-based screening, digital phenotyping, and integration of patient-reported outcomes and passive data streams into routine decision-making.

The third session will address “digital therapeutics”, describing evidence-based, software-driven interventions such as internet-based CBT, app-supported relapse-prevention, and blended models that combine in-person care with digital programmes, with attention to efficacy, engagement, and safety.

The fourth talk will present practical insights from Indian services and research programmes that have implemented telepsychiatry and technology-enabled task-sharing, highlighting operational challenges, clinician and patient acceptability, ethical and regulatory concerns, and lessons for scale-up in low-resource environments.

Together, the symposium aims to equip participants with a pragmatic framework to critically appraise, choose, and implement digital tools that extend reach, maintain quality, and preserve the centrality of the therapeutic relationship in contemporary psychiatric practice

Clinical neuropsychiatry of neurorehabilitation and acquired brain injury: An update

Mark Paramlall, Himanshu Tyagi¹

BIPA/Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada, ¹BIPA/UCL

Target Audience: General Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Trainees, Medical Students, Current and Future Neuropsychiatrists. This masterclass comprehensively explores the clinical neuropsychiatry of neurorehabilitation and acquired brain injury (ABI), updating attendees on current practices and research trends. This masterclass equips the audience to apply NICE (NG211) for holistic neuropsychiatric assessment and management in ABI. Master evidence-based interventions, integrating therapies with cognitive rehabilitation. Select and interpret outcome measures to track progress, predict prognosis, and demonstrate rehabilitation’s lasting value. The first session will thoroughly examine applying NICE guideline NG211 (2022) for the holistic assessment and management of neuropsychiatric disorders post-ABI. This includes cognitive, emotional, and behavioral issues within a multidisciplinary framework, emphasizing the psychiatrist’s role. Key complications like post-injury depression, anxiety (including SSRI therapy and adapted CBT), emotional dysregulation, aggression, apathy, and psychosis will be covered, detailing evidence-based interventions. The session also explores the interface between cognitive rehabilitation and psychiatry, mood’s impact on outcomes, managing awareness deficits, and service organization, including specialist neuropsychiatry roles and long-term follow-up. The second session provides practical, evidence-based guidance for selecting and interpreting cognitive and mood outcome measures in ABI. Attendees will learn about essential psychometric properties (reliability, validity, responsiveness) and applying the ICF framework for standardized assessment, progress tracking, and prognostic evaluation across rehabilitation settings. It covers functional, cognitive, and mood assessments, detailing setting-specific strategies. Participants will interpret outcomes to predict functional recovery, community integration, and long-term morbidity risk, demonstrating that cognitive rehabilitation yields gains beyond spontaneous recovery. The masterclass empowers clinicians with advanced knowledge for effective neuropsychiatric care.

The unseen tension in the room: Long-term consequences of social anxiety disorder

Mayank Gupta, Mujahid Ali, Pardeep Singh, Bilal Ali Syed, Priyal Khurana¹

Southwestern Human Services, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, ¹MJRP University

Social anxiety disorder is a highly prevalent and disabling condition marked by persistent fear of social or performance situations. Cultural norms can sometimes reinforce socially anxious behaviors, contributing to underdiagnosis. This “neglected-disorder” has significant long-term consequences. This narrative review aims to explore the long-term impacts of SAD on various life domains, identify common comorbidities, and examine contributing environmental and genetic factors. A narrative review of existing literature was conducted, synthesizing findings on the long-term functional, relational, and health consequences of SAD, with a focus on comorbidity patterns, and treatment approaches. Findings indicate that SAD often remains undiagnosed, rooted in a combination of environmental influences and genetic predispositions. Over time, it can lead to difficulties in forming close relationships, reduced opportunities for realizing one’s potential, and a heightened risk of comorbid psychiatric conditions, alongside a strained and often critical relationship with the self. The widespread use of social-media adds a complex layer as it can serve as a form of distraction or protection for individuals with SAD, it may also become an avenue for avoidance, identity exploration, and even dependency. Genetic factors may, in some cases, contribute to reduced responsiveness to cognitive-behavioral therapy alone, with better outcomes observed when pharmacological and psychotherapeutic-interventions are combined. SAD can profoundly affect life trajectory, from self-perception to academic and occupational progression and relational satisfaction. Given its cultural reinforcement, underdiagnosis, and potential for lifelong impact, a multifaceted approach that addresses both environmental and genetic factors is essential for effective management and prevention of long-term disability.

Neurodivergent, misunderstood, and at risk: Hidden in plain sight-a review of suicidality in twice-exceptional youth with autism and ADHD

Mayank Gupta, Mujahid Ali¹, Pardeep Singh, Maryam Ali Syed, Priyal Khurana¹

Southwestern Human Services, Pittsburgh, PA, USA, ¹MJRP University

Objective: The purpose of this review is to investigate the factors that increase the risk of death by suicide in high-functioning people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: A thorough search of the literature across several databases returned 50 pertinent articles using keywords and controlled vocabulary such as suicidal risk, high-functioning, autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and neurodivergent.&quot. After screening and deduplication, ten studies satisfied the requirements for inclusion.

Findings: Compared to the general population, the risk of death by suicide was consistently higher in people with autism, both within a 12-month period and over the course of their lifetime. In neurodivergent people, high cognitive ability has been identified as a mediating factor that increases vulnerability. Due to difficulties with communication, alexithymia, and interoception, parent’s assessments of suicidality in autistic youth were often not sensitive enough to detect suicidality in many individuals. In ASD and ADHD populations, traditional protective factors like age, marriage, and higher education did not lower the risk of suicide.

Furthermore, camouflaging behaviors frequently postpone diagnosis, making people more vulnerable to untreated mental health conditions and suicidality.

Conclusion: There is an urgent need for suicide prevention strategies catered to the special needs of the autism and ADHD population, as evidenced by the notably high prevalence of autism traits among those who have died by suicide. To ensure prompt, tailored, and suitable care, it is crucial to actively screen for autistic traits in individuals exhibiting suicidal thoughts or actions.

Neurodivergent, misunderstood, and at risk: Hidden in plain sight-a review of suicidality in twice-exceptional youth with autism and ADHD

Mayank Gupta

Southwestern Human Services, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Objective: The purpose of this review is to investigate the factors that increase the risk of death by suicide in high-functioning people with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Methods: A thorough search of the literature across several databases returned 50 pertinent articles using keywords and controlled vocabulary such as “suicidal risk,” “high-functioning,” “autism spectrum disorder,” “attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder,” and “neurodivergent.” After screening and deduplication, ten studies satisfied the requirements for inclusion.

Findings: Compared to the general population, the risk of death by suicide was consistently higher in people with autism, both within a 12-month period and over the course of their lifetime. In neurodivergent people, high cognitive ability has been identified as a mediating factor that increases vulnerability. Due to difficulties with communication, alexithymia, and interoception, parents’ assessments of suicidality in autistic youth were often not sensitive enough to detect suicidality in many individuals. In ASD and ADHD populations, traditional protective factors like age, marriage, and higher education did not lower the risk of suicide. Furthermore, camouflaging behaviors frequently postpone diagnosis, making people more vulnerable to untreated mental health conditions and suicidality.

Conclusion: There is an urgent need for suicide prevention strategies catered to the special needs of the autism and ADHD population, as evidenced by the notably high prevalence of autism traits among those who have died by suicide. To ensure prompt, tailored, and suitable care, it is crucial to actively screen for autistic traits in individuals exhibiting suicidal thoughts or actions.

Modern relationships: Its impact on attachment concepts and revamping psychotherapy strategies

Megha Rathi, Prathama Guha, Nidhi Dwivedi

Carring Minds International, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Introduction: Modern relationships are complex, fluid, and deeply influenced by technology, social change, and evolving cultural norms. Unlike traditional relationships rooted in duty or social expectation, contemporary connections emphasize emotional compatibility, mutual respect, and personal growth. Gender roles have become more flexible, allowing for greater equality and shared responsibilities. Thus, there is a need to revisit the attachment concepts and conflict resolution strategies associated with modern relationships.

Topic 1: Overview on Modern relationships: concepts, types and conflicts

Speaker: Nidhi Dwivedi

Relationships include diverse forms such as live-in partnerships, long-distance relationships, same-sex relationships, open or polyamorous arrangements, and digital or “situationships. ” Common challenges include communication breakdowns, trust issues, emotional burnout, and the influence of social media.

Topic 2: Modern Relationships and existing attachment concepts

Speaker: Megha Rathi

Modern relationships are deeply influenced by evolving attachment patterns shaped by early life experiences, cultural shifts, and digital connectivity. The four main attachment styles—secure, anxious, avoidant, and disorganized will be discussed in this section in context of modern relationships. Modern relationships emphasize emotional intelligence, communication, and self-awareness as key to overcoming attachment-related conflicts.

Topic 3: Modern relationship challenges and innovative management strategies

Speaker: Dr Prathama Guha

Managing conflicts in modern relationships requires emotional intelligence, open communication, and mutual respect. Conflict resolution includes effective communication, empathy, setting healthy boundaries and usage of right digital detox. Some of these basic strategies will be discussed with case examples along with comprehensive model on couple counselling in digital era.

Unshackling women’s mental health: Hidden burdens and policy gaps

Merin Poulose, Soumya Prakash¹, Gayathri Madhu², Nisha Cyriac¹

Department of Health Service, Government of Kerala, ¹Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala, ²MVJ Medical College and Research Hospital, Hoskote, Karnataka, India

1. Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Dysfunction in Women

Intimate partner violence impacts women’s sexual health through physical and sexual abuse, but also via micro coercion, digital surveillance, and trauma-related disruption in interoception. These invisible harms alter desire, pleasure, and bodily awareness, often going unrecognized in clinical settings. This symposium highlights frameworks to identify such harms and safeguard women’s rights and sexual health.

2. Psychological Distress in Women Undergoing Infertility Treatment

Infertility is rising globally, and women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment often experience anxiety, depression, and stress. These psychological states reduce marital quality, quality of life, and treatment outcomes. Knowledge gaps about women’s negative psychological conditions limit effective interventions, underscoring the need for targeted research and support.

3. Digital Intimacy, Loneliness & Self-Worth in Young Women

Digital intimacy—pursuing closeness online—shapes psychosocial health in young women. While reducing barriers to interaction, it paradoxically increases loneliness and destabilizes self-worth. This calls for a systematic understanding of how digitally mediated intimacy affects identity, trust, and mental health, thereby guiding preventive strategies and clinical interventions for the digital era.

4. Gender Bias in the Workplace: Invisible Chains and Mental Health Consequences

Gender bias, rooted in stereotypes, manifests as discrimination from subtle wording in job s to harassment and violence. In India, four in ten women report discrimination, and 6% face sexual harassment. These experiences cause stress, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, and burnout. Strong organizational efforts and legal support are essential for inclusive workplaces.

Popcorn brain: Old wine in a new bottle or a media gimmick?

Minu Budhia, Prathama Guha, Rajarshi Neogi, Megha Rathi

Carring Minds International, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Introduction: With increased online usage, human brain is constantly bombarded with digital stimuli, leading to a phenomenon known as “Popcorn Brain. ” This symposium explores the cognitive, psychological, and social implications of popcorn brain and debate on its inclusion as a clinical symptom.

Topic 1: Overview on Popcorn brain: concept, symptoms and clinical relevance

Speaker: Dr Minu Budhia

Popcorn brain refers to brain’s overstimulation caused by constant exposure to digital media and rapid information flow. Common symptoms of popcorn brain include reduced attention span, impulsive checking of devices, anxiety when offline, and diminished social interactions.

Topic 2: Popcorn brain, its clinical significance and associated psychiatric disorders: exploratory and observational research

Speaker: Megha Rathi

The current study aims to see the existence of popcorn brain in younger adults using self-constructed questionnaire with an attempt to see the association of popcorn brain with similar symptoms in psychiatric disorders.

Topic 3: Clinical Relevance and Management of Popcorn brain

Speaker: Dr Prathama Guha

The clinical relevance of Popcorn brain lies in its growing impact on mental health and daily functioning. Effective management of Popcorn brain involves a combination of behavioural, cognitive, and lifestyle interventions which will be discussed in details.

Topic 4: Popcorn brain is a new name to already existing mental disorders: May be a media hype?

Speaker: Dr Rajarshi Neogi

The term simplifies complex neurocognitive and behavioural processes into a catchy metaphor to public discourse more than to clinical science. Popcorn brain lacks standardized diagnostic criteria and inclusion in psychiatric classification system.

Biological markers, difficult behaviour syndromes and transformative advances in dementia

Mithun Biswas, Ayan Bask, Ambrish Mishra¹

College of Medicine and JNM Hospital, Kalyani, West Bengal, ¹Rani Durgavati Medical College, Banda, Uttar Pradesh, India

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) stands as the predominant form of dementia, presenting significant and escalating global challenges. Its aetiology is intricate and diverse, stemming from a combination of factors such as aging, genetics, and environment. Our current understanding of AD pathologies involves various hypotheses, such as the cholinergic, amyloid, tau protein, inflammatory, oxidative stress, metal ion, glutamate excitotoxicity, microbiota-gut-brain axis, and abnormal autophagy. In the past decades, most clinical drugs have been discontinued due to limited effectiveness or adverse effects. Presently, available drugs primarily offer symptomatic relief and often accompanied by undesirable side effects. However, recent approvals of aducanumab and lecanemab by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) present the potential in disease-modifying effects. Even though the advancement of drugs behavioural and psychological symptoms are very difficult to treat. Sometimes deprescribing is the best approach for treatment. And artificial intelligence gradually taking the frontier approach for some untreatable dementia. This review discusses the current understanding of AD pathogenesis, advances in diagnostic biomarkers, the latest updates of clinical trials, and emerging technologies for the treatment of dementia.

Clinical experience in working with LGBTQIA: A multi-city perspective

Mona Nongmeikapam, Purnima Nagaraja¹, H. S. Virupaksha², Jyoti Shetty³

Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, ¹Dhrithi Wellness, Hyderabad, Telangana, ²Department of Psychiatry, BGS Medical Coillege and Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ³Hyderabad (Private Practitioner), India

The inclusive lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community (LGBTQ+) is a diverse population, including a large 2.5 million individuals officially in India alone. The prevalence of mental illness among this population makes the ethical considerations surrounding evaluation and treatment for this population extremely challenging and sensitive. Higher rates of mental illness, including depression, suicide, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and polysubstance abuse are reported, in comparison to their heterosexual counterparts. This can be attributed to the high degree of stress and discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ individuals and persistent social stigma and discrimination. How about clinical experience in working with LGBTQIA ?

In our presentation, we have tried to higlight these challenges that we have faced as mental health professionals working with LGBTQ+ populations in the past few decades and share our experience and problems faced, a few breakthroughs and tryst with law and society alike through case vignettes and real life incidents.

Female sexual dysfunction: Prevalence, assessment and management

Muskan Middha, Cheshta

PGIMER, Chandigarh, India

Despite the high prevalence and a high associated distress, female sexual dysfunction (FSD) remains to be under-studied, and under-diagnosed. Only a few females seek medical treatment, and even fewer treatment options are available for female sexual dysfunction when compared to males with sexual dysfunction. Many health-care providers feel uncomfortable in assessing the subjects with FSD.

The symposium will focus on current classification, assessment and management of FSD.

The first presenter will focus on the classification of FSD. The presenter will discuss the changes in the classification of FSD and current classification of FSD in DSM-5, ICD-11 and other nosological systems.

The second presenter will focus on assessment of persons presenting with FSD. The presenter will discuss the importance of focusing on psychosexual development, childhood trauma, current life context including the relationship domain.

The second presenter will also focus on management of FSD and will discuss the available options in the form of psychosocial interventions and pharmacological management.

Ethics, policy, and social issues in mental health

N. G. Nihal, Y. Raja Anirudh¹, K. Suhruth Reddy²

Gayatri Vidya Parishad Institute of Health Care and Medical Technology, Visakhapatnam, ¹Katuri Medical College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, ²Asha Hospital, India

The interface of ethics, policy, and social issues in mental health is critical to advancing equitable and effective care. This symposium explores the complex dimensions shaping mental health services, emphasizing ethical principles such as autonomy, confidentiality, justice, and beneficence in clinical practice and research. It addresses how mental health policies influence access, quality, and stigma reduction, highlighting disparities rooted in socioeconomic, cultural, and structural factors.

Key ethical challenges include balancing patient rights with public safety, informed consent in vulnerable populations, and addressing systemic biases that affect diagnosis and treatment. The symposium will examine policy frameworks that govern mental health care delivery, insurance coverage, and integration of mental health into primary care. Special attention is given to the role of social determinants such as poverty, discrimination, and social exclusion, which profoundly impact mental well-being and treatment outcomes.

Discussions will include global perspectives on mental health legislation, human rights protections, and initiatives to reduce stigma and improve community-based care. The symposium also considers emerging issues such as digital mental health ethics, privacy in telepsychiatry, and equitable resource allocation in low-and middle-income settings.

By bringing together clinicians, policymakers, ethicists, and advocates, this symposium aims to foster a multidimensional understanding of how ethics, policy, and social forces shape mental health. It advocates for patient-centered approaches that respect dignity, promote justice, and respond effectively to societal challenges, ultimately advancing mental health equity and human rights worldwide.

Small practice social interventions for mental health

N. M. Patil, G. Swaminath¹, Abhay Matkar²

J N Medical College, Belagavi, ²SDM Inst of Medical Science, Dharwad, Karnataka, India, ¹Private Practice

There is a large evidence base on importance of social determinants for mental disorders. Many societal factors influence the rate and occurrence of mental disorders and need to be addressed for effective and comprehensive management. These social determinants influence both physical and mental health problems, and need collaborative approach. There is a need for change in the mental attitudes and practices of all mental healthprofessionals.

Currently, professionals are more in tune with clinical care and less in public mental health interventions. It’s now time for novel approaches in mental health promotion, prevention, treatment approaches and exploring innovations in patient care involving modern evidence based practices. There is a need to reduce obstacles like stigma and make psychiatry accessible, affordable and acceptable by all.

This symposium builds on the experience of three psychiatrists with a total of 100+ years of practice in academic institutions, private SOHO (small office home office) setups as well as non-governmental organizations (NGO) in optimum delivery of mental health care. There is now a need to shift the focus of action from the clinic to the community and vice versa.

Dr. Swaminath G will speak on “Innovations in mental health care delivery to disadvantaged populations”. Dr. Abhay Matkar will dwell on”Role and management of Stigma in society” and Dr. N M Patil on “Networking with fellow professionals”.

Anxiety disorders in India: Epidemiology, clinical profile, AI integration, and management pathways

N Manjunatha, Manik Singh, Praveen Raj, Nikhita Kulkarni

NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Anxiety disorders constitute one of the most prevalent and disabling mental health conditions globally, yet their burden, presentation, and management reveal important sociocultural variations across regions. Indian epidemiological studies, including large-scale community surveys and district-level mental health program data, consistently show high lifetime and current prevalence of anxiety disorders, with substantial unmet treatment needs.

Dr. N. Manjunatha will outline the evolving epidemiological patterns of anxiety disorders in India, highlighting methodological challenges, regional variations, and recent data emerging from primary care and digital mental-health initiatives.

Dr. Nikhita Kulkarni will present the clinical phenomenology of anxiety disorders in Indian patients, focusing on culturally influenced symptom expression, somatic presentations, gender differences, and diagnostic challenges encountered in routine practice.

With the rapid growth of digital health in India, artificial intelligence offers promising tools for screening, risk prediction, clinical decision support, and personalised care. Dr. Manik Singh will discuss the current evidence and future potential of AI-enabled models in the assessment and management of anxiety disorders within Indian clinical settings.

Finally, Dr. Praveen Raj will review evidence-based management strategies contextualised to Indian practice, integrating pharmacological, psychotherapeutic, and primary-care-based approaches, while addressing barriers such as stigma, resource constraints, and adherence.

This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive, India-centric understanding of anxiety disorders to inform contemporary psychiatric practice.

Looking through biomedical lens in autism spectrum disorder: A futuristic approach

Nabanita Sengupta, Deepak Gupta

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is increasingly recognized as a complex condition influenced not only by genetics and brain development but also by underlying biomedical factors. Emerging research points to the role of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, gut-brain axis disturbances, and nutritional deficiencies in shaping symptoms and outcomes. A biomedical perspective allows clinicians to move beyond purely behavioral explanations, offering a more holistic understanding of ASD. This symposium will explore the latest evidence on biomedical interventions, including dietary modifications, nutritional supplements, and addressing metabolic and gastrointestinal issues, while highlighting their integration with standard care. The focus will be on how biomedical strategies can be individualized and adapted within diverse clinical settings. By looking through this lens, we aim to envision a future where children with ASD receive truly comprehensive care that addresses both brain and body.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: A trauma-based novel therapeutic approach in children

Nabanita Sengupta, Deepak Gupta

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, India

Trauma in childhood often manifests through a spectrum of emotional, behavioral, and developmental disturbances, leaving a profound impact on a child’s mental health trajectory. Traditional psychotherapeutic methods, though effective, may not always address the deeply ingrained and non-verbal aspects of traumatic memory. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has emerged as a novel, evidence-based therapeutic modality uniquely suited for children and adolescents. By integrating elements of neurobiological processing, bilateral stimulation, and adaptive information reprocessing, EMDR facilitates the resolution of distressing experiences without requiring detailed verbal narration. This approach is particularly valuable in the pediatric population where verbalization and insight are often limited. The symposium will highlight the principles of EMDR, modifications in child-focused practice, and its applicability in conditions such as PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, and complex trauma. Clinical vignettes from the Indian context will be shared to illustrate how storytelling, drawing, and culturally adapted techniques enhance the therapeutic process. By bridging trauma neuroscience with practical interventions, EMDR offers a hopeful, child-sensitive framework for healing and resilience.

Artificial intelligence in psychiatry: Diagnostic augmentation, prognostication, therapeutic delivery and postgraduate training

Naren Prahlada Rao, Rishikesh Behere, Girish Babu

Manoshanti, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) offers transformative tools for psychiatric practice by integrating multimodal data (clinical, neuroimaging, digital phenotyping) to enhance detection, personalize interventions, and model outcomes. Role of AI in diagnosis in clinic and community AI-driven algorithms can augment diagnostic precision by identifying latent symptom clusters, predicting case detection from primary-care or community screening data, and stratifying risk using passive digital biomarkers (speech, activity, social media patterns). Machine learning models can flag high-risk individuals for stepped-care referral and reduce diagnostic delay in low-resource settings through mobile-enabled screening workflows. AI for treatment delivery and prognosis AI supports scalable delivery of psychosocial interventions (adaptive digital CBT, conversational agents with clinician oversight) and decision-support systems that optimize pharmacotherapy using predictive models of treatment response and adverse effects. Prognostic models using longitudinal EHR and sensor data can forecast relapse, hospitalization, and functional trajectory, enabling proactive, individualized care pathways and resource allocation. AI in Post graduate training AI offers transformative opportunities in postgraduate psychiatry training. AI can enhance clinical decision-making, personalize learning, simulate patient interactions, and analyze complex data for research. Integrating AI tools fosters critical thinking, improves diagnostic accuracy, and supports competency-based education, preparing future psychiatrists for technologically advanced mental health care environments. Challenges for clinical implementation AI holds promises to augment psychiatric diagnosis, treatment delivery, and prognostication, but safe, equitable translation into routine practice demands methodological rigor, clinician engagement, and robust implementation science. Key barriers include limited external validity, dataset bias, explainability and clinician trust, regulatory and medicolegal frameworks, data privacy, and workforce.

Comprehensive behavioural intervention for tics in Indian settings: Insights from supervisor and supervisee

Natarajan Varadharajan, Farhan

JIPMER, Puducherry, India

Background: Tic/Tourette’s disorder (TD) is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by multiple motor and vocal tics, often accompanied by psychiatric comorbidities. Current treatment guidelines recommend behavioural interventions as standalone treatments in moderately severe cases and as adjuncts to pharmacotherapy in more severe cases. Among behavioural interventions, Habit Reversal Therapy (HRT) and Comprehensive Behavioural Intervention for Tics (CBIT) have substantial evidence. CBIT combines these HRT elements (awareness training and competing response) with relaxation training, psychoeducation, and functional interventions aimed at identifying and modifying contextual factors that worsen tic severity in daily life.

Aim: To demonstrate the procedures involved in CBIT and its implementation in a General Hospital Psychiatry Unit within the Indian context.

Methods and Results: A review of Indian literature shows that most patients with TD are primarily managed with medications, with neuromodulation reserved for treatment-resistant cases, while structured behavioural treatments like CBIT remain underused. This workshop will mainly demonstrate the application of CBIT to a 22-year-old male with chronic tics who was resistant to pharmacotherapy, focusing on the procedure, teaching and learning strategies employed, and the challenges faced.

Conclusion: This symposium, led by a supervisor –supervisee team, aims to introduce and demonstrate CBIT within the Indian context, emphasizing practical steps and challenges in clinical practice. The dual perspective is designed to enhance discussion on implementation, supervision, and skill development for clinicians interested in integrating CBIT into routine care.

Attributes of juvenile offenders and preventive strategies against recidivism at family level, school level, community and policy making

Neha B. Kulkarni, Ankur D Rai, Chayanika Bharadwaj¹

LGBRIMH, Tezpur, ¹Consultant Psychiatrist, Guwahati, Assam, India

Background: Recidivism among juvenile offenders in developed nations like Ireland, New Zealand, are declining whereas in developing countries, nationwide data is lacking. Media scrutiny of juvenile crime increasingly hinders efforts for offender rehabilitation which needs systematic discussion.

The first presentation will be focussing on the attributes of juvenile offenders particularly those that are not given importance in the current practiced theory of Social Development Model. The emerging concepts of moral injury among children apart from trauma, relational aggression in females and impact of digital spaces on one’s ability to perceive pain/pleasure from behaviour needs discussion.

The second presentation will discuss preventive level at the immediate neighbourhood of children i. e., family and school. Developing an individualized rehabilitative plan for each child is the fundamental strategy to prevent recidivism. School based interventions have the highest evidence to improve prosocial behaviour along with structural family therapy for reducing recidivism. Indian adaptation of these strategies needs discussion.

The last presentation will discuss various preventive strategies at the community level and policy changes. Some of the evidenced based approaches are, shifting from incarceration to restorative programs, Multisystemic Therapy at community level. Apart from these, there is a need to incorporate newer evidences propagated by United Nation Committee on Rights of the Child for collaborative therapeutic alliance, shared decision making, and mutual respectful relationship with justice professionals.

Conclusion: Effective juvenile rehabilitation requires bio-psycho-social and gender-specific approaches, not Beccaria’s swift, certain, severe punishment meant for adults.

Artificial intelligence in psychiatric practice (theme-artificial intelligence tools and future of psychiatric practice)

Nidhi Dixit, Kiran Jakhar, Anmol Singh¹

GIMS Hospital, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Burari Hospital, GNCTD, Delhi, India

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly influencing medical practice, with psychiatry emerging as a key discipline for its integration due to reliance on narrative data, behavioral patterns, and longitudinal clinical assessment. Advances in large language models and multimodal AI systems have expanded opportunities in psychiatric care, research, education, and service delivery, while also raising important ethical and professional concerns. This symposium aims to highlight current applications of AI in psychiatry, with specific focus on tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini, and to discuss their implications for the future of psychiatric practice. The symposium is structured into three thematic presentations. The first speaker provides an overview of AI concepts and their relevance to psychiatry. The second speaker discusses the practical use of ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini in clinical documentation, psychoeducation, evidence-based decision support, academic writing, and multimodal data integration, including neuroimaging and behavioral data. The third speaker addresses ethical, legal, and professional challenges associated with AI use in psychiatry and outlines future directions. AI tools demonstrate significant potential in improving efficiency, accessibility, and personalization of mental healthcare. However, challenges such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency, accountability, and risk of over-reliance remain critical considerations. In conclusion, AI is best viewed as an adjunct rather than a replacement for psychiatrists. Responsible integration and continued clinician oversight are essential to ensure that AI enhances psychiatric practice while preserving empathy, clinical judgment, and the therapeutic alliance.

Beyond the couch: India’s digital leap in psychiatry and artificial intelligence

Nikhil Goel, Ritvik Gupta¹, Amandeep¹, Amandeep Panghal, Avesham Mahla

Shaheed Hasan Khan Mewati Government Medical College, Nuh, ¹Institute of Mental Health, PT BD Sharma UHS, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Digital psychiatry (telepsychiatry, tele-mentoring, mobile psychosocial interventions) has proven impact in increasing access, building local capacity, and delivering acceptable care in India when implemented as a hybrid, hub-and-spoke system with community engagement. AI offers promising augmentations (triage, prediction, scalable interventions) but presently remains mostly research/pilot stage and must be deployed cautiously with local validation, governance and human oversight.

In this symposium we are going to emphasise the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence by Dr. Ritvik Gupta; Digital Psychiatry and Artificial Intelligence: Transformation of Psychiatry Practice in India and its impact in Rural India. It will be followed by a talk by Dr. Amandeep on topic: AI in Psychiatry Balancing Innovation with ethics and law. The entire symposium will cover India’s Digital Leap in Psychiatry with special focus on rural India.

Mind-body medicine clinics: Integrating modern medicine with ancient wisdom

Nikhil Gupta, Arun Marwale, Sanjay Phadke

Dr Nikhil’s Wellness Clinic, Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Mind-Body Medicine (MBM) in essence follows evidence-based simple framework that seeks to enhance self-regulation through practices derived from Yoga, Meditation and positive psychology. MBM finds applicability across the health cycle from prevention to rehabilitation for improving outcomes and Quality of Life, and has great potential to evolve as affordable scalable foundation of healthcare truly reflective of the spirit of health promotion i. e. enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health. MBM can also be viewed as a useful vehicle to popularize ‘mind’ interventions and thereby reduction of stigma associated with mind issues. Now with the added strength of evidence, these need to be integrated into mainstream medical practice. This will help to create better outcomes for patients in a cost-effective manner using methods that are culturally acceptable. Mental health professionals are eminently suited for this role because we have the expertise to implement the principles of MBM. These treatments can be offered to persons with psychological distress as well as to those with medical problems including mental illness. This symposium will present a comprehensive review and discussion on state of the art in MBM. We will also discuss approaches to its training and implementation in the clinical context.

Keywords: Mind-Body Medicine, MBM Clinics, Resilience Training, Integrative Medicine

Scope and challenges in establishing consultation –liaison psychiatry services with postgraduate training in India

Nileswar Das, Vinit Patel, Ajay Kumar, Aseem Mehra¹

AIIMS, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, ¹PGIMER, Chandigarh, India

Consultation –Liaison Psychiatry (CLP) forms the backbone of integrated mental health care within general hospital settings. In India, despite growing recognition of the psychiatric needs of medically ill patients, CLP services remain inconsistently developed across institutions. Parallelly, structured postgraduate training in CLP is limited, often informal, and highly variable. With increasing medical complexity, multimorbidity, substance use comorbidity, and medicolegal demands, there is an urgent need to strengthen CLP services while embedding formal CLP training within psychiatry postgraduate programmes.

In this symposium, presenters will discuss the foundational principles, service delivery models, referral pathways, documentation standards, and outcome measures for CLP services in Indian hospitals, with emphasis on scalability and resource sensitivity. In line with the “Nasha Mukt Bharat” initiatives, presenters will discuss the high burden of substance-related disorders in medical and surgical settings, models for screening and brief interventions, management of medically complex substance use, and integration with national addiction programmes. Presenters will propose a structured training framework that includes curriculum content, clinical rotations, competency milestones, workplace-based assessments, and entrustable professional activities relevant to CLP. Finally, this symposium will critically examine barriers such as workforce limitations, interdepartmental coordination issues, scepticism, lack of formal recognition, infrastructural constraints, and urban –rural disparities, along with pragmatic solutions including phased implementation and tele-liaison models.

Loneliness as a public health crisis: Psychological and neurobiological insights

Nimmi A. Jose, Bushra Zahoor, M. S. Bhatia, Irish Sheikh, Ajay Badoni

Department of Psychiatry, Hamdard Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, New Delhi, India

Introduction: Loneliness is now recognized as a major public health concern with significant psychological and physical consequences. Chronic loneliness is linked to increased risk of depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, cardiometabolic disease, and premature mortality. This presentation synthesizes current insights into the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that make loneliness a biologically embedded health risk.

Methods: A comprehensive review of literature was conducted using PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus databases (2010 –2024). Search terms included loneliness, social isolation, neurobiology, social cognition, stress physiology, inflammation, and mental health outcomes. Peer-reviewed articles, meta-analyses, and clinical or public health guidelines examining psychological mechanisms, neurobiological pathways, and health outcomes were included. A narrative synthesis identified key themes and knowledge gaps.

Results: Evidence shows that chronic loneliness correlates strongly with poor mental health, cognitive deterioration, and heightened physical morbidity. Neurobiological research indicates HPA-axis dysregulation, elevated inflammatory markers, and altered neural activity in circuits responsible for reward processing, social perception, and threat monitoring. Psychological findings highlight maladaptive social cognitions, heightened sensitivity to social threat, and reduced perceived support. Interventions with the strongest evidence include cognitive-behavioral approaches and structured social engagement programs.

Conclusion: Loneliness is a multidimensional public health issue with clear psychological and neurobiological foundations. Effective responses require integrated clinical strategies and community-level initiatives to reduce loneliness and its long-term health consequences.

Integrative approaches in mindcare: The synergy of ayurveda and medicinal cannabis

Niraj Singh, Diwakar Sukul¹

Lenus Global, ¹Kamkus Healthcare, London, UK

The evolving landscape of integrative medicine opens new vistas for the combined application of traditional and contemporary therapeutic paradigms. This presentation explores the complementary potential of medicinal cannabis and Ayurveda, aiming to enhance patient outcomes through holistic care. Drawing on pharmacological insights, Ayurvedic principles, and emerging clinical research, we examine how cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid system to support Ayurvedic dosha balance. A case study and evidence-based analyses will highlight therapeutic applications, including management of polysubstance misuse, inflammation control, and anxiety reduction. We also address regulatory frameworks, ethical considerations, and safety protocols essential for clinical practice. This session advocates for a multidisciplinary approach, fostering dialogue among healthcare professionals to optimise patient-centric care through integrative methodologies.

Beyond the injury: Integrating mental health into trauma care – challenges, evidence, and future directions

Nishtha Chawla, Jawahar Singh¹, Shubha Bagri, Adit Verma

AIIMS, Delhi, ¹AIIMS, Bhatinda, Punjab, India

Traumatic injuries, whether accidental, interpersonal, or disaster-related, are not solely physical; they represent biopsychosocial stressors that significantly elevate the risk of mental health sequelae. Mental health problems can be a cause or a consequence of traumatic injuries. A considerable proportion of trauma survivors experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, acute stress reactions, anxiety disorders, substance misuse, and complicated grief, can impair functional recovery, prolong hospitalization, hinder rehabilitation adherence, and adversely impact overall quality of life.

A comprehensive trauma care model requires systematic mental health assessment, early identification of at-risk individuals, and evidence-based interventions. Screening and structured assessments can aid timely recognition, while trauma-focused psychotherapy, psychoeducation, crisis intervention, medication management, and family-based approaches form the cornerstone of clinical care.

Integrating mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric social workers, within a multidisciplinary trauma team enhances communication, improves treatment planning, and supports recovery. Their role extends beyond patient care to include capacity building for non-psychiatric staff, stigma reduction, and establishing trauma-informed practices.

Despite clear benefits, multiple challenges impede service delivery in trauma centres, including limited trained workforce, poor awareness, stigma, administrative hurdles, and inadequate resource allocation. Developing scalable models of care, leveraging digital tools, strengthening training frameworks, and incorporating mental health pathways into standard trauma protocols represent crucial next steps.

This symposium highlights the epidemiology of trauma-related psychiatric complications, current assessment and management frameworks, interdisciplinary roles, and practical considerations for establishing sustainable mental health services within trauma settings, aiming to inform policy and clinical implementation in diverse healthcare environments.

Patient’s suicide and mental health professionals: Impact, determinants and management

Nitin Raut, Suyog Jaiswal¹, Shipra Singh²

Lady Hardinge Medical College, ²IHBAS, New Delhi, ¹AIIMS, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Background: Patient suicide is an occupational hazard for mental health professionals (MHPs), with most psychiatrists experiencing this at some point in their careers. Such events can deeply impact clinicians both personally and professionally, and often remain under-addressed in training and institutional protocols in India. This symposium aims to spotlight the multi-layered consequences of patient suicide for clinicians, exploring psychological impact, contributory determinants, and pathways towards better support.

Structure and Speakers:

1. Impact of Patient’s Suicide on Mental Health Professionals

Speaker: Dr Shipra Singh, Associate Professor, Psychiatry, IHBAS, Delhi

This section will review the literature and Indian experiences on how a patient’s suicide affects MHPs, outlining common emotional responses (such as shock, grief, and guilt), changes in clinical practice, and possible long-term career consequences.

2. Determinants Influencing the Impact

Speaker: Dr Suyog Jaiswal, Additional Professor, Psychiatry, AIIMS Nagpur.

This part will discuss individual and systemic factors that influence how MHPs experience and process patient suicide. Issues such as stage of training, the clinical setting, personal vulnerabilities, and organizational or medicolegal environments will be highlighted.

3. Management and Support

Speaker: Dr Nitin Raut, Specialist, Psychiatry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi

This segment will focus on practical strategies for MHPs and institutions to address and mitigate the effects of patient suicide. Approaches discussed will include structured post-event protocols, markers for suicide, supervision, and recommendations for integrating relevant modules in psychiatry curricula.

Challenges in developing newer drugs in psychiatry: Are recent legalities creating hurdles?

Nupur Niharika, Anant Kumar Verma¹, Puzeigowba

Patna Medical College, Patna, Bihar, ¹BMIMS, Nalanda, Bihar, India

Psychiatry faces significant hurdles in developing novel therapeutics, despite advances in understanding neurobiology and technology. The symposium explores the complexities of psychiatric drug development, highlighting the stagnation in innovation and the pressing need for effective treatments. Key challenges include target identification (elucidating the neurological basis of psychiatric disorders), lack of predictive model (limited animal models and biomarkers to predict human efficacy and safety), clinical trial design (heterogenous patient population, subjective outcome measures, and high placebo response rates), regulatory hurdles (stringent guidelines and lengthy approval process).

This symposium will discuss strategies to overcome these challenges, including: Advances in neuroimaging and biomarker research, Innovative clinical trial designs and adaptive approaches, Collaborative efforts between academia, industry and regulatory bodies.

By addressing these challenges, we can revitalize psychiatric drug development and improve treatment options for patients with mental illnesses.

Tele-MANAS: Transforming access and equity in india’s digital mental health ecosystem

Om Prakash

Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, India

Tele-MANAS, India’s 24×7 digital mental-health support system, represents one of the most ambitious public-health initiatives in recent years. This symposium will present an integrated overview of its development, implementation, and future trajectory, highlighting its role in expanding mental-health access across diverse populations.

The first presentation will provide a structured introduction to Tele-MANAS, outlining its inception, operational model, and national coverage. It will summarise the scheme’s objectives and early outcomes in reducing barriers to mental-health care.

The second talk will focus on field-level experiences from state and district Tele-MANAS cells. Speakers will discuss operational challenges, variations in utilisation patterns, strategies adopted for triaging and crisis handling, and lessons learned from real-world service delivery.

The third segment will examine the technological and training backbone of the programme. This will include system architecture, call-handling protocols, quality-assurance mechanisms, and the capacity-building processes that support counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists working within the platform.

The concluding presentation will explore future policy directions, sustainability needs, and opportunities for strengthening Tele-MANAS as part of India’s evolving mental-health ecosystem. Issues related to scaling, integration with community-based services, data-driven improvements, and alignment with national mental-health priorities will also be discussed.

Together, the four sessions will offer a comprehensive understanding of Tele-MANAS, demonstrating how digital interventions can support equitable, accessible, and responsive mental-health care in India.

Psychiatry at the crossroads: Current realities and future visions in the era of the Mental Healthcare Act 2017

Om Prakash, Rajesh Kumar¹, Amit Khanna, Pankaj Kumar²

Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, ¹Indra Gandhi Institute of Medical Science, ²All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, India

This symposium will examine the current status and evolving direction of psychiatry in India within the framework of the Mental Healthcare Act 2017. The opening presentation will review key developments since the Act’s implementation, outlining areas of progress as well as persisting gaps in service delivery, training, and system readiness.

The subsequent sessions will present a range of perspectives from clinicians across different practice settings, highlighting contrasting views on whether the discipline is advancing or encountering new constraints. These discussions will reflect real-world experiences related to administrative demands, clinical autonomy, documentation requirements, resource limitations, and the changing expectations of patients and families.

The concluding presentation will focus on future directions for Indian psychiatry, including innovations in service models, digital integration, workforce development, and policy priorities. Attention will be given to strategies that can strengthen the role of psychiatrists while ensuring alignment with rights-based care.

The symposium will close with a moderated discussion to facilitate collective reflection and identify constructive pathways for the discipline. The session aims to provide a balanced, grounded, and forward-looking assessment of where Indian psychiatry stands today and how it may evolve in the coming decade.

Electroconvulsive therapy in the elderly: Myths, realities, and best practices in geriatric psychiatry

Om Prakash, Amit Khanna

Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, India

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) remains one of the most effective interventions for severe psychiatric disorders in older adults, yet its use continues to be limited by misconceptions and uncertainty. This symposium will provide a comprehensive and evidence-based review of ECT in geriatric psychiatry, highlighting contemporary knowledge, clinical realities, and practical considerations.

The opening presentation will summarise current evidence on the safety and efficacy of ECT in late life, with emphasis on treatment-resistant depression, psychotic depression, acute suicidality, catatonia, and severe agitation in dementia. Age-related physiological changes and their implications for treatment outcomes will be discussed.

The second session will clarify common myths surrounding ECT in older adults. Speakers will examine concerns related to cognitive effects, anaesthesia risks, and long-term functional outcomes, contrasting these with data from modern ECT practice.

The third presentation will focus on best-practice clinical approaches, including pre-ECT medical evaluation, optimisation of comorbid conditions, stimulus-dose selection, electrode placement, and peri-procedure monitoring. Special considerations for frailty, cardiovascular risk, and polypharmacy will be highlighted.

The symposium will conclude with case-based discussions illustrating practical decision-making, management of complications, and strategies for enhancing treatment acceptance among patients and families.

This session will provide clinicians with up-to-date, clinically relevant guidance to support the safe and effective use of ECT for elderly patients, reinforcing its role as a vital therapeutic option in geriatric psychiatry.

Who gives the gift of life? Psychosocial determinants of voluntary kidney donation

Omar Afroz, Sarthak Kukreja, Koushik Sinha Deb

Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, New Delhi, India

Kidney transplantation remains the gold-standard treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), offering superior survival rates and quality of life compared to dialysis. Living donors account for the vast majority of kidney transplants performed in India, reflecting systemic reliance on live donation programs.

Live kidney donation involves a complex interplay of legal, ethical, medical, and sociocultural factors. In India, these dynamics are governed by the Transplantation of Human Organs Act, 1994, which regulates ethical practices and safeguards donor rights. Valid consent hinges on donors’ autonomy, freedom from coercion, and alignment of the decision with their personal values. Yet studies reveal gaps in donor preparedness: many report inadequate understanding of financial burdens, psychological stressors, or long-term health risks at the time of donation

Donation has been reported to be stressful for the donor and their families, making family and social support after donation important for better outcomes. Negative outcomes associated with kidney donation include psychiatric illnesses, including depression and anxiety, especially within one year of the transplant procedure. Severe psychiatric complications, including suicides, have been reported. Psychosocial aspects, in addition to medical factors, are therefore equally important considerations when assessing potential donors.

This symposium aims to discuss: (1) individual, family, cultural, and system-level factors that influence willingness and eligibility for voluntary kidney donation; (2) structured tools and clinical interviews for risk stratification and informed consent; and (3) assessment and follow-up models that ensure donor advocacy and ethical safeguards in Indian setting.

Mental Health Laws

Palaniyandi Ponnusamy Kannan, Sivailango¹

Institute of Mental Health/Madras Medical College, Chennai, ¹Karpaga Vinayaga Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India

Topic :1 Admission and discharge procedures as per MHCA 2017 and Challenges in Implementation, Topic 2: Functioning of Mental Health Review Board (DMHRB) and the interface between Psychiatrists and Board, Topic 3: Rights of Persons with Mental Illness(Pw

Topic :1 Admission and discharge procedures as per MHCA 2017 and Challenges in Implementation

The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 redefined admission and discharge procedures by prioritising autonomy, informed consent, and least-restrictive care. Independent admissions depend on decision-making capacity, while supported admissions under Sections 89 and 90 require procedural safeguards and Mental Health Review Board oversight. Discharge provisions protect the right of PwMI to seek review and timely release, ensuring patient-centred and rights-based hospitalization.

Topic 2: Functioning of Mental Health Review Board (DMHRB) and the interface between Psychiatrists and Board

MHCA 2017 established a two-tier regulatory mechanism through the State Mental Health Authority and District Mental Health Review Boards to oversee involuntary admissions. While aimed at protecting PwMI rights, psychiatrists often face challenges due to procedural delays, documentation demands, and post-discharge disputes. Effective understanding of DMHRB processes and clearer coordination are essential for legally sound and clinically appropriate care.

Topic 3: Rights of Persons with Mental Illness (PwMI) and Psychiatric Rehabilitation

MHCA 2017 introduced a rights-based framework for psychiatric rehabilitation, emphasising recovery, capacity, and dignity. However, delayed implementation, unclear standards, and institutional resistance have led to continuing rights violations. Defining rehabilitation services, manpower norms, and the role of mental health professionals across recovery stages, supported by effective regulation and inter-sectoral collaboration, is crucial to building ethical and sustainable psychosocial rehabilitation systems.

Systemic approaches and models of care for the mental health and well-being of college students

Pankaj Kumar, Amresh Shrivastava¹, Nidhi Joseph Vergheese, Rajiv Ranjan²

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, ²Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, ¹Manshik Shakti Foundation, Thane, Maharashtra, India

Youth today navigate a landscape rich with possibility yet edged with vulnerability. The modern young mind carries its perils—academic strain, emotional volatility, identity challenges, digital saturation—and its pearls: adaptability, creativity, insight, and an innate capacity for growth. Colleges are complex ecosystems where academic intensity, identity shifts, digital immersion, and social pressures converge, shaping the mental health of emerging adults. Rates of anxiety, depression, burnout, and emotional exhaustion are rising across student populations. Contributing factors—such as sleep disruption, performance pressure, fragmented support systems, and shifting family dynamics operate at multiple levels. A purely individual-focused clinical model is no longer sufficient. This symposium examines systemic, multi-layered frameworks of care that recognise student wellbeing as a shared institutional responsibility. By integrating academic design, campus culture, digital tools, peer-support structures, and formal clinical services, colleges can evolve into protective environments that strengthen resilience, belonging, and early intervention. This symposium will highlight how interdisciplinary models can transform campuses from crisis-driven responders to proactive wellbeing environments.

Sub-Topics

1. Campus Mental Health Ecosystem

Policies, workload design, faculty sensitisation, stigma reduction, and supportive residential spaces.

2. Stepped-Care and Tiered Intervention Models

Universal wellness programs, targeted supports, and high-intensity clinical care are integrated in a fluid continuum.

3. Collaborative Care Frameworks

Coordination between psychiatrists, counsellors, academic teams, peer groups, and community services.

4. Digital Integration & Peer-Led Supports

Tele-mental health, online screening pathways, student-led mentorship, and early-warning networks.

From overlooked to understood: Adult ADHD, hidden comorbidity and pathways to treatment

Panna Sharma, Sneha Sharma, Poulami Basu

Anvaya Healthcare, Delhi, India

Adult ADHD affects an estimated 2.5% of adults worldwide, yet remains one of the most under-recognized conditions in psychiatric practice. It’s clinical presentation shifts significantly across the lifespan. While children typically show overt hyperactivity, fidgetiness, and school-related inattention, adults often present with internal restlessness, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbances, functional impairments, and frequently Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT). SCT features such as forgetfulness, daydreaming, and mental slowing contribute substantially to executive dysfunction and are more prominent than hyperactivity in adults. Untreated adult ADHD is associated with markedly increased risks of suicide, job loss, marital discord, addiction, economic instability and comorbidities including depression, anxiety disorders, and borderline personality traits. The diagnostic differences between DSM-5 and ICD 10 criteria have historically contributed to widespread underdiagnosis and variability in prevalence across regions. Neurobiologically, ADHD has a strong polygenic foundation, influencing brain structure and connectivity. Dysregulation of dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and other neurotransmitter systems disrupt attention, reward processing, and impulse control. Emerging research shows highlights the role of epigenetics and possible gut-brain axis influences. Considering the diverse neurobiological pathology, new pharmacological options include Azstarys (Serdexmethylphenidate + Dexmethylphenidate), novel NDRIs, SNRIs, glutamatergic drugs, stimulant and non-stimulant combinations, and innovative delivery systems such as transdermal patches, inhaled amphetamines, and liquid formulations, expand therapeutic choices. Digital therapeutics like Monarch eTNS and Endeavor Rx, alongside neuromodulation modalities such as tDCS, rTMS and tRNS, show promise in enhancing executive functioning. Given the high comorbidity burden and diagnostic complexity, improving cognition and individualised management of adult ADHD is essential for better clinical outcomes.

The blended psychiatry model: From concept to practice of digital psychiatry

Panna Sharma, Koushik Sinha Deb¹, Swati Kedia¹, Suruchi Singh¹

Anvaya Healthcare, ¹All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India

Mental health disorders represent a significant and growing public health concern in India, with a lifetime prevalence of 13.7% (NMHS 2015 –16). The suicide rates have risen from 9.9 per lakh population in 2017 to 12.4 in 2022 (NCRB). Despite this burden, the treatment gap remains strikingly high at 85%, largely due to limited manpower—India has only 0.2 psychiatrists per 100,000 population compared to a global median of 3. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telepsychiatry, supported by the Telemedicine Guidelines released by MoHFW. Smartphones and mobile applications now enable dynamic, two-way connectivity and personalized mental health care. Parallelly, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in psychiatry. Applications include natural language processing and machine learning for symptom assessment, risk prediction, treatment response monitoring, and reducing diagnostic errors. AI, when integrated with telepsychiatry, can further support clinical history-taking, summary generation, and rating scale assessments—bridging the treatment gap and expanding access. Even, AI can assist in online therapy sessions and guide in home tasks given to patients. The Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017, highlights the economic imperative for scaling up mental health services, as the cost of inaction far outweighs investment. In alignment, the WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health emphasizes governance, sustainability, and capacity-building in digital health systems. The symposium will focus on the “Blended Psychiatry Model”, integrating telepsychiatry with AI-driven innovations, to address critical gaps in access, quality, and personalisation of mental health in India

Technology and transcendence: Unshackling psychiatry with mobile health, AI, neuromodulation, and portable EEG informed assessment and care

Parameshwaran Ramakrishnan^1,2

¹The AdiBhat Foundation of India, New Delhi, India, ²Tower Health Phoenixville Psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Background: Psychiatry is undergoing rapid technological transformation. Emerging tools—including mobile apps, artificial intelligence, and neuromodulation—promise to address longstanding challenges such as lack of objective measurement, limited access, treatment delays, fragmented care, and stigma.

Content: Systematic review of the technological advances in psychiatry highlights opportunities in digital phenotyping, telepsychiatry, mobile applications, Virtual Reality therapies, and chatbots, while noting barriers in adoption, privacy, and evidence translation. Researchers extend this work by proposing a competency-based framework for mobile health, emphasizing training clinicians in safe and effective digital practice. Certain other Think Tank documents advances in interventional psychiatry, including adaptive closed-loop neuromodulation, artificial intelligence, and brain-computer interfaces—technologies advancing toward personalized, biomarker-driven care.

Yet, one technology remains absent from these debates: portable EEG. These devices enable (1) real-time monitoring of neural signatures in mindfulness-based therapies and (2) evidence-based training tools for spiritually informed psychiatric assessment and care. Portable EEG offers an accessible, scalable bridge between neuroscience and spirituality, expanding psychiatry’s scope beyond the biomedical model while preserving scientific rigor.

Objectives: This symposium will: (1) Review advances in digital psychiatry, neuromodulation, and mobile health.(2) Highlight the neglected potential of portable EEG.(3) Explore a competency-based framework for integrating these technologies into training and practice, and (4) Critically examine ethical and professional implications, and (5) use of portable EEG in integrating psychiatry and spirituality.

Conclusion: By bringing these four bodies of work into dialogue, the symposium charts a pathway toward a holistic, patient-centered psychiatry informed by data, devices, digital literacy, and spiritual integration.

Evidence-based medical model of studying scriptures for inter-religious theology of healing in psychiatry: Unshackling psychiatry and theology for society’s mental health

Parameshwaran Ramakrishnan^1,2, Joseph Pinto^1,3, Mubasheer Hussaini¹, Vipul Janardan^1,4, Shivarama Varambally⁵

¹The AdiBhat Foundation of India, New Delhi, India, ³Pinto Clinic, Santa Cruz, Goa, ⁴Le Crest Hospital, New Delhi, ⁵NIMHANS, Bangaluru, Karnataka, India, ²Tower Health Phoenixville Psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Background: Modern psychiatry has embraced biopsychosocial-spiritual models of care, yet systematic and evidence-based engagement with scriptural traditions remains limited. Recent work in chaplaincy-integrated psychiatry has advanced this dialogue: EEG studies of empathic listening reveal neurophysiological markers of self-transcendence, while medical-model hermeneutics offer operational definitions of constructs such as spirituality, soul, and the Divine. To validate these definitions, clinicians have been encouraged to reflectively study scriptures in dialogue with their own and patients’ lived clinical experiences.

Objective: Our aim is to develop and illustrate a ground-breaking medical model for studying scriptures across religions, establishing a practical and interreligious theology that can inform and enrich psychiatry.

Methods/Approach: The symposium integrates structured empathic listening encounters with hermeneutical methodologies, including Collingwood’s Reenactment Hermeneutics, Clooney’s Comparative Theology, and Boisen’s Living Human Document approach. Case studies from the Bible, Hadith, and Valmiki Ramayana illustrate how scriptural portrayals of Jesus, Mohammed, and Vishnu’s healing mirror empathic listening assessments in psychiatry. Neurophysiological data from EEG research are correlated with qualitative narratives of patients’ lived spiritual experiences.

Results/Insights: Findings suggest that spiritual constructs and self-transcendent states can be empirically validated through neuroscience while remaining grounded in diverse traditions. This equips psychiatrists to recognize and therapeutically engage spiritual experiences without pathologizing them, while offering theology clinically meaningful applications.

Conclusion: By correlating lived spiritual experiences with neuroscience and scriptural hermeneutics, psychiatry gains a validated spiritual framework and theology gains clinical utility. This approach reframes psychiatry as a spiritual care discipline, advancing holistic mental health and social well-being.

Phenomenological psychiatry reimagined: Integrating spiritual insights and EEG evidence to unshackle psychiatry from biomedical constraints

Parameshwaran Ramakrishnan^1,2, Shiv Gautam-Chair³, Shivanand Kattimani⁴, Ravi S. Ramasamy², Rajesh Sagar⁵

¹The AdiBhat Foundation of India, ⁵Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, ³Gautam Institute of Human Behavior and Alternative Medicine, Jaipur, Rajasthan, ⁴Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Puducherry, India, ²Tower Health Phoenixville Psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

Background: Psychiatry was originally rooted in phenomenology, emphasizing empathic understanding of lived experience. With the dominance of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), phenomenological methods declined, and psychiatry became increasingly constrained by biomedical models. Recent advances suggest the need to revive phenomenological psychiatry by integrating philosophical, spiritual, and neuroscientific insights.

Educational Objectives:

1) To understand phenomenological psychiatry’s historical beginnings and decline.

2) To examine the role of clinical intuition as a valid and personalized approach to psychiatric assessment.

3) To explore EEG-based evidence linking empathic listening to mindfulness-to-transcendence states.

4) To apply emerging clinical guidelines that integrate spirituality and technology in phenomenological psychiatry.

Content/Presentations:

1) Historical Perspective: Dr. Shivanand Kattimani will trace the origins of phenomenological psychiatry and its decline under descriptive diagnostic frameworks.

2) Intuition and Personalization: Dr. Ravi S. Ramasamy will examine intuition as a clinical tool and highlight the need for empirical frameworks.

3) Neuroscientific Evidence: Dr. Ramakrishnan Parameshwaran will present EEG evidence showing how empathic listening induces and verifies transcendent states.

4) Guidelines for Practice: Dr. Rajesh Sagar will propose clinical practice guidelines for spiritually grounded, technologically supported phenomenological psychiatry.

Conclusion: This symposium will equip participants to critically appraise psychiatry’s historical trajectory, evaluate the empirical basis of intuitive and spiritual methods, and apply emerging guidelines. Together, these perspectives aim to liberate psychiatry from narrow biomedical constraints and re-establish it as a healing science of both mind and soul.

Different pathways to care for psychiatry patients in India

Paramita Ray, Nidhi Dwivedi¹, Amit Kumar Bhattacharya²

IPGMER, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, ¹Consultant Psychologist, ²Institute of Psychiatry

Accessing mental healthcare is crucial for effective treatment and management of mental health disorders. Understanding care pathways can improve service delivery and prevent severe disease progression, higher hospitalization rates, and increased economic burden on healthcare systems. Despite advancements in psychiatric research and treatment, several challenges persist in ensuring timely access to appropriate care.

Key barriers include stigma and cultural misconceptions about mental illness, leading to reluctance in seeking help. Limited mental health resources in tertiary care hospitals result in high patient loads, particularly in low-resource settings. Economic constraints pose a significant barrier due to costs of treatment like medications, psychotherapy, and hospitalization. Lack of mental health awareness leads to delayed help-seeking behavior. Geographical barriers in rural and remote areas limit access to tertiary care due to limited facilities, transportation issues, and inadequate referral systems.

These challenges are associated with poor treatment outcomes, high relapse rates, and greater social and occupational dysfunction. Addressing these barriers is vital for improving mental healthcare access and outcomes.

Gen Z and socio-political upheaval across countries: Implications for India

Partha Sarathi Kundu, Anweshan Ghosh¹, Abir Mukherjee², Soumya Chaterjee³

Institute of Psychiatry-A Centre of Excellence, IPGMER and SSKM Hospital, ¹Department of Health and Family Welfare, National Mental Health Programme, Government of West Bengal, ²Manipal Group of Hospitals and Neotia, ³Antara Psychiatric Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Gen Z (born ~1997 –2012) is central to contemporary socio-political upheavals. A cross-country comparative lens is required for Gen Z. They are relevant in light of global trends for India’s democratic, social, and cultural fabric. From streets to screens Gen Z mobilizes globally. Gen Z is reshaping political engagement through digital-first, value-driven, non-hierarchical activism. Socio-economic uncertainty fuels political volatility and identity-based mobilization among Gen Z. Digital platforms profoundly shape Gen Z’s political beliefs, emotions, and modes of participation. India must proactively engage Gen Z to harness democratic energy while mitigating polarization and unrest.

Unshackling psychiatry: The power of lifestyle interventions in mental health

Partik Kaur, Pallavi Abhilasha, Mamta Singla

Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Introduction: Mental health care is undergoing a paradigm shift from symptom control to holistic wellbeing. Traditional psychiatry, while invaluable, often overlooks the profound influence of daily lifestyle choices on mental health outcomes. Lifestyle psychiatry is an emerging discipline that integrates evidence-based modifications in diet, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and social connectedness as core components of mental health care. This approach moves beyond the traditional biomedical model, emphasizing prevention, recovery, and holistic wellbeing. This symposium highlights how integrating lifestyle-based strategies can strengthen psychiatric practice and promote societal mental wellness.

Lifestyle Interventions and Mental Disorder Risk Reduction: Lifestyle interventions help prevent common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety by addressing biological and psychosocial factors. Regular physical activity enhances neuroplasticity and mood, while balanced nutrition supports brain and gut health. Adequate sleep, stress management, and reduced substance use strengthen emotional resilience. Promoting social connections further improves wellbeing. By targeting these modifiable behaviors, lifestyle psychiatry offers a preventive, evidence-based approach that complements traditional treatments and supports long-term mental health in clinical and community settings.

Clinical Integration of Lifestyle Interventions in Practice: Integrating lifestyle interventions into psychiatric care helps reduce depression and anxiety by addressing diet, exercise, sleep, and stress. Incorporating structured assessments, brief counseling, goal-setting and multidisciplinary collaboration enhances adherence and outcomes. This holistic approach complements traditional treatments, promoting recovery and overall mental wellbeing.

Future Directions and Policy: Integrating lifestyle interventions into health policies, community programs, and clinical training can prevent common mental disorders and promote sustainable, population-wide mental wellbeing.

AI chatbots as an easy therapist: Problem solved or a danger lurking for society?

Parul Prasad, Rameez Shaikh¹, Swayam Prava Baral², Gyanendra Raghuvanshi²

Career Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Mind and Mood Clinic, Nagpur, Maharashtra, ²IMS and SUM Hospital 2, Bhubhaneswar, Odisha, India

Background: The past few years have seen a rapid expansion in the use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT. Barriers such as cost, stigma, and limited availability of professionals have driven interest in these AI tools to expand access to mental health support. As a sophisticated language model, ChatGPT can engage users conversationally and has shown potential in psychoeducation, providing emotional support, offering motivation and goal-setting help, and directing users to resources.

Some studies also note its usefulness in self-assessment, monitoring, and cognitive-restructuring type guidance. These functions may help bridge gaps in mental health services, particularly in contexts with workforce shortages or where people prefer anonymous, judgment-free disclosure.

However, significant limitations temper this promise. AI Chatbots may misinterpret complex emotions, lacks non-verbal understanding, struggles with nuanced assessment, and cannot reliably evaluate the severity of symptoms or respond appropriately in crises. It also cannot replicate key therapeutic elements such as empathy, rapport, and human connection. Concerns about accuracy, potential misinformation, and inconsistent evaluation highlight the need for built-in fact-checking and evidence-based safeguards.

Ethical issues like privacy risks, data security, informed consent, and the danger of emotional overreliance or misdiagnosis remain central. The rapid growth of mental-health chatbots, many lacking peer-reviewed validation, raises additional safety challenges. Overall, while AI chatbots can complement traditional services through accessibility, anonymity, and 24/7 availability, they cannot replace professional care and must be deployed with rigorous oversight, transparency, and ethical protections.

Integrating nutritional psychiatry into routine mental health care: Bridging evidence, practice, and metabolic health

Pawan Kumar Gupta, Pallavi Dhakne¹

King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Dr. Kolwerkar, Mapusa, Goa, India

Background: Global research increasingly supports the role of diet, inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic pathways in shaping mental health outcomes. Yet, nutritional interventions remain under-utilised in Indian psychiatric practice, which is primarily pharmacology-driven. Current metabolic clinics address obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia, but rarely emphasise nutrition’s preventive and therapeutic potential in psychiatric disorders. A shift toward an evidence-based “nutritional psychiatry” approach is needed to enhance mental health outcomes, reduce medication burden, and improve physical well-being.

Aims: To (1) summarise contemporary evidence linking diet quality and psychiatric symptomatology, (2) outline brief and detailed nutritional intervention models feasible in high-volume Indian outpatient settings, and (3) demonstrate collaborative pathways between psychiatry and metabolic clinics for integrated patient care.

Methods: Three presentations will be delivered.

1. Dr Pawan Kumar Gupta: Evidence base, mechanistic pathways (gut –brain axis, inflammatory modulation, metabolic regulation), and brief nutritional intervention models suitable for routine psychiatric practice.

2. Dr Pallavi V. Dhakne: Evidence-informed nutritional strategies for depression, anxiety, trauma-related conditions, and behavioural addictions, with focus on affordability and cultural relevance.

3. Dr. Sunil Pawar: Integrating metabolic monitoring, dietary counselling, lifestyle planning, and pharmacotherapy to create a unified whole-body mental health framework.

Conclusion: The symposium presents a structured, evidence-aligned framework for incorporating nutritional psychiatry into routine mental health care. Combining psychopharmacology with accessible dietary and lifestyle interventions can strengthen treatment outcomes, reduce long-term health risks, and promote a preventive, patient-centred model of psychiatric care in India.

Revisiting psychiatric diagnosis through a trauma lens: Developmental trauma, diagnostic gaps, and clinical implications

Pawan Kumar Gupta

Department of Psychiatry, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: Robust evidence indicates that early childhood trauma has enduring effects on neurodevelopment, emotional regulation, identity formation, and vulnerability to a wide range of psychiatric disorders. However, current diagnostic systems, including DSM-5-TR and ICD-11, remain largely symptom-based and atheoretical, often failing to adequately capture the developmental, relational, and attachment-related consequences of chronic interpersonal trauma. As a result, individuals with early, repeated trauma are frequently assigned multiple comorbid diagnoses, leading to fragmented clinical formulations and suboptimal treatment planning. The proposal of Developmental Trauma Disorder (DTD) by van der Kolk and colleagues sought to address these limitations through a developmentally informed trauma framework, yet it remains absent from formal psychiatric nosology, generating ongoing debate within stress-and trauma-related diagnostic workgroups.

Objectives: This symposium aims to critically examine the role of early developmental trauma in current psychiatric diagnostic frameworks, explore conceptual and methodological challenges in integrating a developmental trauma perspective, and discuss the clinical implications of existing diagnostic gaps.

Symposium structure and presentations:

Dr. Pawan Kumar Gupta, Professor of Psychiatry, KGMU, Lucknow, will outline the developmental trauma perspective and rationale for DTD.

Dr. Amit Arya, Professor of Psychiatry, KGMU, Lucknow, will review trauma-related diagnoses in DSM-5-TR and ICD-11.

Dr. Eesha Sharma, Associate Professor of Child Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bengaluru, will discuss research and clinical challenges in child and adolescent trauma.

Dr. Shivangi Mehta, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, GMC Chandigarh, will highlight real-world diagnostic and treatment challenges.

Child and adolescent suicide: clinical challenges, digital influence, evidence based interventions

Pinki Sevda, Ifrah Naz, Vipindeep Sandhu, Bichitra Nanda Patra, Rajesh Sagar

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Child and adolescent suicide has emerged as a critical public mental health concern in India, shaped by complex clinical, developmental, and socio-digital determinants that demand a coordinated and evidence-based response. According to NCRB’s 2023 report, student suicides accounted for 8.1% of the total 171,418 suicides reported in the year. This symposium brings together five speakers to address key dimensions of this evolving challenge. The first presentation outlines the epidemiology and clinical challenges of suicidality in children and adolescents, highlighting developmental vulnerabilities, high-risk presentations, and diagnostic complexities that often delay intervention. The second speaker examines the influence of digital tools, including social media exposure, cyberbullying, and harmful content on suicidal ideation and behavior, emphasizing the need for clinicians to integrate digital risk assessment into routine practice. The third talk discusses case scenarios, assessment challenges, focusing on validated screening tools, red-flag indicators, differentiation between self-harm and suicidality. The fourth speaker reviews evidence-based interventions including safety-planning, family-centered approaches, school-based programs, technological innovations, psychological interventions. The final presentation addresses system-level and policy implications, including service gaps, training needs, crisis-response models, and the integration of suicide-prevention frameworks within pediatric, school, and community mental health settings. To conclude, this symposium aims to provide a comprehensive, multidimensional overview of child and adolescent suicide, deepen understanding of emerging digital influences, and strengthen clinical capacity to deliver timely, effective, and developmentally informed interventions.

Reframing restraint and seclusion in indian psychiatry: Building a standardized framework for monitoring and accountability in inpatient care

Pooja Shakya, Koushik Sinha Deb¹, Vijay Krishnan², Ragul Ganesh³, Nitin Gupta⁴

Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Human Behavior and Allied Sciences, Delhi, ¹Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, ²Department of Health Research, MoHFW, GoI, ³Department of Psychiatry, JIPMER, Puducherry, ³Gupta Mind Healing and Counseling Centre, Chandigarh, India

Background: Coercion within mental healthcare occurs along a broad spectrum, ranging from subtle infringements of personal autonomy to overt restrictive practices enacted in clinical settings. While community-level coercion related to stigma and social exclusion warrants continued dialogue, the mental health system itself may inadvertently perpetuate distress through treatment protocols and institutional practices. Among all forms of clinical coercion, inpatient restraint and seclusion represent the most visible and ethically challenging interventions, creating a tension between the fundamental obligation to respect patient autonomy and the practical imperative of ensuring safety during episodes of acute behavioral disturbance. Despite global efforts toward restraint minimization, these practices continue to be utilized in psychiatric inpatient units when less restrictive measures prove ineffective. Effective ethical oversight and quality improvement require systematic monitoring and transparent reporting of restraint and seclusion events. However, current practices are limited by inconsistent definitions, varied reporting thresholds, terminology differences, and fragmented documentation standards across services, making meaningful comparison and benchmarking difficult. This variability has contributed to the scarcity of reliable Indian data and hampers the evaluation of restraint reduction initiatives in line with the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA), 2017. Objective: The specific objectives are to:

1. Explore reasons for the paucity of systematic national data on inpatient restraint and seclusion in India.

2. Develop uniform terminology and event classification criteria applicable across services.

3. Define a minimum core dataset with measurable clinical and ethical outcome indicators.

4. Recommend benchmarking parameters aligned with the rights-based provisions of the MHCA, 2017.

From interest to implementation: Establishing neuromodulation clinics for the early-career psychiatrist

Pooja Sharma, Nishant Goyal¹, K. L. Vidya², Bhawna Yadav³

Neuromind Medical Care Centre, ¹Central Institute of Psychiatry, ²Geriatric Mental Health, King George Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, ³Maharishi Markandeshwar College of Medical Science and Research, Ambala, Haryana, India

Non-invasive neuromodulation has emerged as a key advancement in interventional psychiatry, offering targeted modulation of dysfunctional brain circuits without the risks of surgery or systemic side effects. These methods target neural circuits implicated in mood, anxiety, obsessive –compulsive, psychotic, and neurodevelopmental disorders.

Techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), theta burst stimulation (TBS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), and EEG-based neurofeedback have demonstrated therapeutic benefits across several psychiatric disorders.

The realisation of the limitations of psychotropics and the increasing evidence base for neuromodulation have resuscitated the interest in neuromodulation among the scientific community. Several trends have emerged in the field of neuromodulation that are likely to continue, including being less invasive, more focal, better integrated with behaviour, and using less energy. Neuromodulation has rapidly evolved into a key therapeutic modality in modern psychiatric practice, offering effective, non-pharmacological treatment options for various psychiatric disorders. Early-career psychiatrists are uniquely positioned to integrate these innovations into their clinical practice, yet often face challenges related to training, infrastructure, and patient selection. This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive, practice-oriented roadmap for establishing and delivering neuromodulation services across diverse clinical settings. The program will emphasise patient selection, safety screening, consent processes, and standardised operating procedures for rTMS and tDCS. Case-based discussions will illustrate common operational challenges and solutions. This session aims to empower the next generation of psychiatrists to lead innovation, expand access, and integrate neuromodulation into routine mental healthcare.

The art of prescribing in dementia: Balancing efficacy and safety

Porimita Chutia

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

Worldwide 55 million people are living with dementia which is a progressive illness with complex cognitive and behavioral symptoms leading to functional impairment. Dementia management requires a unique blend of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment strategies, tailored to the severity of cognitive impairment, the presence of behavioral and psychological symptoms and functional impairment. Moreover, the type of dementia, co-morbidities and age-related factors also needs to be considered. In addition, there is scarcity of literature not only on efficacy, safety and optimal duration of medications commonly used in patients with dementia but also on how and when these medications to be administered to maximize the clinical benefit. Clinician must navigate and balance the clinical judgement, individualized approach to the patient’s needs and ethical considerations while prescribing a drug in patients with dementia along with vigilant monitoring. This symposium explores pharmacological decision making in dementia beyond existing guidelines offering a holistic, practical and individualized approach. The discussion is structured around three key aspects.

1. Evidence for pharmacological treatment options in dementia

2. The art of clinical decision making while prescribing in dementia

3. Challenges, monitoring and deprescribing strategies

Clinical assessment and management of nicotine dependence in special populations

Prabhoo Dayal, Gauri Shanker Kaloiya, Shiv Prasad¹, V. Om Sai Ramesh¹

NDDTC, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, ¹Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India

Nicotine dependence is increasingly recognised as a chronic, relapsing medical and behavioural disorder that significantly contributes to global morbidity and mortality. Although standard clinical assessment and treatment strategies exist for the general tobacco-using population, “special populations”—including individuals with severe mental illness, substance-use disorders, pregnant women, persons living with HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis, LGBTQ+ individuals, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups—face disproportionate burden and reduced access to cessation services. These groups often exhibit higher tobacco-use prevalence, complex comorbidities, variable motivation to quit, and social/environmental challenges that limit the success of conventional cessation care. Therefore, tailored assessment and management approaches are necessary to improve outcomes and reduce health disparities.

This seminar will: (1) review evidence-based strategies for assessing nicotine dependence and readiness to quit in special populations; (2) outline adapted management approaches, including behavioural counselling, pharmacotherapy and integrated service-delivery models; and (3) discuss barriers and facilitators to implementing tailored cessation interventions in routine practice.

Drawing upon recent literature, guideline recommendations, and clinical case vignettes from psychiatric and addiction-treatment services, the seminar will demonstrate how dependence assessment tools and treatment strategies require contextual modification across different vulnerable groups. Practical frameworks for integrating specialised cessation care into psychiatric OPDs, drug-treatment centres, and maternal-health services will also be presented.

Participants will gain practical skills in structured assessment, population-specific care planning, and delivering equity-driven tobacco-cessation services. By embedding tailored approaches in relevant clinical settings, healthcare providers can effectively enhance quit rates and reduce tobacco-related health inequalities among high-risk and marginalised populations.

Engaging patients and communities in strengthening mental health integration: Reflections from a research advisory group under the ICMR –MINDS project

Pragyapti Malav, Abhishek Ghosh¹, Kshitiz Sharma¹

Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, ¹Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is increasingly recognized as essential for ensuring the relevance, acceptability, and sustainability of mental health interventions. This symposium presents reflections from the Research Advisory Group (RAG) established under the ICMR –MINDS Project, which aims to integrate mental and substance use disorder services into primary healthcare.

Speaker 1: Establishing the RAG and Rationale for PPI in Implementation Research

The first speaker, Dr. Abhishek Ghosh, will describe why a Research Advisory Group is necessary, highlighting the limitations of traditional top-down implementation strategies and the value of engaging communities directly. This presentation will explain how the initial “Patient Advisory Group” evolved into a broader RAG to ensure diverse and meaningful participation.

Speaker 2: Methods and Conduct of RAG Meetings

The second speaker, Dr. Kshitiz Sharma, will outline how the RAG was operationalized. His presentation will describe the use of the GRIPP2 –Long Form framework, participant recruitment strategies, meeting facilitation processes, and the systematic approach used for documenting discussions and preparing them for thematic analysis.

Speaker 3: Findings and Co-Developed Solutions

The final speaker, Dr. Pragyapti Malav, will share insights from the RAG, including barriers related to inconsistent medication supply, frequent staff changes, prevailing stigma, and limited awareness. The group strongly emphasized integrating mental health services within primary care. These recommendations informed improvements in communication materials and advocacy with district authorities for medication availability.

Conclusion: This symposium demonstrates how structured PPI can strengthen primary care –based mental health integration and offers a scalable model for public health research in low-resource settings.

Adult ADHD at a crossroads: Balancing recognition with diagnostic integritythe growing recognition of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults marks a significant shift in psychiatric practice and public awareness. Once considered a child

Prasanth Ampalam

Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Exeter, UK

The growing recognition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults marks a significant shift in psychiatric practice and public awareness. Once considered a childhood condition, ADHD is now diagnosed at comparable rates in adults, driven by evolving diagnostic criteria, heightened public discourse, and the destigmatization of mental health care. However, this expansion has ignited debate about where genuine clinical need ends and overdiagnosis begins. Relaxed symptom thresholds in the DSM-5, increased use of telehealth assessments, and widespread exposure to ADHD-related content on social media have blurred diagnostic boundaries, sometimes prioritizing speed and accessibility over thorough evaluation.

While legitimate adult ADHD diagnoses and treatments yield substantial benefits—improving occupational performance, reducing accident risk, and enhancing quality of life—concerns persist about inconsistent diagnostic standards, commercial pressures, and the influence of cultural narratives. Post-pandemic surges in stimulant prescriptions and the proliferation of rapid, high-cost private assessments raise further ethical and clinical questions.

This emerging landscape calls for a balanced approach that preserves access to care while upholding diagnostic rigor. Comprehensive assessments incorporating collateral history, functional impairment, and contextual factors are essential to maintain accuracy and credibility. Transparent industry relationships, clinician education, and evidence-based public communication are equally critical. Adult ADHD now stands at a crossroads—requiring reflection, restraint, and responsibility to ensure that awareness translates into meaningful, ethical, and scientifically grounded care.

From guidelines to clinics-managing EUPD in real world settings

Prasanth Ampalam

Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Exeter, UK

Recent updates in the understanding and management of Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (EUPD) emphasize a shift toward dimensional, trauma-informed, and functionally focused care. Under ICD-11, categorical subtypes have been replaced by a model that grades severity (mild –severe) and defines personality disturbance through key traits such as negative affectivity and disinhibition. This framework promotes formulation-based care and helps clinicians differentiate EUPD from related presentations such as Complex PTSD.

In UK practice, management is increasingly community-focused. Primary care supports mild presentations through psychoeducation and brief therapy, while secondary services—particularly Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) and Crisis Teams—provide structured, predictable care for higher-risk cases. Emphasis is placed on continuity, collaborative safety planning, and minimizing unplanned hospital admissions.

Psychological therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) have the strongest evidence, with Schema Therapy, Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), General Psychiatric Management (GPM), and STEPPS offering adaptable alternatives depending on service context and clinician skill.

Medication use remains adjunctive and short-term, reserved for targeted symptom relief or comorbid conditions. Current evidence discourages polypharmacy; clozapine may be considered only for severe, refractory cases under close monitoring. Emerging research explores agents such as brexpiprazole, clonidine, and ketamine, though results remain preliminary.

Overall, effective EUPD management requires consistent structure, clear communication, and compassionate boundaries. Integrating evidence-based psychotherapies with collaborative crisis planning continues to offer the best outcomes in real-world clinical settings.

From the field to the synapse: A psychoneuroimmunoendocrinological and biopsychosocial analysis of farmer suicides in India

Prashant Chaudhari, M. Krishnapriya

Bandra Care Clinic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

The persistent crisis of farmer suicides in India constitutes a critical public health emergency that transcends conventional socio-economic explanations. This paper aims to synthesize the holistic Biopsychosocial (BPS) framework with the mechanistic Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinological (PNIE) model to provide a more comprehensive understanding of this tragedy. The central thesis is that PNIE pathways—specifically chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and systemic inflammation—provide the biological evidence for how social and psychological stressors, identified within the BPS model, become biologically embedded, leading to severe depression and suicidality. A statistical analysis of national and state-level data reveals the geographical and demographic concentration of the crisis, particularly in regions like Maharashtra, while a critical evaluation of existing interventions highlights their insufficiency in addressing the deep-seated biological consequences of chronic stress. This analysis culminates in a proposal for a new paradigm of neurobiologically-informed public health interventions. These include culturally adapted mind-body therapies, nutritional psychiatry targeting the gut-brain axis and micronutrient deficiencies, and the prospective use of biomarker-based screening via point-of-care diagnostics. It is concluded that a paradigm shift toward integrated psychobiological public health strategies is imperative to meaningfully address the farmer suicide epidemic in India.

The unlearned lesson: An inquiry into recurring pharmaceutical poisoning and the imperative for regulatory overhaul in India

Prashant Chaudhari, M. Krishnapriya

Bandra Care Clinic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

The recent deaths of at least 16 children in India from cough syrup contaminated with Diethylene Glycol (DEG) are not an isolated tragedy but the latest manifestation of a deep-seated, systemic failure within the nation’s pharmaceutical regulatory framework. This report argues that such recurring mass poisonings are a predictable outcome of a history of institutional negligence. An analysis of the 2025 Coldrif crisis, which echoes past domestic and international incidents in Gurugram (1998), Jammu & Kashmir (2020), The Gambia, and Uzbekistan (2022), reveals the root causes.

The primary structural flaw is India’s fragmented dual-control system, where central authorities set standards while state bodies handle licensing and enforcement, creating inconsistent oversight and enabling “regulatory shopping.” This is compounded by a severe enforcement deficit, characterized by a chronic shortage of drug inspectors, inadequate testing laboratories, and a culture of impunity where punitive action is rare. The contamination represents a catastrophic failure of basic Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)—the substitution of a medicine’s ingredient with an industrial poison—rather than a complex issue of pharmacological bioequivalence.

To break this deadly cycle, comprehensive reform is imperative. This report proposes dismantling the dual-control system by centralizing all manufacturing licensing under a strengthened national authority (CDSCO), a massive investment in regulatory capacity, the immediate enactment of a mandatory drug recall law, and the imposition of stringent penalties, including criminal liability for gross negligence. Only through such a fundamental overhaul can India ensure the safety of its citizens and restore global trust.

Crisis in psychiatry - A manifesto by a brain physician

Prashant Chaudhari, M. Krishnapriya

Bandra Care Clinic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Modern psychiatry is in a state of profound crisis, anchored to a diagnostic system (the DSM) forged in political compromise rather than scientific discovery. This manifesto proposes a radical paradigm shift from the prevailing “medical psychologist” model to that of the “Brain Physician.” This new specialist operates within a rigorous, systems-based neurobiological framework, reframing psychiatric illness not as a collection of discrete disorders, but as the clinical expression of a single, lifelong neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative process. This process is governed by the Psycho-Neuro-Immuno-Endocrine (PNIE) axis, with roots extending into the deep paleogenetic history of our species.

The manifesto systematically dismantles the historical errors of the DSM, exposing its sacrifice of scientific validity for administrative reliability. It further critiques the corrupting infrastructures of ignorance that perpetuate these flaws, including intellectually barren professional conferences and the distorting influence of medical marketing. Foundational clinical myths, such as the “antidepressant-induced switch” and simplistic notions of seasonality, are deconstructed and replaced with nuanced, multi-layered biological models. The work argues for a new pharmacology aimed not at mere symptom suppression, but at the restoration of a “normal baseline” of brain function. Ultimately, this manifesto is a call to reclaim psychiatry for medicine through a violent rejection of opinion-based dogma, a rigorous education in foundational neuroscience, and an uncompromising commitment to the ethical and practical standards of a true, fact-based science.

Stress and struggles – expanding frontiers in stress, mental health, and illness

Prateek Varshney

South London and Maudsley Trust, London, UK

Background: Stress is a universal yet complex construct influencing vulnerability, resilience, and outcomes in both physical and mental health. Despite its ubiquity, definitions and approaches to stress remain varied and fragmented. To address this gap, the second edition of Stress and Struggles: Comprehensive Book of Stress, Mental Health & Mental Illness (2025) consolidates contemporary knowledge across 53 chapters authored by 106 experts worldwide. Aim: 1. Present an integrative framework for understanding stress in psychiatry. 2. Explore intersections between stress, psychiatric disorders, and vulnerable populations. 3. Highlight contemporary stressors in the digital and socio-environmental age. 4. Discuss clinical and community-based strategies for stress management. Method: The symposium will consist of five presentations: 1. Conceptual Foundations: Evolution of stress definitions, biomarkers, and stress-related diagnoses in ICD-11 and DSM-5. 2. Stress and Psychiatric Disorders: Role of stress in psychotic, mood, anxiety, personality, and neurodevelopmental conditions. 3. Stress in Diverse Populations: Women, migrants, refugees, LGBTQ individuals, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. 4. Contemporary Stressors: Impact of technology, artificial intelligence, telepsychiatry, and environmental challenges. 5. Management and Resilience: Pharmacological, psychological, traditional, and community-based strategies for coping and well-being. Results: The symposium will synthesize multidisciplinary perspectives, offering novel insights into the pervasive impact of stress on mental health and illness. It will underline the importance of inclusivity, context, and emerging challenges in stress research and practice. By integrating scientific evidence with real-world applications, it will encourage clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to reimagine stress interventions in a rapidly evolving world, positioning stress at the centre of psychiatric discourse.

Evolving frontiers of consultation –liaison psychiatry: status, challenges, and comparative insights from diverse clinical settings

Pratibha Gehlwat, Priti Singh¹, Purushottam Jangid¹

IHBAS, Delhi, ¹Pt. BD Sharma, UHS, Rohtak, Haryana, India

Consultation –Liaison (CL) Psychiatry has emerged as a critical subspeciality at the interface of physical and mental health, ensuring comprehensive and integrated patient care. In India, its relevance continues to expand with increasing recognition of psychiatric comorbidities across medical and surgical specialties. This symposium brings together to discuss the evolving landscape of CL Psychiatry, highlighting the current status, future directions, and institutional variations that shape service delivery. The session aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of CL Psychiatry’s trajectory and its pivotal role in shaping integrated, patient-centred mental healthcare.

Speaker 1 will outline the current status of CL Psychiatry, emphasizing its scope in acute care settings, the rising burden of medically unexplained symptoms, substance-related emergencies, capacity assessments, and the role of CL teams in improving overall patient outcomes. Key challenges including limited manpower, inadequate training exposure, and variable institutional support will also be discussed.

Speaker 2 will present a comparative perspective between General Hospital Psychiatry Units (GHPUs) and Mental Health Institute settings. Differences in patient profiles, referral pathways, interdepartmental collaboration, administrative support, and teaching opportunities will be discussed. The speaker will also reflect on how each setting influences case mix, service responsiveness, resource utilization, and trainee learning.

Speaker 3 will explore the future prospects of CL Psychiatry by focusing on models of integrated care, collaborative frameworks with physicians, and the role of technology, telepsychiatry, and standardized protocols. Opportunities for training, capacity building, and strengthening multidisciplinary teamwork to ensure timely and structured psychiatric inputs in general hospitals will be highlighted.

Integrated EEG-neurobiofeed laboratory: Interventions and applications in child psychiatry

Praveen Khairkar, Rajesh Khoiwal, Himani Khanna-Narula¹, Manu Sharma², Pooja Kapoor¹

Pacific Institute of Medical Science, ²Geetanjali Institute of Medical Science, Udaipur, Rajasthan, ¹Continua Kids, New Delhi, India

Background: Child and adolescent psychiatric disorders are characterized by neurodevelopmental alterations in brain network functioning, often manifesting as deficit in attention, emotional regulation, impulse control and social cognition. Conventional pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions, while effective for many, may be limited by partial response, adverse effects or poor tolerability in children. EEG-based neurobiofeedback has emerged as non-invasive, brain-directed interventions that enable real-time modulation of dysfunctional neural oscillatory patterns. However, lack of standardized laboratory framework, training and clinical outcome monitoring in India has restricted its broader clinical adoption in Child Psychiatry.

Aim: To present the conceptualization, structure and clinical applications of an integrated EEG-Neurobiofeed Laboratory model for assessment and intervention in Child Psychiatric disorders. Laboratory Model and Intervention Framework: We present the currently existing quantitative EEG-NEUROBIOFEED software, protocol designs, and longitudinal outcome and evaluation within single clinical ecosystem. Disorganised EEG recordings of various child psychiatry disorders like ADHD, Mobile and Nicotine Addiction, Dyslexia and Mood Dysregulation disorders are analysed for frequency band analysis, band spectrum abnormalities, coherence and asymmetric patterns relevant to specific brain regions. Disorders specific neurobiofeedback protocols are formulated, targeting modulation of theta-beta ratio, sensorymotor rhythm, alpha asymmetry or frontal-midline theta activity. Training sessions typically consists of 30 minutes of 20 plus sessions conducted 2 to 3 times a week. We used operant conditioning paradigms with visual and auditory reinforcement.

Conclusion: An integrated EEG-Neurobiofeed Laboratory offers translational, personalized and neuroscience-informed approach to child psychiatry care. This model bridges neurophysiological assessment supporting precision psychiatry providing scalable framework for clinical practice.

Genome-based risk stratification of alcohol induced cognitive deficits in early-onset dual diagnosis: A multicentric neuropsychiatric collaboration in India

Praveen Khairkar, Srinivasa Kandrakonda¹, Anne Hussain¹, Dheeraj Jain²

Pacific Institute of Medical Science, Udaipur, Rajasthan, ¹Kamineni Institute of Medical Science, Hyderabad, Telangana, ²Redcliffe Laboratory, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Early-Onset alcohol dependence particularly when accompanied by Psychiatric comorbidities or dual diagnosis is increasingly recognized as high-risk trajectories for accelerated cognitive decline and further risk of developing dementia. However, reliable early biomarkers that can predict the alcohol-induced cognitive deficits and long-term neurodegenerative vulnerability remain limited in routine clinical practice.

This workshop presents a collaborative initiative between Radcliffe Genomic Laboratory and leading neurosychiatrists across South and North India aimed at developing a genome-based screening framework for early identification of such high risk individuals.

The program focuses on individuals with early-onset alcohol dependence with dual diagnosis psychiatric disorders, integrating clinical Neuropsychiatric assessments, standardized cognitive profile and next-generation sequencing-based Genomic analysis.

Candidate genetic pathways of interest include alcohol metabolism (e. g. ADH, ALDH variants), polymorphism in neuroinflammation, synaptic plasticity, oxidative stress and genes implicated in neurodegenerative process of dementia. Genomic findings, laboratory techniques and challenges are shared.

This workshop will highlight the feasibility of implementing genomic screening for the first time in Indian Neuropsychiatric setting with ethical considerations and challenges in interpretation across diverse populations.

Preliminary insights into risk stratification model for alcohol related cognitive impairment and projected dementia susceptibility will be discussed. Emphasis shall be placed on translational utility and how genome-based risk-profile can inform early preventive interventions and future personalized treatment planning and cognitive remediation and rehabilitation.

By fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between genomics and neuropsychiatry, this initiative aims to move towards precision psychiatry with potential implications for public health services and future dementia prevention strategies.

Speech enhancement treatment protocols using functional MRI and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in children with autism spectrum disorders

Praveen Khairkar, Indira Tendolkar¹, Saurabh Chowdhury², Pooja Jain³, Divya Chadha⁴

Advance Neuromodulation Laboratory, Pacific Institute of Medical Science, ⁴Pacific Institute of Medical Science, Udaipur, Rajasthan, ²Department of Computer Science, Indian Institute of Technology, ³Mahajan Imaging and Labs, New Delhi, India, ¹Donder Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Background: Speech and language impairment is a core and often persistent deficit in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders significantly affecting social communication, academic functioning and quality of life. Despite structured speech therapy and behavioral interventions, a subset of children exhibit limited or plateaued response. rTMS is a non-invasive Neuromodulation technology when used with brain imaging has shown evidence of improving language related neural networks. However, standardized, clinically applicable rTMS protocols specifically targeting speech enhancement in autistic children remains limited, particularly in developing countries.

Aim: To develop and present a structured, safe and clinically feasible rTMS-based speech enhancement treatment protocol for children with autism, intended as an adjuvant to conventional speech and language therapy.

Protocol Description: The proposed protocol targets language-related cortical regions, primarily the left inferior frontal gyrus and bilateral superior temporal gyrus for naming response. Additionally, left angular gyrus for recollection of words, pictures and images and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex biphasic train for improving focus and eye contact with objects and enhancement of paired associative learning and memory.

Specific frequency protocols shall be shared and the outcomes of few children will be discussed.

Standardized speech, language and behavioral outcomes measures are employed at baseline, post-interventional and follow-up.

Safety and Ethical considerations including adherence to international pediatrics rTMS safety guidelines with careful screening for seizure risk, sensory sensitivity, parent consent, child assent and continuous monitoring are followed.

Clinical Implications: This protocol offers a novel, translational framework for incorporating Neuromodulation into multi-disciplinary autism care. It may provide foundation for future.

Challenges and nuances in disability certification of persons with psychiatric disabilities

Pravin B. Yannawar, Deepak Kumar, Vibha Sharma, Manisha Jha

Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi, India

Speaker 1 (PY): Background and Context

The disability certification for Persons with Psychiatric Disabilities presents multifaceted challenges that extend beyond clinical diagnosis, encompassing developmental, psychosocial, and administrative nuances. Although the RPwD Act 2016 provides a legal framework for certification, the practical process remains complex due to heterogeneous presentations, overlapping symptomatology, and variable developmental trajectories. IHBAS as an apex Institute has taken various steps to make the process user friendly and timely assessment and certification as per the guidelines.

Speaker 2 (DK): Clinical and Assessment Challenges

In many cases, the complex nature of symptomatology makes diagnostic differentiation difficult and necessitates comprehensive evaluations using multiple standardized tools. Limited availability of trained professionals and culturally appropriate assessment instruments further restricts accurate evaluation, particularly in rural and low-resource settings.

Speaker 3 (VS): Administrative and Systemic Barriers

Despite recent disability evaluation guidelines simplifying procedures for professionals, patients and caregivers still find the process exhaustive and time-consuming. Administrative hurdles, geographical inaccessibility, lack of medical boards, and delays in documentation further burden caregivers already managing complex care needs.

Speaker 4 (MJ): Ethical, Social Issues and Way Forward

Certification for individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorders requires balancing clinical accuracy with empathy, social sensitivity, and efficiency. Addressing issues such as guardianship, Aadhaar name mismatches, living arrangements, repeated visits, lack of Form A for Specific Learning Disabilities, dynamic illness progression, and treatment standards is crucial. Strengthening guidelines, professional training, culturally fair assessments, and operational support will ensure a more equitable and accessible certification system across the lifespan.

Digital mental health in India: Opportunities, risks, and clinical realities

Preethy Kathiresan, Jaswant Jangra¹, Swarndeep Singh²

AIIMS, ¹CAPFIMS-AIIMS, ²VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi, India

Digital mental health has emerged as a transformative force within contemporary psychiatric practice, particularly in India, where rapid digital expansion intersects with significant mental-health service gaps. With over 900 million internet users and more than 1.1 billion mobile connections, digital platforms now constitute a primary source of health information for many individuals. At the same time, India continues to face an 80 –90% treatment gap for mental disorders, underscoring the need for accessible, scalable, and evidence-informed digital strategies. This symposium presents three critical dimensions of digital mental health that hold growing clinical relevance for psychiatrists.

The first speaker will examine the expanding use of digital technologies for seeking mental-health information and enhancing mental-health literacy. While increased online access has improved reach and awareness, it has also amplified challenges related to misinformation, unregulated content, uneven digital literacy, and variable cultural appropriateness of available resources.

The second speaker will focus on the adverse consequences of problematic digital engagement, with particular emphasis on behavioural addictions. The discussion highlights emerging epidemiological trends, clinical presentations, psychosocial correlates, and regulatory gaps related to the same.

The third speaker will address the unique issues encountered by special populations in engaging with digital mental-health initiatives. Barriers such as reduced digital literacy, sensory and cognitive limitations, accessibility concerns, and heightened vulnerability to privacy risks warrant tailored, inclusive, and age-friendly approaches.

Together, these perspectives provide an integrated understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with digital mental health in India, offering psychiatrists insights for responsible, ethical, and contextually relevant implementation.

Bridging mind and meaning: Spiritual science meets modern neuropsychiatry/neuroscience

Prince, Shraddha Jadhav¹, Siddhant Mathur²

Shakuntlam Hospital, Jhajjar, Haryana, ¹MGM Medical College, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, ²Hi Tech Hospital, Kashipur, Uttarakhand, India

This presentation explores the confluence of ancient spiritual frameworks and modern psychiatric neuroscience, focusing on how practices rooted in Kundalini yoga, chakras, mudras, and ritual-based systems can inform a contemporary understanding of consciousness, emotional regulation, and mental health. Drawing from the Upanishadic and Tantric traditions, these spiritual concepts are examined through the lens of neuroanatomy, autonomic nervous system regulation, and affective neuroscience. Emerging research on brain regions implicated in spiritual experiences—such as the prefrontal cortex, insula, and default mode network—provides a foundation for integrating these ancient insights into psychiatric practice. The presentation further discusses the therapeutic application of yogic practices in managing trauma, depression, and spiritual emergencies, advocating for a culturally sensitive, transdisciplinary approach in mental health care. Through case studies and neuroscientific correlates, this work aims to validate the clinical relevance of inner transformation practices within the evolving domain of integrative psychiatry.

Digital phenotyping and passive sensing to predict mood episodes in children and adolescents: Toward a new era of early intervention

Pritam Chandak, Jeet Nadpara¹

Synapse Mind Care, Nagpur, ¹Shantmaan Hospital, Vapi, Gujarat, India

The increasing ubiquity of smartphones and wearable technologies has opened a new frontier in child and adolescent psychiatry: digital phenotyping—the moment-by-moment quantification of human behavior using data from personal devices. This approach offers unprecedented opportunities to detect, monitor, and even predict mood episodes in young people with or at risk for mood disorders.

This symposium will explore how passive sensing—capturing data such as sleep –wake patterns, activity levels, speech and typing dynamics, social connectivity, and geolocation variability—can provide objective markers of mood states and transitions. By integrating these data streams with clinical assessments, self-reports, and biological markers, researchers are beginning to develop predictive models for depressive and manic episodes with increasing accuracy.

Speakers will present emerging findings from longitudinal and real-world studies that leverage smartphone and wearable data to track emotional and behavioral rhythms in youth. The session will also address the translational challenges of implementing these tools in clinical settings, including data privacy, ethical considerations, algorithmic bias, and equitable access.

Ultimately, this symposium aims to advance discussion on how digital phenotyping can complement traditional assessment methods to enable precision monitoring, early warning systems, and timely interventions for mood disorders in young people—bridging the gap between digital innovation and compassionate, developmentally informed mental health care.

Online pornography, sexting, and cyber-sexual behaviours in adolescents: Links to addiction, impulsivity, and neurodevelopmental disorders

Pritam Chandak, Jeet Nadpara¹

Synaspe Mind Care and CDC, Nagpur, Maharashtra, ¹Shantmann Hospital, Vapi, Gujarat, India

The digital era has transformed the landscape of adolescent sexuality. Increasing access to online pornography, sexting platforms, and cyber-sexual interactions has blurred the boundaries between normative exploration and problematic use. While occasional curiosity is part of adolescent development, excessive or compulsive engagement may reflect underlying vulnerabilities such as impulsivity, poor self-control, or social cognition deficits.

Emerging research highlights that adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are particularly vulnerable to risky online sexual behaviours. In ADHD, heightened impulsivity and novelty-seeking predispose to compulsive pornography use and cyber-sexual addiction. In contrast, adolescents with ASD may engage differently — either excessively, due to social isolation, or avoidantly, due to social communication difficulties. Neurobiological studies indicate overlapping dysfunctions in the prefrontal-striatal reward circuits, similar to those seen in substance use and behavioural addictions.

Beyond the neurobiological mechanisms, these behaviours have profound psychosocial consequences including guilt, anxiety, distorted body image, poor academic performance, and vulnerability to online exploitation or sextortion. The absence of age-appropriate sexual education, inadequate parental supervision, and limited digital literacy further amplify risks in the Indian and global adolescent population.

Sexual and gender-based violence against boys, men and LGBTQIA+

Purnima Nagaraja, Mona Nongmeikapam¹, Dhrithi Mushthi²

Dhrithi Wellness Clinic, Hyderabad, Telangana, ¹Department of Psychiatry, Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, ²Department of Psychiatry, Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) against boys, men, and LGBTQIA+ individuals remains one of the most under-recognized and underserved areas in clinical practice. Despite increasing awareness, survivors frequently face unique barriers to disclosure, care, and justice, often compounded by stigma, rigid gender norms, and limited institutional preparedness. This workshop aims to equip mental health professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to identify, assess, and support survivors across these populations.

The session will highlight the epidemiology and diverse manifestations of SGBV in boys, men, and LGBTQIA+ communities, with an emphasis on understanding cultural, developmental, and psychosocial contexts. Through focused case discussions, participants will engage with real-world scenarios that illustrate common clinical challenges, including delayed disclosure, internalized stigma, complex trauma presentations, and intersectional vulnerabilities. The workshop will also outline evidence-based therapeutic approaches tailored to the needs of these survivors, covering trauma-informed frameworks, gender-affirmative care principles, and strategies to foster safety, resilience, and empowerment. Additionally, faculty will discuss key legal and ethical considerations relevant to the Indian context, including reporting obligations, medico-legal documentation, consent issues, and the rights of LGBTQIA+ and child survivors.

By the end of the workshop, attendees will gain a practical, nuanced understanding of SGBV in these often-neglected groups and develop confidence in delivering sensitive, comprehensive, and legally sound care. This session aims to advance compassionate clinical practice, reduce systemic blind spots, and strengthen multidisciplinary responses to SGBV at national and institutional levels.

Accessible addiction treatment (detoxification and rehabilitation) in general hospital settings

Raghav Shah, Sambhu Prasad¹, Siddharth Arya²

Rajasthan Hospital-RHL, Jaipur, Rajasthan, ¹AIIMS, Patna, Bihar, ²PGIMS, Rohtak, Haryana, India

General hospital psychiatry has brought the treatment of mental illnesses out of the hallowed asylums and psychiatric hopsital domains. Addiction treatment especially rehabilitation remains elusive from general hospitals and remain stigmatized to a great extent to the ‘deaddiction centres’.

The treatment seeking in substance use disorders is often due to comorbid mental and physical illnesses and many early treatment seekers are in this ‘opportunistic intervention’ settings. Integrated treatments in such situations would be most prudent and effective.

We wish to present a review of current situation of addiction treatment services in general hospitals in India and also to propose the ideal situation where a user can get access to the best possible treatments in general hospital setting itself.

Tobacco consumption across the socio-demogtaphic divide

Raghav Shah, Roop Sidana¹, Sunil Vatsyayan²

Rajasthan Hospital-RHL, Jaipur, ¹Tek Chand Sidana Memorial Hospital, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, ²Nada India Foundation, New Delhi, India

Tobacco consumption has been increasing worldwide but there have various reasons driving it and different strata of the society have been affected in different ways.

There have been various surveys related to tobacco use including both the smoked and smokeless forms. The prominent surveys among them are the global adult tobacco survey (GATS) and the national family health survey (NFHS) of India. The relative consumption of tobacco has been declining in out country and in most parts of the world.

There have been varying social and economic determinants of tobacco use and one among them is the political theory of letting people have an intoxicating substance to overcome the misery of their day to day life. Many other hypothesis are used to explain the tobacco use among Indian populations.

We wish to discuss the various determinants of tobacco use among Indian population in our symposium.

The impact of tobacco dependence on alcohol withdrawal severity and delirium risk: Towards integrated detox protocols

Raghav Singh, Shreyas Ahuja¹, K. Yashwanth², Sanjay Singh³

KVG Medical College and Hospital, Sullia, ²Siddaganga Medical College and Research Institute, Tumukuru, Karnataka, ¹All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, ³Consultant Psychiatrist, Guwahati, Assam, India

Background: Alcohol withdrawal is a major psychiatric emergency, yet the contribution of concurrent tobacco dependence remains under-recognized in clinical practice. Nicotine withdrawal may amplify autonomic instability and neuropsychiatric symptoms, thereby increasing delirium risk. Despite the high co-use prevalence in India, standardized dual-substance detox protocols are lacking.

Objective: This symposium brings together clinical evidence and expert perspectives to examine the interaction of alcohol and tobacco withdrawal, and to highlight strategies for integrated management.

Format and Subthemes: 1. Epidemiology and Neurobiology of Alcohol –Tobacco Co-Dependence

DR. SHREYAS AHUJA, JUNIOR RESIDENT, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, JODHPUR

– Prevalence in Indian populations and shared mechanisms underlying worsened withdrawal outcomes.

2. Clinical Study Findings: Nicotine Load as a Predictor of Delirium

DR. RAGHAV SINGH, JUNIOR RESIDENT, KVG MEDICAL COLLEGE AND HOSPITAL, KARNATAKA

– Cross-sectional data showing higher nicotine exposure (>25 mg/day) independently predicts delirium risk.

3. Nicotine Replacement Therapy in Alcohol Detoxification

DR. YASHWANTH K., SENIOR RESIDENT, SRI DEVI MEDICAL COLLEGE, TUMKURU, KARNATAKA

– Evidence that NRT reduces agitation, ICU transfers, and need for restraints or antipsychotics.

4. Towards Integrated Dual-Substance Detox Protocols

DR. SANJAY SINGH, CONSULTANT PSYCHIATRIST, GUWAHATI

– Clinical challenges, policy gaps, and recommendations for standardized dual-substance detox care.

Conclusion: This symposium will underscore how tobacco dependence worsens alcohol withdrawal outcomes and increases delirium risk. Evidence supporting nicotine replacement and dual-substance screening will be presented, offering a roadmap for integrated protocols in Indian de-addiction practice.

Bridging the AI gap in mental health: An India-centric framework for safe adoption

Raghav Singh, Shreyas Ahuja¹, Shambhavi Sharma², Chandan K. Aryan³

KVG Medical College and Hospital, Sullia, Karnataka, India¹All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, ²Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, ³ACSR Government Medical College, Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, India

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming mental-health care through multimodal diagnostics, digital therapeutics, and predictive analytics. However, most AI systems are trained and validated outside India, creating gaps in cultural relevance, linguistic suitability, digital access, and ethical preparedness. Without India-specific validation and governance, AI risks widening mental-health inequities rather than reducing them.

Aim: This symposium presents a unified argument that AI can meaningfully augment psychiatric practice in India only when diagnostic innovation, digital therapeutics, ethical safeguards, and regulatory readiness evolve together. We introduce the Context-Responsive AI Adoption Model (CRAIM)—a practical framework synthesising Indian datasets, global evidence, and emerging policy pathways.

Symposium Overview:

1. Dr. Chandan K Aryan reviews progress in speech analytics, behavioural markers, and imaging-based models, highlighting validation gaps and presenting emerging Indian pilot findings.

2. Dr. Raghav Singh evaluates automated psychotherapy, including digital-CBT prototypes and vernacular chatbots, analyzing scalability, engagement patterns, and clinical boundaries in low-resource settings.

3. Dr. Shreyas Ahuja examines ethical and medico-legal concerns—algorithmic bias, informed consent in semi-literate populations, privacy under the DPDP Act, and accountability within hybrid human-AI care models.

4. Dr. Shambhavi Sharma maps the Indian policy ecosystem (ABDM/NDHM, Tele-MANAS) and proposes a graded roadmap for safe deployment that accounts for linguistic diversity, infrastructural constraints, and regulatory gaps.

Conclusion: By integrating diagnostics, digital therapeutics, ethics, and policy into a single framework, this symposium provides psychiatrists with a practical, evidence-based roadmap for responsible AI adoption in India—enhancing care without compromising ethics, equity, or human oversight.

Making tobacco cessation centres work: Policy, practice, and pitfalls in government hospitals

Raj Kumar Sahu, Mini Sharma¹, Akshaya B. Raj²

ESIC MC and H, ²Department of Psychiatry, ESIC MC and H, Basaidarapur, New Delhi, ¹Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Bhilwara, Rajasthan, India

This symposium dives into the nuts and bolts of running a Tobacco Cessation Centre (TCC) inside Indian government hospitals. We’re not just talking theory—we’re blending hard data, national guidelines, and real stories from two government setups. The goal? To lay out a step-by-step roadmap for building and keeping a TCC going strong.

We’ll start by laying out why these services matter. Right now, tobacco use in India is all over the map—smoked, chewed, different regions, different groups, men, women. We’ll look at the numbers and what that means for psychiatry in general hospitals.

Next, we move from policy to practice. The focus here is on the National Tobacco Control Programme and the Tobacco Free Educational Institutions guidelines. We’ll break down how hospitals can actually put these rules to work on the ground to support real tobacco cessation.

Then, we zoom in on a working model: the TCC at ESIC MC&H, Basaidarapur. Here, you’ll see how the patient workflow runs, how services connect with psychiatry and other departments, and how handheld digital spirometry becomes a tool for both assessment and motivation. Systematic record-keeping keeps things organized and makes it possible to track outcomes that matter.

We’ll wrap up by getting real about the challenges—red tape, staffing shortages, lack of infrastructure, documentation overload, and getting patients to stick with the program. But it’s not all problems; we’ll share practical, context-sensitive solutions you can actually use, drawn straight from on-the-ground experience.

Consultant leadership role-symposium from the RCPsych, South Asian Division

Rajashree Ray, Keshav Rao Devulapally¹, Praveen Kumar Chintapanti²

Royal College of Psychiatrists, South Asain Division, ¹Chetana Hospital, ²Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

This symposium consists of three presentations, each exploring the evolving leadership roles and responsibilities of a Consultant Psychiatrist, with focus on three central elements of practice: Leadership and Management, Confidentiality, and MDT Working. As senior clinical leaders, Consultant Psychiatrists play a pivotal role in guiding multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) towards compassionate, collaborative and patient-centred care.

The first presentation on Leadership and Management will examine the consultant’s responsibility in shaping clinical direction, balancing autonomy with accountability, and modelling behaviours that promote psychological safety, staff wellbeing, and effective decision pathways. Leadership styles, delegation, managing complexity, and supporting team development will be discussed.

The second presentation on Confidentiality will address the ethical and legal foundations of confidentiality—what it means, how it operates in day-to-day life, and how it differs across professions such as law and medicine. We will explore the unique responsibilities of the physician, and specifically the psychiatrist, where sensitive information, mental capacity, risk to self or others, and safeguarding considerations regularly influence decisions. The complexities of breaching confidentiality in mental health settings will be analysed through clinical scenarios, emphasising proportionality, patient trust and statutory obligations.

The third presentation will highlight MDT working, exploring how varied clinical perspectives, cultural differences, workload pressures and communication styles may generate conflict. Strategies for conflict resolution—including negotiation, reflective practice, emotional regulation and compassionate dialogue—will be offered. The overarching learning objective is to build leadership behaviours that strengthen team cohesion, enhance patient outcomes, and ensure ethically sound, safe and effective psychiatric care.

From risk detection to resilience: Tackling problematic technology use in youth

Rajeev Ranjan, Tanmay Joshi¹, Ragul Ganesh², Siddharth Sarkar³

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, Bihar, ¹All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, ²Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, ³All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Background: Excessive technology use has emerged as a major public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults. It is strongly associated with stress, depression, anxiety, poor academic outcomes, and social difficulties.

Aim: The symposium will cover AI-driven predictive models for early risk detection, evidence-based prevention strategies, adaptation of structured frameworks for timely interventions and training modules to strengthen the capacity of educators and health professionals, aiming to develop scalable solutions for digital wellness.

A. Early Prediction through AI and Digital Phenotyping

Dr Rajeev Ranjan will discuss demographic, psychological, cognitive, behavioural, socio-environmental, and digital phenotypes that can inform predictive models, emphasizing the role of AI (machine learning, deep learning) in scalable early detection.

B. Prevention Frameworks

Dr Tanmay Joshi will present multi-component prevention packages integrating digital literacy, resilience training, parental guidance, and school-based strategies, validated for feasibility and effectiveness.

C. Early Identification and Intervention: Adapting SBIRT for Technology Use

Dr Ragul Ganesh will focus on Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) framework for technology-related addictions, enabling early identification and timely intervention.

D. Capacity Building through Standardised Training Modules

Dr Siddharth Sarkar will address the available evidence-based training modules on digital well-being for education and health professionals, strengthening their capacity to promote safe technology use.

Conclusion: The Centre for Advanced Research on Addictive Behaviours (CAR-AB), funded by ICMR, is a pioneering multi-centre initiative in India that will provide frameworks for prediction, prevention, and management of digital overuse, offering crucial guidance for educators, clinicians, caregivers, and policymakers.

How to improve quality of life in patients with opioid use disorder

Ram Ghulam Razdan, Ankit Raghuwanshi¹, Aditya Guru¹

Malwanchal University, Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, ¹Index Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Indore, MadhyaPradesh, India

Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) is a chronic, relapsing illness associated with significant impairment in physical health, psychological well-being, social functioning, and occupational performance. Traditional treatment approaches focusing solely on abstinence often fail to address broader functional outcomes. Improving quality of life (QoL) has therefore emerged as a key objective of comprehensive, recovery-oriented OUD management.

Symposium Overview: This symposium highlights multidimensional strategies to improve QoL in patients with OUD through integrated biological, psychological, and psychosocial interventions.

Theme 1: Burden of OUD and Quality of Life Impairment – Dr. Ramgulum Razdan

Patients with OUD experience poor QoL due to withdrawal symptoms, chronic pain, psychiatric comorbidities, stigma, unemployment, and family disruption. Understanding these interconnected domains is essential for developing patient-centered treatment plans and improving long-term outcomes.

Theme 2: Pharmacological and Psychological Interventions – Dr. Ankit Raghuwanshi

Opioid Agonist Maintenance Therapy with buprenorphine or methadone improves QoL by reducing cravings, withdrawal symptoms, and relapse. Management of psychiatric comorbidities and psychological therapies such as Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy enhance emotional stability and treatment engagement.

Theme 3: Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery-Oriented Care – Dr. Aditya Guru Psychosocial rehabilitation including family interventions, peer support, vocational training, and social welfare linkage restores social and occupational functioning. Harm reduction and multidisciplinary, recovery-oriented care are essential for sustained improvement in quality of life.

Integrated and sustainable model of therapeutic systems of care for neurodivergent children (autism spectrum disorder and intellectual developmental disorder): Cross-cultural insights from the USA and India

Ramakrishnan Parameshwaran, Sailaja Musunuri¹, Rajesh Sagar², Tine Hansen-Turton³

Tower Health Phoenixville Psychiatry, Drexel University, Philadelphia, ¹Mollie Woods Hare Global Center of Excellence, Woods Systems of Care, ³Woods System of Care and Woods Resources, Langhorne, PA, USA, ²All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

Background: WHO –UNICEF (2019) estimates indicate that 317 million children globally live with developmental disabilities. Neurodivergent children, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Intellectual Developmental Disability (IDD), have complex biopsychosocial needs requiring coordinated, multidisciplinary, and sustainable systems of care. Yet they are often overlooked in policy and planning, and fragmented services lead to inequitable access, poor continuity, and suboptimal care. These gaps contribute to persistent stigma, institutionalization, and unequal opportunities in health, education, and community participation.

Objectives: Drawing on clinical, academic, and cross-cultural experiences from the USA and India, this symposium presents a Therapeutic Systems Model of Care integrating psychopharmacological, psychosocial, and cultural-spiritual approaches within sustainable service frameworks.

Symposium Summary: Four presentations anchor the model:

1. Dr. Sagar examines India’s current systems of care for neurodivergent children, outlining strengths, challenges, emerging opportunities, and policy implications.

2. Ms. Hansen-Turton discusses the USA experience in creating and sustaining therapeutic systems, emphasizing interdisciplinary coordination and community-based integration.

3. Dr. Musunuri presents integrated biopsychosocial approaches for ASD and IDD, demonstrating how genetic and neuroimaging insights inform personalized interventions through case-based illustrations.

4. Dr. Parameshwaran explores evolving biopsychosociospiritual systems of care, offering cross-cultural lessons from comparative case studies in the USA and India.

Expected Outcomes: Participants will learn how psychiatric leaders from two distinct sociocultural settings address challenges in caring for neurodivergent children. They will gain practical insights from the USA and Indian contexts to strengthen and innovate systems of care within their own practice environments.

The attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder –autism interface: Navigating through troubled waters

Raman Baweja, Vishal Madaan¹, Ujjwal Ramtekkar²

Penn State Colege of Medicine, Hershey, PA, ¹American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, ²University of Missouri Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MO, USA

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are highly prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions that frequently co-occur and share overlapping clinical and functional features. Their interface presents notable diagnostic and therapeutic challenges across developmental stages, as symptom expression, comorbidities, and functional impairments evolve. Emotional dysregulation, a transdiagnostic construct, is increasingly recognized as a key factor influencing outcomes in youth with ADHD and ASD.

Aims: This symposium aims to (1) describe the developmental trajectory and changing clinical presentation of ADHD; (2) review current evidence on ASD, including diagnostic considerations and functional implications; and (3) examine emotional dysregulation within the context of ADHD and ASD, emphasizing its relevance for assessment, comorbidity risk, and individualized treatment planning.

Methods: A comprehensive review of peer-reviewed literature, clinical guidelines, and recent meta-analyses was conducted. Delegates from the Indo-American Psychiatric Association synthesized findings in their respective areas: ADHD development and management (Vishal Madaan), ASD clinical and functional domains (Ujjwal Ramtekkar), and emotional dysregulation across ADHD and ASD (Raman Baweja).

Results: Findings show that ADHD and ASD manifest heterogeneously across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. While hyperactivity often decreases with age, inattention, executive dysfunction, and social-communication challenges frequently persist. Emotional dysregulation complicates diagnostic clarity, and affects treatment response. Multimodal interventions, including pharmacologic and psychosocial strategies, demonstrate the strongest evidence for improving outcomes.

Conclusion: Understanding developmental pathways and shared features of ADHD and ASD, with specific attention to emotional dysregulation, can enhance diagnostic accuracy and inform individualized care. Integrating lifespan perspectives with evidence-based strategies may improve functional and psychosocial outcomes.

Inside the funny brain: Neurobiology and psychiatric implications of humour

Rishi Biswanath, Deepa Gupta, Anshita Girdhar

IHBAS, Delhi, India

Humour, often dismissed as psychiatry’s “soft science, ” is actually a sophisticated neurocognitive function with diagnostic and therapeutic relevance. From the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex detecting incongruity to the mesolimbic system rewarding a well-timed punchline, humour engages an extensive brain network rivaling those used for memory, language, and emotion. As individuals progress from peek-a-boo to political satire, their humour reflects the maturation of executive functions and social cognition, making it one of the brain’s most revealing developmental milestones.

Across psychiatric disorders, humour acts as a biomarker with distinct clinical signatures: schizophrenia patients may smile at the wrong moment, autism spectrum disorder patients may prefer jokes that follow rules, the depressed may find nothing amusing, and manic patients may find everything amusing. Frontotemporal dementia, predictably, produces humour that would make even an intern blush.

Used wisely, humour can strengthen rapport, reduce tension, enhance reframing, and remind both patient and psychiatrist that the therapeutic space is human before it is clinical. Used poorly, it can rupture trust faster than a misplaced interpretation. Thus, clinical humour requires cultural sensitivity, careful timing, and the humility to laugh at oneself rather than at the patient.

As digital humour ecosystems reshape emotional life—from memes to micro-videos—emerging research highlights opportunities for cognitive screening, resilience building, and intervention design.

Ultimately, humour stands not in opposition to serious psychiatry but as its ally: a neural, emotional, and relational instrument that, when employed thoughtfully, can transform clinical encounters and restore the capacity to find lightness in the human condition.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in autism spectrum disorder: Clinical insights from a private multidisciplinary center in Delhi

Riya Sharma, Deepak Gupta, Nabanita Sengupta, Sanjana Abrol

Center for Child and Adolescent Well Being, New Delhi, India

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) involves social, behavioral, and communication impairments, with growing evidence linking its pathophysiology to oxidative stress, immune dysregulation, and cerebral hypoperfusion; Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) may help by improving brain oxygenation, reducing inflammation, and supporting neuronal recovery.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) on behavioral and cognitive outcomes in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), by assessing changes in symptom severity before and after a standardized course of HBOT using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).

Methods: This study examined the effects of HBOT on 121 children with ASD at the Centre for Child and Adolescent Wellbeing (CCAW), a private multidisciplinary child psychiatry setup in New Delhi, India. 121 children Received 2 hour/day of HBOT over 20 consecutive days (total 40 hours).

Results: Outcomes were assessed using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC), completed before and after treatment. Results revealed that 67.7% of children demonstrated reduced ATEC scores, reflecting improvements in behavioral and cognitive domains. Meanwhile, 6.6% showed no change, and 28.1% experienced increased scores, suggesting limited or negative response to therapy.

Conclusion: Overall, HBOT appears to offer potential symptomatic benefits for some children with ASD.

However, further large-scale randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols are needed to clarify its efficacy, safety, and optimal clinical use.

Entrepreneurship in psychiatry

Rohit Garg, Saurabh Garg¹

Ganaa, ¹Mind Vriksha, New Delhi, India

Background: Psychiatry in India is entering a pivotal phase, shaped by rising mental-health awareness, rapid digital-health expansion, and a persistent shortage of trained professionals. This environment has created unprecedented opportunities. Yet many psychiatrists remain unfamiliar with scalable business models, operational requirements, and the entrepreneurial pathways that can amplify their impact beyond clinical practice.

Aims: This symposium aims to expose psychiatrists to a wide range of entrepreneurial opportunities within mental health, showcase successful models of psychiatry-led companies, and promote ethical entrepreneurship that enhances access and quality of care.

Methods: The symposium will include case studies illustrating diverse business models, revenue structures, regulatory considerations, and operational nuances. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A and mentoring segment.

Results: Participants will gain actionable insights into current and emerging entrepreneurial opportunities, learn how to evaluate and refine their own venture ideas, and develop a clearer understanding of the practical risks, rewards, and responsibilities involved in building mental-health enterprises.

Conclusion: The symposium will empower psychiatrists to think beyond clinical boundaries and confidently explore entrepreneurial pathways that advance mental health access, quality, and innovation in India.

Breaking barriers, building bridges: Telemedicine’s promise in addiction recovery

Roshan Bhad, Deepali Negi, K. Muhammed Jadeer, Asmita Vashisht, Gurveen Kaur

National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, AIIMS, Delhi, India

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are highly prevalent in India, yet a large proportion of individuals with these disorders do not receive the necessary treatment. India faces a significant challenge in providing equitable healthcare to its population due to the skewed distribution of resources, creating a barrier to accessing treatment. Low affordability, massive information asymmetry, and poor health awareness further compound the issue. Given the significant treatment gap in addiction care, telepsychiatry can play a crucial role in bridging these disparities, especially for rural populations where traditional face-to-face consultations are often unattainable.

Objectives: The first speaker will critically examine the clinical effectiveness of telemedicine in improving patient outcomes, and the second speaker will highlight the unique opportunities within the Indian landscape, addressing both its potential and infrastructural hurdles. The third speaker will delve into the existing guidelines, including the legal and ethical aspects of prescribing, patient consent, privacy, and data security. The fourth speaker will address the advantages and the limitations of these guidelines to provide a realistic perspective. Finally, the fifth speaker will explore the potential of emerging technologies to make telemedicine a sustainable and integral part of the addiction recovery ecosystem. By examining these aspects, the discussions aim to highlight the transformative potential of telemedicine in overcoming systemic challenges in addiction care.

World Federation for Mental Health and World Association for Social Psychiatry symposium on promotion, prevention, advocacy, and best practices in mental health

Roy A. Kallivayalil, Rakesh Chadda¹, Sunil Mittal², Mamta Sood³

Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvalla, Kerala, ¹Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Faridabad, Haryana, ²Cosmos Institute-CIMBS, ³All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India

The global burden of mental disorders continues to rise, underscoring the urgent need to shift from treatment centric models to comprehensive strategies that emphasize promotion, prevention, advocacy, and evidence based practice. This symposium gathers clinicians, policymakers, researchers, and community stakeholders to explore actionable frameworks that enhance mental well being across the lifespan. It will highlight successful large scale public health initiatives that integrate mental health into primary care, education, and workplace settings, demonstrating how early intervention can mitigate the onset of psychopathology. It will also examine innovative prevention programs—ranging from school based resilience curricula to digital cognitive behavioural tools—evaluating their scalability, cost effectiveness, and cultural relevance. Advocacy will equip participants with communication strategies to influence policy, secure funding, and combat stigma through media and community engagement. Best practices will showcase interdisciplinary models of care, including collaborative stepped care pathways, peer support networks, and trauma informed approaches, with a focus on low resource environments. By fostering dialogue and cross sector collaboration mental health promotion and prevention are prioritized as essential components of public health agendas.

Chairs: Prof Roy A Kallivayalil and Prof Varghese P Punnoose

Topics and Speakers:

1. Advocacy Strategies for Mental Health Policy Reform-Prof Roy A Kallivayalil

2. Integrating Mental Health Promotion into Universal Primary Care-Prof Rakesh Chadda

3. Digital Interventions for Prevention: Opportunities and Ethical Considerations-Dr Sunil Mittal

4. School Based Resilience Programs: Evidence and Scalability-Prof Mamta Sood

WPA section on psychiatry, law and ethics symposium on challenges in South Asia, MHCA 2027, forensic psychiatry, digital psychiatry and data privacy

Roy Abraham Kallivayalil, Neeraj Gill¹, U. C. Garg², Heena Merchant³

Pushpagiri Institute of Medical Sciences, Thiruvalla, Kerala, ²Garg Medical Complex, Agra, Uttar Pradesh, ³Sion Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, ¹School of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

This WPA Section on Psychiatry, Law and Ethics symposium will discuss the challenges in the field of psychiatry, law and ethics in South Asia and especially India. It will have a special focus on the Mental Health Care Act (MHCA), 2017, India. The MHCA will be analysed in the context of international human rights framework. There will be discussion on universal human rights principles versus the local/regional relevance. Forensic Psychiatry in India: Current Practices & Future Directions will overview psychiatrists’ interface with courts, criminal responsibility assessments, and the use of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) 84 and 85 (now BNS). Then Review of emerging tele psychiatry platforms, consent procedures, and confidentiality risks. Examination of recent RBI/NBFC guidelines on digital health data and proposed amendments to the IT Act.

Chairs:

1. Prof Roy A Kallivayalil (India)

2. Prof Sudhir Bhave (Nagpur)

Topics and Speakers:

1. Psychiatry, Law, and Ethics: Challenges in South Asia-Prof Roy A Kallivayalil (India) (Chair, WPA Section on Psychiatry, Law and Ethics.)

2. Ethics of Mental Health Legislation: The Mental Healthcare Act 2017 vs. International Human Rights Standards-Prof Neeraj Gill (Australia) (Secretary, WPA Section on Psychiatry, Law and Ethics.)

3. Forensic Psychiatry in India: Current Practices & Future Directions-Dr UC Garg (Agra)

4. Digital Psychiatry & Data Privacy: Legal and Ethical Challenges in Tele psychiatry-Dr Heena Merchant (Mumbai)

The challenges being faced by the psychiatrists all over India and especially in Punjab

Rupinder Kapur

Consultant Psychiatrist

Psychiatry in India is experiencing a challenging period. Despite the progressive intent of the Mental Healthcare Act (MHCA) 2017, ground-level psychiatric practice is increasingly restricted by legal ambiguity, administrative oversight and persistent stigma. The gap between legislative rights and practical implementation remains wide, with Punjab representing this divide most sharply.

Across the country, psychiatrists navigate intersecting legal frameworks, including MHCA 2017, the NDPS Act and the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Complex compliance requirements, extensive documentation and fear of legal action have pushed clinicians toward defensive decision-making rather than patient-centered care. In Punjab, state-imposed Standard Operating Procedures for de-addiction facilities frequently override clinical judgment and conflict with evidence-based IPS guidelines. Strict enforcement under NDPS, coupled with high prosecution rates, has created apprehension that legitimate treatment choices may be misinterpreted as criminal acts. As a result, many psychiatrists avoid addiction work, and patients face reduced access to essential opioid-substitution treatments.

Other barriers include fragmented regulation by multiple authorities, routine interference without expert consultation and persistent insurance discrimination despite mental health parity requirements. Media sensationalism further deepens stigma and undermines public trust.

Without corrective action, expected outcomes include widening service gaps, weaker treatment standards and increased marginalisation of psychiatric patients. Reforms are urgently needed: legal protection for good-faith prescribers, unified national SOPs aligned with MHCA and IPS guidelines, revision of Punjab’s restrictive rules, enforcement of insurance parity and structured collaboration with media. Professional bodies must strengthen advocacy, legal support and public education.

Protecting psychiatric autonomy is critical for patient safety, equitable access and meaningful mental-health reform.

Community-based psycho-spiritual care: The treasure initiative for religious women (catholic nuns) in India

Sally John, Shanti Thomas¹, Nitisha Shirbhate

MGIMS, Wardha, Maharashtra, ¹District Hospital Nilambur, Consultant District Mental Health program, Malappuram, Kerala, India

Catholic religious sisters (Nuns) constitute one of the largest human resource bases in India’s education, healthcare, and social sectors. As frontline workers in schools, hospitals, dispensaries, and development projects, they serve tirelessly in high-stress contexts with limited recognition. Yet while they care for millions, their own mental and spiritual well-being often goes unaddressed.

The Treasure Movement, the first of its kind in India, responds to this need. Conceived as a collaborative initiative of Catholic sisters, it focuses on psycho-spiritual health through a network of nearly 110 mental health professionals—primarily psychiatrists and psychologists who are religious women themselves. The network has developed a community-based model that integrates clinical expertise, faith-sensitive guidance, and peer support. In addition to addressing acute needs, the initiative fosters preventive care through awareness programs, safe spaces for dialogue, and accessible support within religious communities.

A cornerstone of the model is training for fellow-sisters, equipping them to recognize distress, promote healthier community dynamics, and integrate resilience with evidence-based psychological care.

This symposium will highlight that Treasure’s framework has broader implications. By strengthening the resilience of sisters at the forefront of service, the model indirectly benefits vulnerable populations across rural and underserved regions, offering a replicable faith-sensitive care approach.

Proposed Symposium Structure

• Speaker 1: Spirituality and Mental Health – Evidence and Challenges in Religious Life

• Speaker 2: The “Treasure” Model – A New Care Paradigm for Religious Nuns across India

• Speaker 3: Practical Implementation and Training: Building a Mental Health Culture in Religious Communities

Association between retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and neurocognitive abnormalities in substance use disorder: A cross-sectional study using optical coherence tomography

Sambhu Prasad, Ankita Upamanyu, Pankaj Kumar

AIIMS, Patna, Bihar, India

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a chronic neurobiological condition associated with cognitive impairments. Due to its shared embryological origin and neuroanatomical connections with the brain, the retina can serve as a window into central nervous system changes. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) enables a non-invasive, high-resolution assessment of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL) thickness, providing a potential biomarker for neurocognitive alterations related to SUD. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL) thickness using OCT and investigate its association with cognitive performance assessed by Stroop Color Word Test and Color Trail Test in patients with SUD. Method: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 86 adult patients diagnosed with SUD. Neurocognitive functioning was measured using Stroop Color Word Test (SWCT) and Color Trail Test (CTT), and RNFL thickness was quantified using OCT. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to examine relationships between RNFL and cognition. Results: Eighty-six patients (mean age 28.9 years; 98.8% male) were included, with opioids (67.4%) and alcohol (30.2%) as the predominant primary substances. In the overall cohort, RNFL NS thickness correlated significantly with Stroop T score (SWCT) in the left eye (p = 0.001, p = 0.348), indicating better cognitive interference control with greater RNFL thickness. Among alcohol users, RNFL NI thickness showed a strong negative correlation with the CTT Interference Index (p = 0.001, p = –0.598), reflecting poor cognitive function with RNFL thinning. Other domains demonstrated weaker or non-significant associations. Conclusion: These findings suggest RNFL thickness as a promising, non-invasive biomarker for selective

The carbon impact of mental health care

Samiksha Sahu, Saurav, K. M. Sarita

Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Mental health services impose a substantial carbon burden, accounting for ~6% of NHS emissions with secondary care emitting 1,510 kt CO2e annually. Inpatient bed-days generate 97 kg CO2e each, outpatient visits 59 kg, fuelled by hospital energy, patient/staff travel, medication supply chains, and out-of-area placements. This footprint intensifies climate change, which reciprocates by driving eco-anxiety, disaster-induced PTSD, and surging demands during heatwaves and floods.

Core Idea: Achieve net zero by 2045 through Greener NHS principles: Keeping people healthy via prevention and community support; Right care, right place, right time with telehealth and nature-based therapies; Low-carbon settings through green procurement and energy dashboards; Leadership via mandatory training and carbon auditing.

For ANCIPS 2026, this symposium highlights proven strategies: optimized deliveries slashing 40.6 kg CO2e/month (Midlands Partnership) and orchards sequestering 30 tonnes CO2/year. India must localize—integrate sustainability into MBBS curricula, deploy digital tools for rural equity, and target climate-vulnerable groups with de-prescribing, reusable equipment, and low-emission transport.

Clear Call: Urgent multidisciplinary action: audit pathways, empower green leaders, scale innovations. Psychiatry heals minds and ecosystems—reduce emissions without compromising care. Indian leaders, amid rising mental health needs in a warming world, pioneer sustainable models.

Join to forge net zero blueprints, safeguarding patients, planet, and profession.

Understanding common lithium drug interactions: A case-based discussion

Samir Kumar Praharaj, Ravindra N. Munoli, Suma T. Udupa

Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India

Lithium remains the gold standard treatment of bipolar disorder, yet its narrow therapeutic index leaves patients vulnerable to clinically significant drug interactions that can rapidly shift levels from therapeutic to toxic. As polypharmacy becomes increasingly common in psychiatric and medical care, clinicians must navigate a complex landscape of co-prescribed medications—including psychotropics, analgesics, cardiovascular agents, and antibiotics—that can alter lithium’s renal clearance, serum concentration, and overall safety profile. This symposium aims to equip psychiatrists and multidisciplinary clinicians with up-to-date, practical guidance on identifying, preventing, and managing the most consequential lithium drug interactions encountered in real-world settings. Case-based discussions will illustrate common drug interactions with lithium, highlighting high-risk medication classes such as NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors, diuretics, and second-generation antipsychotics, and provide strategies for safe co-administration when alternatives are limited. By synthesizing evidence and expert clinical experience, this symposium will enhance participants’ ability to optimize mood stabilization while minimizing preventable adverse outcomes, ultimately promoting safer and more confident prescribing of lithium in complex patient populations.

Haematological monitoring with clozapine use: Is it needed?

Sandeep Kumar Goyal, Sandeep Grover¹, Abdul Majid²

SPS Hospitals, Ludhiana, Punjab, ¹PGIMER, Chandigarh, ²SKIMS, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

After the initial reporting of deaths with use of clozapine from Finland, the use of clozapine requires haematological monitoring. Over the years, different professional organizations have given different recommendations for haematological monitoring. However, in the recent times, the FDA from United States of America has recommended to reduce the haematological monitoring while using clozapine. This symposium will include three speakers.

The first speaker will provide an overview of the haematological abnormalities seen with the use of clozapine. This presentation will cover the incidence of neutropenia, granulocytopenia, eosinophilia and thrombocytopenia. Additionally, the presentation will also cover the implications of these abnormalities

The second presenter will discuss the recommendations by different professional organizations for haematological monitoring and the criticism of recommended haematological monitoring.

The third presenter will discuss the attitude of patients, caregivers and the clinicians about the haematological monitoring and its impact on offering and prescribing clozapine. The third presenter will also discuss the recent recommendations of FDA, USA about haematological monitoring and recommendations by different authors about the revised proposals for haematological monitoring.

Innovative approaches to improving mental health and well-being among adults and adolescents in rural and urban India

Sandhya K. Yatirajula, Manmeet Kaur Bhatia, Srilatha Paslawar, Ankita Mukherjee

George Institute for Global Health, India

This symposium brings together different dimensions to understand and address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations across India. The session highlights challenges faced by groups such as transgender communities, adolescents in urban slums, and Scheduled Tribe populations in rural settings, while demonstrating how context-specific, participatory, and innovative strategies can strengthen mental health and well-being. Drawing on findings from formative studies, implementation research, and community-driven initiatives, presentation will showcase emerging models of care, stigma-reduction approaches, and mental health promotion interventions with potential for scale-up in low resource settings.

1. Manthan – Promoting Mental Health Among Transgender Communities in Delhi NCR (Ms. Manmeet Bhatia)-a peer-support –based intervention aimed at enhancing mental health and well-being among transgender persons in Delhi NCR, outlining the model, implementation experiences, and emerging. outcomes.

2. ANUMATI 2.0 Trial – Adolescent Resilience-Building in Urban Slums (Dr Srilatha Paslawar)-a life-skills intervention to strengthen resilience among adolescents in urban slums. The presentation will outline the co-design process, key formative findings, and implementation progress.

3. SATHI Project – Reducing Stigma and Improving Mental Well-Being in Scheduled Tribe Communities (Dr Sandhya Yatirajula)-a quasi-experimental study conducted across 80 tribal villages in Eluru district, will highlight stigma-reduction strategies and mental well-being approaches grounded in a social-determinants framework.

4. DAYARA – Community Perspectives on Mental Health and Well-Being (Dr Ankita Mukherjee)-a situational analysis examining community perceptions, contextual realities, and priority needs related to mental health and well-being, informing the development of a culturally grounded mental health promotion intervention.

Unshackling psychiatry for society’s mental health and happiness

Sanjay Gupta, G. Prasad Rao¹, Gautam Saha², Roop Sidana³

IMS BHU, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Hyderabad Telangana, ²Kolkata, West Bengal, ³Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan, India

Background and Imperative: Contemporary psychiatry remains constrained by clinic-centric models, reactive treatment paradigms, and biomedical reductionism. This symposium confronts an urgent question: How can psychiatry transcend its traditional confines to actively promote societal mental health and collective well-being?

Aim of the Symposium: We aim to deconstruct the “shackles” limiting the field—including diagnostic rigidity, inequitable access, and siloed research—and propose a liberated, proactive framework. Our goal is to chart a transformative path where psychiatry integrates public health, social justice, and community empowerment to foster resilience and happiness at a societal scale.

Core Themes and Structure: The symposium will unfold through four interconnected themes:

1. Beyond the Clinic: Psychiatry as Public Health

Exploring population-level interventions, prevention science, and mental health promotion in schools, workplaces, and urban design.

2. Dismantling Diagnostic Barriers: Towards Dimensional & Lived-Experience Frameworks

Critiquing categorical diagnosis and examining alternatives that honor personal narrative, neurodiversity, and socio-cultural context.

3. Empowerment Over Coercion: Community-Led & Rights-Based Care

Showcasing models that prioritize peer support, shared decision-making, and the reduction of structural stigma and coercion.

4. Convergent Science for Holistic Understanding

Integrating insights from neuroscience, social science, trauma-informed care, and digital tools to create a more nuanced, effective discipline.

Expected Outcomes: We will generate a consensus statement and a actionable roadmap for educators, clinicians, policymakers, and communities. This symposium seeks not only to critique but to rebuild—envisioning a psychiatry unshackled, equitable, and fundamentally aligned with the project of human flourishing.

Positive and preventive psychiatry in the artificial intelligence era: Aligning real time replication with the WHO comprehensive mental health action plan and India’ s NMHP

Sanjay Gupta, Praveen Khairkar¹

Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Apollo Hospital DRDO, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Background: The WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan (2013-2030) emphasizes promotion of mental well being, prevention of mental disorders, community-based care, multi sectoral actions and strengthen information systems. India’s NMHP have significantly expanded service access yet remained largely treatment oriented rather than playing positive Psychiatry role. Authors would be highlighting how advances in artificial intelligence and digital health technologies enable real-time and data-driven replication of preventive interventions, offering an opportunity to operationalize WHO priorities at Scale.

Objective: To propose the policy-aligned framework for integrating AI-enabled real-time replication of positive and Preventive Psychiatry interventions within India’s NMHP, consistent with the strategic objectives of the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan.

Alignment with WHO Strategic Objectives: AI-supported real-time monitoring and adaptive interventions model for strengthening leadership and governance. Secondly, Integration of digital phenotyping, mobile platform and wearable technologies supports in community-based, integrated mental health services through early risk identification and stepped preventive care at primary and district levels. Finally, development of continuous outcomes tracking and feedback systems via real world data generation and replication and create evidence-based research for promoting mental health services in India’s NMHP working model.

Indian Public Mental Health Integration with IPS Leadership: Incorporation of positive and Preventive Psychiatry interventions within the framework of NMHP, Tele-manas, Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centre and Digital India initiatives with disorder-focused metrics and supports life-changing mental health promotion.

Conclusion: AI-ENABLED real-time replication of positive and Preventive Psychiatry offers a strategic pathway to fulfill WHO-Mental-Health-Action-Plan objectives with Indian culture responsive, clinician-led policy coherence.

Understanding and managing antisocial/dissocial personality behavior during addiction treatment

Sanjay Kumar Munda, Aniruddha Mukherjee, Sourav Khanra

Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Antisocial/dissocial personality behaviour is very commonly encountered in patients undergoing treatment for addiction problems. A large body of literature illustrates an association between antisocial behavior and substance abuse. Addiction & dissocial personality often intersect, but they also diverge in important ways. An understanding of their shared features and distinct characteristics, especially as they manifest in clinical and behavioral contexts is important. During addiction treatment, individuals with dissocial personality traits often exhibit behaviors that challenge therapeutic progress and disrupt structured care environments. These manifestations are shaped by core personality features—such as impulsivity, manipulativeness, and lack of empathy—and tend to intensify under the stress of treatment. Conventional addiction treatment often under-addresses dissocial or antisocial personality traits, despite their strong correlation with substance use disorders. Understanding such behaviour may help in better management of both antisocial behaviour and substance use disorders. Therapeutic implications of dissocial behaviours during addiction treatment highlight the need for a highly structured, integrated, and psychologically informed approach as both dissocial behavior and addiction often reinforce each other, making treatment complex but not impossible.

Speaker 1:Dr. Aniruddha Mukherjee will introduce the topic and will talk about Association between antisocial personality and Shared Features with substance use disorders

Speaker 2:Dr. Sourav Khanra will talk about the Clinical Manifestations of antisocial personality disorder traits in Addiction Treatment

Speaker 3:Dr. Sanjay Kumar Munda will talk about the Therapeutic Implications and management of antisocial behaviour in Addiction treatment

Borderline personality-evolution, validation and demise?

Sanjay Siddhartha

Miramichi Regional Hospital, Miramichi, Canada

The concept of Borderline Personality captured the imagination of psychiatric faternity in 1990s onward. The diagnostic difficulties remained not only because of poor conceptualisation but somewhat of carelessness on the part of clinicians. We often fail to study the evolution, the nosological difficulties and therefore the management remain uncertain. In my presentation I would like to go through the historical struggles to find a commonly accepted definition of this possible disease entity.. Generally it was accepted that “Borderline” is “between Neurosis and Psychosis”. The Psychoanalysts say people with Neurosis can be psychoanalysed, with psychosis they cannot while with Borderline they maybe. Evolution of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual third edition presented the criteria based diagnosis in 1980.

Gunderson was entrusted with including Borderline personality disorder. He conjured up the Criteria for the disorder. As it often happens, widespread use of the term Borderline Personality became commonplace. Residents to the consultants to the nursing staff started using the Borderline Personality Disorder rather loosely. Akiskal wrote a paper “ Borderline: an adjective in search of a noun” JClin Psych 1985. Akiskal further contends that most of the people with Borderline personality disorder are misdiagnosed. They actually should be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder type2. On the other hand Gunderson contended that people with Bipolar Disorder type 2 have Borderline Personality Disorder. Zanarini demonstrated that Borderline Personality disorder remits in about 95 percent of times in 15 to 20 years. Doubts are expressed about the management with DBT.

Tyrer-“BPD should lie down and die”.

Royal College of psychiatrists South Asian Division

Sapna Bangar, Jai R. Ram¹, Stephen Amarjeet Jiwanmall², Sharmistha Chakrabarti³, Santanu Goswami⁴

Sanctum Foundation, Mumbai, Maharashtra, ¹Apollo Hospital, Kolkata, ⁴JISMR, Howrah, West Bengal, ²Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, ³Columbia Asia Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Training and working in the United Kingdom has long been a significant pathway for psychiatrists from India, This experience has offered a rich blend of clinical exposure, academic rigour, and professional growth. This symposium will have eminent Psychiatrists from India, who will share their personal experiences. The objective is to explore the evolving landscape of psychiatric training in the UK—how it was in earlier decades, how it functions today, and how these changes shape the journey of international medical graduates. Our lived experiences of the journey of training and working across different eras, will reflect on the transformation of psychiatric education, workplace culture, supervision structures, and standards of patient care. The discussion will examine the unique opportunities that the NHS system in UK provides—structured training programmes, research pathways, psychotherapy competencies, leadership development, and immersive multidisciplinary practice—while also acknowledging the challenges such as adapting to a new healthcare system, cultural transitions, regulatory requirements, and balancing professional expectations with personal wellbeing. A key focus of the session will be the translation and transferability of skills when psychiatrists return to India. We will explore how UK training influenced our clinical practice, communication style, risk management, teamwork, and ethical frameworks, and how these skills had to be reshaped when we returned to work within the Indian mental health ecosystem. By bridging perspectives across countries and generations, the panellists aim to provide insights for trainees, early career psychiatrists, and senior clinicians—highlighting how international experience can enrich professional identity, improve service delivery, and ultimately strengthen psychiatry

Post graduate psychiatry training in UK, RCPsych South Asian Div

Sapna Bangar, Jai R. Ram¹, Stephen Amarjeet Jeevanmall², Sarmistha Chakrabarti³, Santanu Goswami⁴

Sanctum Foundation, Mumbai, Maharashtra, ¹Apollo Hospital, Kolkata, ⁴JISMSR, Howrah, West Bengal, ²Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, ³Manipal Hospital, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Training and working in the United Kingdom has long been a significant pathway for psychiatrists from India, This experience has offered a rich blend of clinical exposure, academic rigour, and professional growth. This symposium will have eminent Psychiatrists from India, who will share their personal experiences. The objective is to explore the evolving landscape of psychiatric training in the UK—how it was in earlier decades, how it functions today, and how these changes shape the journey of international medical graduates. Our lived experiences of the journey of training and working across different eras, will reflect on the transformation of psychiatric education, workplace culture, supervision structures, and standards of patient care. The discussion will examine the unique opportunities that the NHS system in UK provides—structured training programmes, research pathways, psychotherapy competencies, leadership development, and immersive multidisciplinary practice—while also acknowledging the challenges such as adapting to a new healthcare system, cultural transitions, regulatory requirements, and balancing professional expectations with personal wellbeing. A key focus of the session will be the translation and transferability of skills when psychiatrists return to India. We will explore how UK training influenced our clinical practice, communication style, risk management, teamwork, and ethical frameworks, and how these skills had to be reshaped when we returned to work within the Indian mental health ecosystem. By bridging perspectives across countries and generations, the panellists aim to provide insights for trainees, early career psychiatrists, and senior clinicians—highlighting how international experience can enrich professional identity, improve service delivery, and ultimately strengthen psychiatry

Life skills for the adolescent brain: Rewiring risk into resilience

B. Sathish Kumar, S. Santhoshi¹, Arjun Balaram²

Sri Lalithambigai Medical College and Hospital, Chennai, ¹KG Hospital, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, ²Rajagiri Hospital, Aluva, Kerala, India

Background: Adolescence is characterised by rapid biological, cognitive, and psychosocial changes that increase vulnerability to risk-taking behaviours and mental health problems. Nearly 10 –20% of adolescents experience mental health conditions, yet most remain undiagnosed and untreated. Life skills—defined by the WHO as psychosocial abilities that enable adaptive and positive behaviour—play a vital role in strengthening emotional regulation, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, and resilience.

Rationale: Although life skills education has gained global relevance, its implementation in Indian schools remains fragmented due to curricular overload, inadequate teacher training, variable policy adoption, and limited mental health literacy.

This Symposium Will Discuss:

1. Neuroscience of the Adolescent Brain: Why adolescence is a critical window for life-skills learning and how structured training influences emotional, cognitive, and behavioural pathways.

2. Current Status of Life Skills Education in India: Review of existing programs, gaps in policy integration, and barriers in school settings.

3. A Practical Roadmap for Implementation: Feasible models for school-based life-skills training, culturally sensitive approaches, and strategies to ensure equitable access and long-term psychosocial resilience

Conclusion: The session aims to equip educators, clinicians, and policymakers with actionable insights to integrate life-skills training into mainstream adolescent mental-health promotion, fostering resilience among India’s youth.

Homicides by the elderly: Current understanding and predictors

Shabbir Amanullah, Sreenivas¹, Sen Kallampuram², R. S. Dinesh³

University of Western Ontario, ¹GTB Hospital and University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, ³Government Mental Health Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, ²Luton and Bedfordshire, HEE, England

The population demographics has changed quite a bit with increased longevity and increase in the number of older people, we are seeing an increase in the elderly involved in homicides.

There is evidence too show an age –crime curve that shows an inverse relationship. There is an assumption that older individuals likely have fewer opportunities to commit crime as they age. It is possible that the biological process of aging as well as the change in their roles reduces the risks (Feldmeyer and Steffensmeier (2007).

An example, is Paddock was a 64-year-old retired accountant who on 1 October 2017 killed 58 attendees of the Harvest Music Festival being held on Las Vegas Boulevard. He used a modified assault rifles shot at the crowds. This was from his hotel room (Haag, 2019).

There was a report by Sheriff Lombardo (2018) that the general practitioner who treated Paddock as saying that his presentation was that he was odd in 2016 but also that he saw

few emotions and that it could have been bipolar disorder This symposium is being conducted to address an area that will need further studies and discussion and provides a platform for experts tp present existing data and encourage more work in the area.

Seclusion and restraint: Past, present and future

Shabnam Sood, Achal Mishra¹, Nikhita Loomba²

Creighton University School of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona, ¹Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada, ²University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, India

This symposium, “Seclusion and Restraint: Past, Present and Future, ” brings together three complementary perspectives to examine the evolution, current realities, and future directions of restrictive interventions in mental health care. The first presentation traces the historical trajectory of seclusion and restraint from their origins in custodial asylums to their continued use in contemporary psychiatric settings. It reviews shifting philosophies—from control and containment toward rights-based, trauma-informed care—while highlighting persistent challenges, including variability in practice, documentation, staff training, and ethical concerns.

The second presentation focuses on the Indian context, where seclusion and restraint practices intersect with diverse cultural, resource, and system-level factors. It examines national policies, Mental Healthcare Act (2017) mandates, and the gap between regulatory frameworks and on-ground implementation. Drawing on emerging Indian research, clinical observations, and policy discourse, it identifies barriers such as staffing shortages, infrastructural constraints, stigma, and limited alternatives to coercive measures. It also highlights promising innovations within Indian psychiatric units, including person-centered models, caregiver engagement, and community-based de-escalation strategies.

The third presentation addresses the complex clinical and ethical issue of individuals who remain in seclusion for prolonged periods. It evaluates evidence-based strategies for safely reducing or discontinuing seclusion, including individualized care planning, sensory modulation, behavioral assessment, enhanced multidisciplinary review, and structured reintegration pathways. Case examples will be used to highlight the interventions used to manage the risk of violence and safely discontinue seclusion.

Together, the symposium offers a critical, forward-looking exploration of how mental health systems can reduce coercion, strengthen therapeutic relationships, and advance humane, recovery-oriented care.

Phubbing and digital distraction: Emerging psychosocial risks, family dynamics, and mental health implications

Shahzadi Malhotra, Manisha Jha, Sampa Sinha, Vibha Sharma

IHBAS, Delhi, India

The symposium aims to present a comprehensive overview of phubbing—a growing behaviour where digital engagement is prioritised over in-person interaction. Conceptual foundations, psychosocial determinants, familial influences, assessment methods, and management strategies across clinical and community settings will be discusssed. Integrating psychological, clinical, and social work perspectives, the symposium presents a multidimensional understanding of phubbing and its mental health implications.

Paper 1: Concept of Phubbing, Its Determinants and Impact — Dr. Shahzadi Malhotra This presentation will discuss the origin, definition, and theoretical models explaining phubbing, a behaviour reported in over half of interpersonal exchanges. It will review evidence linking phubbing with impaired relationships, reduced communication quality, and poorer mental health. Key predictors, including internet addiction, fear of missing out, self-control deficits, neuroticism, and social anxiety, will be highlighted.

Paper 2: Parental Phubbing and Its Mental Health Impact — Dr. Manisha Jha This session focuses on phubbing within family systems, detailing how parental device use affects attachment, emotional regulation, behaviour, and children’s developmental environments. Stress, reduced perceived support, and relational strain will be discussed.

Paper 3: Psychological Assessment and Intervention — Dr. Vibha Sharma This paper will present validated assessment tools and evidence-based interventions such as CBT, digital hygiene training, and behavioural strategies, with emphasis on baseline evaluation and monitoring change.

Paper 4: Phubbing Through a Psychosocial Lens — Dr. Sampa Sinha The final paper will explore social and cultural contributors and discusses preventive strategies including digital wellness, psychoeducation, community awareness, and teachings from sacred Indian scriptures promoting mindful presence and meaningful.

Practices of deprescribing in geriatric psychiatry: Challenges and way forward

Shailendra Mohan Tripathi, Porimita Chutia¹

Department of Geriatric Mental Health, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, ¹Department of Psychiatry, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

The term deprescribing is defined as “the process of withdrawal of an inappropriate medication, supervised by a health care professional with the goal of managing polypharmacy and improving outcomes”. Deprescribing practices in geriatric age group is of utmost importance owing to higher incidences of polypharmacy, use of potentially inappropriate medications, susceptibility to adverse drug reactions and drug-drug interactions. Studies on geriatric patients have reported that deprescribing can reduce medication burden and improve safety outcomes but the evidence is sparse in relation to older adults with psychiatric illness. Moreover, multimorbidity in this age group, poor interdisciplinary coordination, ageing related factors poses unique challenges in the deprescribing process. Several tools and criteria including Beer’s criteria, STOPP criteria and anti-cholinergic burden scale help identify potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adult but each has inherent limitations which restrict their clinical applicability. However, standardised approach of deprescribing in geriatric psychiatry is lacking which can address both the over and under prescribing of medications. To address the gap between existing knowledge and its practical application, we are proposing a symposium with the following aims:

1. Deprescribing in geriatric psychiatry: An evidence-based overview

2. Tools and criteria commonly used for deprescribing in geriatric psychiatry

3. Challenges, potential strategies and future directions in the process of deprescribing

Next-generation schizophrenia care: Clozapine resistance, deprescribing approaches, and neuromodulatory innovations

Shalini Naik, Swapnajeet Sahoo, V. S. Sreeraj¹

PGIMER, Chandigarh, ¹NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Schizophrenia management is undergoing a paradigm shift driven by advances in neurobiology, clinical decision-making frameworks, and novel therapeutic modalities. This symposium brings together three interlinked perspectives that address some of the most complex challenges in modern schizophrenia care such as treatment resistance, rational deprescribing, and neuromodulatory innovations.

Speaker 1 (Dr Swapnajeet Sahoo): What to Do When Clozapine Fails: Managing Clozapine-Resistant Schizophrenia

Dr. Swapnajeet Sahoo will address the critical challenge of clozapine-resistant schizophrenia (CRS). This presentation will outline a structured, evidence-based approach: reaffirming clozapine adequacy, optimizing plasma levels, pharmacokinetic refinement, and reassessing medical contributors to poor response. Evidence-supported augmentation strategies—including second antipsychotics, glutamatergic and anti-inflammatory agents, and ECT—will be reviewed. Emerging and experimental options such as TAAR-1 agonists, muscarinic modulators, and neuroimmune approaches will also be discussed. The talk will provide a practical, algorithmic framework for clinicians treating CRS.

Speaker 2 (Dr Sreeraj VS): Deprescription of antipsychotics

Dr Sreeraj VS will examine the principles and practice of antipsychotic deprescribing. This talk will review current evidence supporting cautious dose reduction or discontinuation in select individuals, highlighting frameworks for evaluating readiness, minimizing relapse risk, and conducting shared decision-making. Practical guidance on monitoring, risk assessment, and identifying patients most likely to benefit will be addressed.

Speaker 3 (Dr Shalini Naik): Advances in Neuromodulation for Schizophrenia

Dr Shalini Naik will discuss new advances in neuromodulation, focusing on recent refinements in rTMS and tDCS protocols for schizophrenia. Key topics include targeting strategies, individualized dosing approaches, and findings from recent clinical trials exploring cognitive and symptom-specific effects.

Beyond trauma: Positive and adverse childhood experiences and their impact on adult life in India

Shivanand Kattimani, Rajeev Ranjan¹, Ashish Pakhre²

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, ¹All India Institute of Medical Scinces, Patna, Bihar, ¹All India Institute of Medical Scinces, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

It is well known that experiences during early growing years matters a lot. Romanian and British studies during World War II have established impact of childhood adversities in their later life as they grow as adults. Since then there is growing recognition of the powerful role childhood adversities. Now current literature suggest that toxic stress syndrome happens when a child is exposed to more than 4 adversities and exposed repeated adversities. Later outcomes of such toxic adversities include increased risk for mortality and morbidity including increased risk for noncommunicable diseases like cancers, diabetes, mental disorders. However, recently there has been emphasis on resilience and effect of positive or benevolent experiences during childhood. Nearly 90% of the adults would have experienced at least 1 childhood adversity. Benevolent experiences act as moderators, that reduce the impact of the childhood adversities. There is need to bring a balanced perspective on how both adverse and benevolent childhood experiences influence adult mental health and overall functioning in the Indian context. The session will present findings from international and Indian research area on the impact of neglect, abuse, household dysfunction, and social adversity, as well as the protective influence of emotional support, stable relationships, and a sense of belonging during childhood. Policy based suggestions will focus on child protection, school mental health, and family-based preventive strategies. There are different preventive models that focus on reducing the risks and increasing the protective factors to have better outcome.

Neurobiological pathways shaped by childhood adversities and childhood beneficial experiences: Implications for resilience

Shivanand Kattimani, Barikar C. Malathesh¹, Preethy Kathiresan²

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, ¹All India Institute of Medical Scinces, Bibinagar, Telangana, ²All India Institute of Medical Scinces, Delhi, India

Childhood is a period of heightened neuroplasticity during which environmental inputs exert profound and lasting influences on brain architecture, stress-response systems, and socio-emotional development. A growing body of interdisciplinary research demonstrates that childhood adversities—such as abuse, neglect, chronic stress, or unstable caregiving—activate biological pathways that can alter developmental trajectories. Dysregulation of the hypothalamic –pituitary –adrenal (HPA) axis, sensitisation of threat-processing circuits, immune activation, and epigenetic modifications together contribute to vulnerability for later psychopathology. Functional and structural imaging studies consistently reveal alterations in hippocampal volume, amygdala reactivity, prefrontal cortex connectivity, and white matter integrity among individuals exposed to early adversity, indicating long-term changes in memory, emotion regulation, and executive functioning. In parallel, emerging evidence highlights that childhood beneficial experiences—such as emotional attunement, consistent caregiving, supportive peer networks, and opportunities for mastery—buffer these biological effects and foster resilience. Positive relational experiences can modulate HPA axis activity, enhance parasympathetic tone, support synaptic growth, and reduce inflammation. Early nurturing environments also influence gene expression patterns involved in stress regulation through adaptive epigenetic mechanisms. Importantly, studies on differential susceptibility suggest that children with heightened sensitivity to adversity may also be those who benefit most from positive experiences, indicating a shared biological substrate for vulnerability and resilience. There is need for deliberation on current findings across developmental neuroscience, psycho-neuroendocrinology, and epigenetics to provide an integrated perspective on how both adverse and beneficial childhood experiences shape long-term mental health outcomes.

Consultation-liaison psychiatry across lifespan: Identifying unique challenges in vulnerable populations and targeting interventions

Shivangi Mehta, Abhinav Aggrawal, Ribhav Gupta

Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India

Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry represents the vital interface between mental health and general medical care, addressing the complex interplay between psychological and physical health in hospitalized patients. With a significant proportion of medical and surgical inpatients experiencing psychiatric symptom, CL Psychiatry plays a crucial role in improving overall patient outcomes. The Department of Psychiatry, GMCH Chandigarh has been providing dedicated CL Psychiatry services from last two decades. While CL Psychiatry traditionally focuses on adult inpatients, certain special populations present unique diagnostic challenges, altered clinical presentations, and distinct management pathways. This symposium highlights such three critical groups encountered in hospital-based CL practice: children and adolescents, patients with substance-use disorders and geriatric population. The Child and Adolescent CL Psychiatry, emphasizes myriad of developmental considerations, common presentations such as deliberate self-harm, somatoform complaints, behavioural disturbances, and assessment of medically unexplained symptoms with special focus on psychosocial management especially of the family as a whole and coordination with paediatric teams. The Substance-Use Cases in CL Psychiatry, covers intoxication, withdrawals, dual diagnosis, and overdose management with emphasis medical nuances of dual diagnosis The Geriatric Psychiatry in CL Settings examines the complex interplay of multimorbidity, polypharmacy, cognitive impairment, delirium, depression, and functional decline in older adults who often present with increased vulnerability, and higher medical –psychiatric overlap, necessitating close coordination with medical, surgical, and neurological teams.1. At the Bedside of the Young: CL Psychiatry in Paediatric Care 2. Addiction Medicine in the General Hospital: A CL Perspective 3.Wisdom, Vulnerability & Complexity: Psychiatry of the Elderly in Hospitals

Internet addiction in youth: Neurobiological insights, diagnostic frameworks, and policy implications

Shivangini Singh

King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India

Background: One in three Internet users globally are under the age of 18 which has a varied effect on their mood and self-esteem. Several risks related to the use of social media include privacy issues, cyberbullying, chronic sleep loss and cognitive decline, with a link to an increase in suicidality, self-harming behaviours, and mental discomfort.

Aims: We aim to understand the neurobiology, nosology and assessment of behavioral addiction particularly internet addiction.

Methods: We surveyed various systematic reviews discussing dysfunction in multiple brain regions and neurochemical changes in serotonergic and dopaminergic systems that compare internet addiction to substance addiction. The scope of behavioral addiction in ICD-11 and DSM 5 are looked into, while we also review the validity of tools for assessing internet addiction like Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) etc. that address various aspects of behavioral addiction like compulsive use, negative outcomes, and salience. Newer research technique like Ecological momentary assessment (EMA), that repeatedly gathers real-time data from people in their natural surroundings using mobile devices have also been explored in context of behavioral addictions.

Conclusion: Lastly, we look into world policies regarding internet use while comparing it to our current national framework and providing protentional changes in our national policies and institution based programs for targeting internet addiction among the youth of our country, trying to strike a balance between the advantages of digital innovation and practical protections.

Beyond identity: Exploring the origins, ethics, and neurobiology and care pathways of gender dysphoria

Shobhit Mathur, Sally John, Kshirod Kumar Mishra¹

Department of Psychiatry, Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Wardha, Maharashtra, ¹Department of Psychiatry, Symbiosis Medical College for Women, Symbiosis University and Health and Research Centre, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Part I – Origin, Nature, and Ethical Dilemmas

Gender dysphoria, defined as distress arising from incongruence between experienced gender and assigned sex, has multifactorial origins involving biological, psychological, and socio-cultural influences. It raises ethical dilemmas around autonomy, consent, safeguarding of minors, and societal stigma. This session will highlight key ethical tensions and use case-based discussion to illustrate challenges faced by individuals, families, and clinicians in real-life contexts.

Part II – Neurobiology and Treatment Approaches (WPATH Standards of Care)

Neurobiological studies point to structural and functional brain correlates of gender identity, suggesting biological underpinnings. Management, as per WPATH Standards of Care Version 8, emphasizes individualized, multidisciplinary, and patient-centred interventions—ranging from psychological support and puberty suppression to gender-affirming hormones and surgeries. Evidence shows that timely interventions improve quality of life, resilience, and mental health outcomes.

Part III – Legal, Social, and Emerging Perspectives

Legal and social responses to gender dysphoria differ globally, with some regions ensuring rights and access while others impose restrictions. Key issues include gender recognition, non-discrimination, and minors’ rights. Advances include depathologization in ICD-11, growing advocacy for inclusive policies, and emerging tools such as digital health support. Future directions call for integrating scientific insight with human-rights frameworks to ensure dignity and justice for individuals with gender dysphoria.

IPS neuromodulation subcommittee symposium: Science, evidence, dosing, and pragmatic experiences in transcranial magnetic stimulation for approved psychiatric conditions

Shobit Garg, Shubh Mohan Singh¹, V. S. Sreeraj², Sourav Das³

Shri Guru Ram Rai Institute of Medical and Health Sciences, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, ¹PGI, Chandigarh, ²NIMHANS, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ³Somnos RTMS Clinic, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation technique approved for psychiatric conditions such as treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders. While its clinical utility is growing, integrating foundational science, empirical evidence, dosing strategies, and real-world pragmatic experiences is essential for optimizing its application in diverse settings, including private practice.

This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive overview of TMS, covering its scientific underpinnings, evidence base, dosing protocols, and practical insights from private psychiatrists to guide clinical decision-making and enhance therapeutic outcomes.

This 90-minute symposium will feature four expert presentations in sequence: the first by the Chairperson on the foundational science and mechanisms of TMS; the second by the Convenor on the empirical evidence from clinical trials and meta-analyses; the third by the Co-Convenor (Dr. VS Sreeraj) on defining and optimizing dosing parameters across approved conditions; and the fourth by Dr. Sourav Das on pragmatic experiences and adaptations in private psychiatric practice. Interactive discussions will follow, with audience engagement to address implementation challenges. Content will draw from peer-reviewed literature and real-world case studies.

Presentations will elucidate TMS mechanisms (e. g., cortical excitability modulation), evidence of efficacy (e. g., remission rates in depression trials), condition-specific dosing (e. g., 10-20 Hz for depression at 120% motor threshold), and pragmatic tips for private settings, including patient selection and resource management.

By bridging science, evidence, dosing, and practical experiences, this symposium will advance TMS integration in psychiatry, promoting accessible and effective mental health interventions aligned with the conference theme.

Integrated management of severe mental illness: Unshackling barriers for societal reintegration

Shobit Garg, Jyoti Mishra¹, Palak Upadhyay²

SGRRU, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, ¹Government Medical College and Hospital, ²Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Punjab, India

Background: Severe mental illness (SMI) affects millions in India, often compounded by stigma, limited access to care, and societal exclusion, aligning with the ANCIPS 2026 theme of unshackling psychiatry for broader mental health benefits.

Aims: To explore integrated management strategies for SMI that promote de-institutionalization, enhance adherence, and facilitate societal reintegration through multidisciplinary approaches, while assessing attendee learning via a brief pre-post survey.

Approach/Structure: This one-hour symposium incorporates a digital pre-post survey (5-7 questions) to evaluate knowledge and attitude shifts. Dr. Shobit Garg will administer the pre-survey, introduce the topic, and discuss pharmacological and medical strategies, including innovations in treatment delivery. Dr. Jyoti Mishra will address psychological and rehabilitative interventions, emphasizing psychosocial rehabilitation and family involvement. The session concludes with moderated discussion, Q&A, post-survey administration, and preliminary result sharing.

Anticipated Outcomes: Participants will gain insights into evidence-based, holistic management of SMI, with practical tools for reducing barriers like stigma and inequity. Pre-post survey data will demonstrate symposium impact, supporting community-based psychiatric care.

Conclusion: By integrating medical and psychological perspectives with interactive assessment, this symposium advances the theme by equipping professionals to unshackle SMI management, fostering inclusive societal mental health.

From wounds to wellness: Understanding childhood trauma in mental health

Shradha Khatri, Vinay Chahuhan, Rachit Sharma

AMC, India

Introduction: Childhood trauma represents a critical determinant of lifelong mental health. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including neglect, abuse, and disrupted attachment, exert profound effects on neurodevelopment and emotional regulation. Emerging evidence links early trauma to a wide spectrum of psychiatric disorders, from depression and anxiety to personality disorders and psychosis. Despite its significance, trauma often remains under-recognized in clinical and community settings, especially within culturally diverse contexts.

Aim: To explore the multifaceted relationship between childhood trauma and psychiatric disorders, focusing on neurobiological underpinnings, clinical presentations, cultural perspectives, and trauma-informed interventions.

Methodology: This symposium synthesizes recent empirical research, clinical case discussions, and public health insights. A multidisciplinary framework was adopted, integrating neurobiological findings, psychotherapeutic models, and sociocultural analyses. Presentations encompass conceptual, clinical, and policy-oriented dimensions of trauma psychiatry.

Results: Findings highlight that early adversity alters brain circuits governing stress regulation, emotion, and memory, predisposing individuals to various psychopathologies. Cultural factors significantly influence trauma perception, disclosure, and resilience. Trauma-informed care models—integrating cognitive-behavioural and family-based approaches show promising outcomes in symptom reduction and recovery. Preventive frameworks emphasizing early identification and community support emerge as essential public health strategies.

Conclusion: Childhood trauma profoundly shapes mental health trajectories. Integrating neuroscience, cultural sensitivity, and ethical clinical practice offers transformative opportunities for prevention and recovery. Trauma-informed psychiatry must evolve as a central pillar of modern mental healthcare.

From wounds to wellness: Understanding childhood trauma in mental health

Shradha Khatri, Vinay Chauhan, Rachit Sharma

AMC, India

Introduction: Childhood trauma represents a critical determinant of lifelong mental health. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including neglect, abuse, and disrupted attachment, exert profound effects on neurodevelopment and emotional regulation. Emerging evidence links early trauma to a wide spectrum of psychiatric disorders, from depression and anxiety to personality disorders and psychosis. Despite its significance, trauma often remains under-recognized in clinical and community settings, especially within culturally diverse contexts. Aim: To explore the multifaceted relationship between childhood trauma and psychiatric disorders, focusing on neurobiological underpinnings, clinical presentations, cultural perspectives, and trauma-informed interventions.

Methodology: This symposium synthesizes recent empirical research, clinical case discussions, and public health insights. A multidisciplinary framework was adopted, integrating neurobiological findings, psychotherapeutic models, and sociocultural analyses. Presentations encompass conceptual, clinical, and policy-oriented dimensions of trauma psychiatry.

Results: Findings highlight that early adversity alters brain circuits governing stress regulation, emotion, and memory, predisposing individuals to various psychopathologies. Cultural factors significantly influence trauma perception, disclosure, and resilience. Trauma-informed care models—integrating cognitive-behavioural and family-based approaches show promising outcomes in symptom reduction and recovery. Preventive frameworks emphasizing early identification and community support emerge as essential public health strategies.

Conclusion: Childhood trauma profoundly shapes mental health trajectories. Integrating neuroscience, cultural sensitivity, and ethical clinical practice offers transformative opportunities for prevention and recovery. Trauma-informed psychiatry must evolve as a central pillar of modern mental healthcare.

Key words: Adverse childhood experiences, childhood trauma, neurobiology, prevention, psychiatric disorders, resilience, trauma-informed care

Unshackling the family system: Caregiver burnout, psychoeducation and collaborative care

Shubhangi Singh, Nupur Niharika¹, Srishti Detha²

RDJM College and Hospital, Muzaffarpur, ¹PMCH, Patna, Bihar, ²SN Medical College, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India

Family caregivers remain an under-recognized clinical population, with evidence indicating that 40 –70% experience significant burden, high expressed emotion, and consequent deterioration in their own mental health. This symposium integrates three pillars—family-systems factors, caregiver burnout, and within collaborative-care models—to outline a comprehensive approach to reducing caregiver strain. The first section examines how patterns of communication, role rigidity, and high EE within families predict relapse and functional impairment. The second synthesizes research demonstrating high rates of burnout and associated neurobiological changes, including HPA-axis dysregulation. The final section presents RCT-supported interventions showing that structured psychoeducation reduces relapse by up to 45%, while collaborative-care frameworks improve adherence, distress levels, and long-term outcomes. Together, these insights offer a scalable, culturally adaptable roadmap for integrating caregivers into psychiatric treatment in resource-constrained settings.

Beyond psychiatry: Re-imagining the future mental health ecosystem

Shweta Mittal, Shubham Sabherwal^1,2, Debasish Basu³

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Nottingham, UK, ¹Lumbini Park Mental Hospital, ²MACFLINS Mindcare Ltd., Kolkata, West Bengal, ³Department of Psychiatry, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

Psychiatry has traditionally focused on diagnosis, pharmacotherapy, and psychotherapy. However, rapid advances in technology, shifting societal needs, and changing healthcare economics are expanding mental health far beyond conventional psychiatric practice.

Aims: This session aims to explore how psychiatry can evolve as the scientific and ethical backbone of a rapidly emerging, multidimensional mental health industry.

Methods/Approach: Drawing from clinical psychiatry, digital mental health, neuromodulation, immersive therapies, community psychiatry, and global (India –UK) healthcare perspectives, this session integrates evidence, lived clinical experience, and system-level insights.

Discussion: Key themes include the rise of AI-assisted care, home-based neuromodulation (tDCS, vagal nerve stimulation), VR-assisted interventions, patient-led education models, creative arts as mental health entry points, and the formalisation of informal mental-health workforces. The session also addresses critical but under-discussed issues such as insurance coverage for inpatient psychiatry and the urgent need for clinician-led healthcare administration.

Conclusion: Psychiatrists must transition from being passive service providers to active system architects, innovators, and ethical leaders. This session invites participants to rethink psychiatry’s role in shaping the future mental health ecosystem.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Understand emerging trends shaping the future mental health industry beyond traditional psychiatry.

2. Recognise the clinical and ethical implications of digital therapeutics, neuromodulation, and immersive interventions.

3. Appreciate the role of psychiatrists in leadership, administration, and policy-making.

4. Identify opportunities for community engagement, patient empowerment, and stigma reduction in mental healthcare.

Comorbidities in alcohol use disorder: Clinical challenge, pragmatic solutions

Siddharth Sarkar, Arpit Parmar¹, Sourav Khanra²

AIIMS, New Delhi, ¹AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, ²CIP, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

Alcohol dependence is often associated with several medical and psychiatric comorbidities. These comorbidities place a substantial burden on the individual, the healthcare system, and society as a whole. In the clinical setting, addressing this comorbidity is a clinical imperative. The presence of comorbidities needs to be dealt with systematically to improve the overall condition of the patient and treat the individual holistically. Comorbidities make the clinical presentation challenging, and sometimes, patients need strategic planning of the goals of treatment.

In this symposium, we intend to present on the comorbidities of alcohol dependence with other psychiatric disorders and medical illnesses. The first speaker would present the background of the comorbidities, the reasons thereof, and the clinical presentation. The speaker would also discuss briefly the IPS multicenter study on this topic. The second speaker would discuss the common medical and psychiatric comorbidities with alcohol dependence and would enumerate how to provide suitable care, balancing the different treatment presses. The third speaker would talk about the complexities and pragmatic challenges in assessment and management of comorbidities, and would offer a roadmap for contextual research in this field.

Dementia services in mental health care settings: Global and Indian scenario

Sivakumar Palanimuthu Thangaraju, M. S. Renuka Prasad¹, Junaid Nabi²

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ²Government Medical College, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India, ¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Dementia is an important neuropsychiatric condition with significant changes in cognition, behaviour and activities of daily living. Mental health care settings for older adults require inclusion of comprehensive services for care of persons with dementia. There are more than 55 million individuals with dementia across the globe with more than 9 million persons with dementia in India. The dementia care services in mental health care settings varies according to the clinical settings and the availability of resources to support dementia care. This symposium includes presentations from global and Indian experts of geriatric psychiatry with experience in different clinical settings. The global scenario of dementia services in mental health care settings will be presented by a leading expert in geriatric psychiatry with leadership position in the Geriatric Psychiatry Section of World Psychiatric Association. He will highlight the profile of dementia care services as part of the geriatric mental health services in Canada. The Indian scenario of dementia care services will be presented by experts from a tertiary care neuropsychiatric centre in South India and a general hospital setting in North India. These presentations will include the models for dementia care services from the perspectives of mental health care in developed country like Canada and a low and middle income country setting like India.

It takes a village to improve mental health’: The ICMR – NIH-PRIIIA TEAMS mental health research training projects and their implications for national policy

Smita Neelkanth Deshpande

St. Johns Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Goal: To discuss an innovative research training program for mental health professionals in India and seek suggestions to (i) scale up to reach more investigators and ultimately patients, (ii) align it with the National Mental Health policy goals.

Background: To address the enormous capacity gap for improving mental health care through research in India and to enable innovative sustainable research, we trained early-career researchers through hands-on training and ‘Grantathons’ with collaborations with the ICMR and US-NIH. We are now scaling up this work by training the next generation of senior research mentors. We seek further innovations to align it with India’s National Mental Health Policy via an interactive symposium.

Discussant: RS: Introduce speakers and Grantathon initiative.

1. SND: Journey of our innovative mental health research training models, implications for national mental health policy, and applicability to other specialities and countries.

2. AG: How the ICMR focus on mental health research evolved in the last 25 years, with special reference to the past and ongoing Grantathon projects.

3. JPR: Successes and Challenges of Grantathon Multicenter Research Projects.

4. RPB: Insights and lessons learnt during Suicide research in the hospital and the community.

5. ND: ICMR funding and Grantathon projects: queries, pitfalls and solutions.

6. MH: Global health, Grantathon projects and their interconnections.

7. BB: Research in Children: global perspective and prospects for research-based training.

8. SA: Grantathon projects and first ever Indian Journal Supplement on Protocols.

Followed by panel discussion by all panellists incorporating questions from the audience.

Hasya Ka Chikitsa Vigyan – A psychological analysis of the contemporary Indian comedy

Smrity Shailly Bagde, Romesh Bagde, Anand Khare, Anushri Dhole, Pankaj Patil¹

NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Center and Lata Mangeshkar Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra, ¹Rinpas Hospital, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India

The Science of Laughter is not just mere laughing but entire philosophy, aesthetics and psychology behind humor. Indian comedy is way beyond entertainment, it functions as a release of nervous/psychic energy.

Comedians act as cultural intermediaries, transforming pervasive stressors—from academic pressure, helicopter parenting to urbanization and bureaucratic hurdle into narratives with the use of hyperbole and shared storytelling, (such as Bassi) thereby facilitating cognitive reappraisal. This allows the audience to reframe their personal frustrations as universal and manageable, hence reducing their feelings of isolation and anxiety. It resolves the discrepancy between what our mind expects and what actually happens in a very logical manner and results in laughter. It also serves as safe outlet to discuss taboos about mental health, sexuality, and familial conflict (as Kenny Sebastian). This acts as a form of collective catharsis, normalizing struggles and fostering resilience. The use of specific regional languages, cultural references such as about Indian parents creates a powerful group. This shared understanding fosters a strong sense of belongingness and collective identity. Case studies of prominent comedians (e. g., Sharma, Kamra, Khan, Bam) illustrate distinct psychological archetypes and their resonance with the Indian audience.

Thus, Indian comedy serves as an essential psychological pressure valve, a unifying force, and a critical site for cultural dialogue. It offers a unique window into the mental and emotional wellbeing of nation in transition.

Key words: Cognitive reappraisal, collective catharsis, collective identity

Tobacco control in India: Current perspectives

Sonali Jhanjee, K. Muhammed Jadeer, Pinki Sevda

AIIMS, New Delhi, India

Background: Tobacco is one of the largest causes of preventable death and disability worldwide and in India. Mortality due to tobacco in India is estimated at 1.3 million, accounting for 9.5% of overall deaths. Rapid strides in tobacco control have been made by the Government of India

Aims: To review the policies related to tobacco control in India & identify challenges & future directions

Methods: A systematic search across major scientific databases including PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Google Scholar and relevant websites such as those of the MoH&FW, GOI & WHO were screened for policy documents and official reports.

Results: Many tobacco control measures have been implemented in India with introduction of COTPA in 2003, ratifying the FCTC in 2004, NTCP in 2007, expansion of Tobacco cessation services to dental, medical colleges & at district level, introduction of Quitline programme and integration of cessation with other public health programmes. Much success has been achieved in the implementation of graphic health warnings, anti-tobacco health spots in movie/TV/OTT platforms. However, the prevalence of tobacco use still remains staggeringly high. Notable challenges include easy availability of diverse tobacco products, cultural acceptability, limited knowledge of harms, limited reach of tobacco cessation facilities, surrogate and point-of-sale advertising and non-uniform tobacco taxation across different tobacco products.

Conclusion: Sustainable tobacco control requires strict enforcement and plugging loopholes of existing rules and regulations, multisectoral collaboration and addressing emerging challenges such as novel tobacco products to create a tobacco-free future for India.

Psychedelic-induced network plasticity: Hype, hope, and hard data

Sonalika Mondal, Padmakali Kar¹, Arnab Pathak², Piyali Ghosh

Nilratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India, ¹Senior Consultant Psychiatry, ²Consultant Psychiatrist

The intersection of psychedelics, neurobiology, and psychiatry is a rapidly advancing field. We will discuss this on following 4 subtitles:

1.From Receptors to Synapses: Cellular Mechanisms of Psychedelic-Induced Plasticity

Psychedelics and related “psychoplastogens” are now understood as potent modulators of neuronal structure and function. Classic psychedelics such as LSD, psilocybin, and DMT exert their core effects via agonism at the serotonin 5 HT2A receptor, beyond 5 HT2A, psychedelics also interact with other serotonin receptors, and there is functional crosstalk with glutamatergic receptors, especially AMPA and metabotropic mGlu2 receptors.

2.Rewiring the Resting Brain: Psychedelics, the Default Mode Network, and Large-Scale Connectivity

Presenting consistent findings across psilocybin, LSD, and DMT showing a decrease in functional connectivity within the DMN—the network associated with self-referential thinking, rumination, and stable beliefs.

3.Harnessing Windows of Plasticity: Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy in Psychiatric Disorders

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy leverages transient windows of heightened neural plasticity to facilitate profound, lasting changes in psychiatric disorders. Several neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression and PTSD, are associated with reduced synaptic density, simplified dendritic arbors, and impaired plasticity in corticolimbic circuits. Psychedelics appear to counteract these changes by rapidly enhancing structural and functional plasticity, offering a mechanistic basis for rapid and sustained symptom relief after only one or a few doses.

4.Reopened Critical Periods: Opportunities, Risks, and the Future of Network-Based Psychiatry

Reopened periods enable targeted interventions: pairing psychedelics with social skills training, exposure therapy, or cognitive behavioral protocols amplifies durable change.

CASC preparatory masterclass – (1) introduction to generic skills by RCPsych South Asian Division

Soumitra Shankar Datta, Mansi Vora¹, Santosh Bangar², J. R. Ram³

Tata Medical Center, ³Mental Health Foundation, Kolkata, West Bengal, ¹Consultant Psychiatrist and Sports Psychiatrist, ²Consultant Psychiatrist, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Background: The Royal College of Psychiatrists is one of the oldest professional bodies involved in the accreditation of psychiatrists. The college’s members are spread all over the world. Sadly, the vulnerability to mental health conditions does not know geographical borders. In organising this skill-based symposium, RCPsych South Asia Division want to reach out to psychiatrists from India and neighbouring countries to understand the Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC) method used by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. We will cover strategies for success in CASC, common pitfalls, and how to avoid them. We would like to provide pointers on how to structure and formulate under pressure. The symposium will include didactic discussions, role-plays, and video demonstrations.

Methods: Talk 1) Overview of the structure of RCPsych exams and differences in post-graduate training evaluation in India and the UK by Dr. Mansi Vora, Consultant Psychiatrist

Talk 2) Generic communications skills needed by a psychiatrist by Dr Soumitra S Datta, Consultant Psychiatrist

Talk 3) Learn about ‘history taking’: Role play and discussions with case example-by Dr Santosh Bangar, Consultant Psychiatrist

Talk 4) Improving and engaging family members by Dr JR Ram, Consultant Psychiatrist, Kolkata

Learning objectives and outcomes: The attendees can learn a) Similarities and differences in evaluation methods in India and the United Kingdom, b) Importance of communication and interviewing skills needed while engaging with someone in emotional distress, c) Understand the finer nuances of CASC examination d) Learn about existing resources available for students preparing for CASC.

Sleep and cognition – The bidirectional relationship

Sourav Das, Uday Chaudhuri¹, Abhay Dey¹

Somnos RTMS Clinic, ¹Vivekananda Institute of Medical Sciences, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Sleep and cognition are dynamically interdependent processes, each shaping the other across neurobiological and behavioral dimensions. This symposium, titled “Sleep and Cognition – The Bidirectional Relationship, ” explores how sleep supports attention, learning, and memory consolidation, while cognitive decline and neurodegenerative disorders reciprocally disrupt sleep architecture and circadian regulation.

Dr. Abhay De will introduce the neurobiology of sleep, covering the homeostatic (Process S) and circadian (Process C) mechanisms and their influence on brain plasticity.

Dr. Sourav Das will discuss how sleep impacts cognition, presenting evidence from laboratory and longitudinal studies on sleep deprivation, cognitive performance, and the link between poor sleep and dementia risk.

Dr. Uday Choudhury will highlight how cognitive degeneration alters sleep, focusing on disorders such as REM behavior disorder, restless legs syndrome, and circadian rhythm disturbances seen in neurodegenerative disease.

By integrating mechanistic science with clinical insights, the session aims to deepen understanding of sleep –cognition reciprocity and encourage its incorporation into psychiatric evaluation and neurocognitive management.

Neuromodulation in psychiatry: Emerging trends

V. S. Sreeraj, Nishant Goyal¹, Mohammad Zia Ul Haq Katshu², Sukanto Sarkar³

National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ¹Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Jharkhand, ¹Department of Psychiatry, AIIMS, Kalyani, West Bengal, India, ²Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom

Neuromodulation treatments are taking a prominent role in investigation and management of psychiatric disorders. The field is advancing with emerging technologies and physical techniques in modulating the brain.

The growth in the field encompasses refining the existing techniques to enhance the effectiveness, scalability and predictability exemplified by techniques like high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) and accelerated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). These treatments enhancing neuroplasticity are being utilized in resistant symptoms of schizophrenia, depressive disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders among others. Additionally, novel techniques like transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) are being explored with relatively varied mechanisms of action. The modulation of intrinsic neural oscillations are being evaluated in schizophrenia and depressive disorders. Transcranial focussed ultrasound (tFUS) is a new entrant in the field that uses ultrasonic pulses for focal targeting of deeper brain regions that were otherwise inaccessible through the existing neuromodulation techniques. Ongoing study points towards the promising role of low-intensity tFUS in modulating the activity of subcortical structures through the exertion of mechanical pressure.

The symposium team including national and international speakers will share their experiences with these techniques and future prospects in psychiatric disorders.

Psychotropic use in pregnancy and lactation: A national survey of psychiatrists

Srilakshmi, Ruksheda Sayeda¹, Yuman Kawoos²

Government Medical College, Sangareddy, Telangana, ¹Trellis Family Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, ²IMHANS, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India

Submitted by: Women Mental Health Specialty Section, Indian Psychiatric Society.

Prescribing psychotropics during pregnancy and lactation poses major clinical and ethical challenges. Psychiatrists must weigh the risks of untreated maternal mental illness that can adversely affect both mother and child, against concerns about teratogenicity and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes due to psychotropics. Despite guideline availability, clinical decision-making often occurs under uncertainty. To understand how these complexities, translate into actual practice in India, the Women Mental Health Specialty Section of IPS conducted a national survey among psychiatrists.

Approximately 300 psychiatrists participated, representing diverse clinical settings with substantial professional experience. Results showed strong consensus about the high risk of untreated illness, but variability in risk perception for individual medications. Most respondents preferred safer alternatives, used minimum doses, and practiced shared decision-making. A majority routinely obtained written informed consent and adopted close monitoring strategies. While breastfeeding guidance varied, sertraline was commonly identified as the preferred antidepressant in lactation. Confidence in prescribing was moderate to high, but medicolegal concerns and training gaps were significant. Respondents expressed strong interest in structured training programs.

Speakers and their Learning Objectives:

Speakers-

1- Will outline clinical and medicolegal challenges and identify core clinical dilemmas and communication challenges in perinatal psychopharmacology.

2- Will detail international and Indian guideline recommendations and highlight grey areas requiring caution.

3- Will present the national survey findings and Interpret survey findings, recognize practice gaps, and outline training and policy needs.

Female sexual desire disorders – Medications and beyond

Srilakshmi Pingali, Mahima Kapoor¹, Rashmi Gopalsingh Bisen²

Government Medical College, Sangareddy, Telangana, ¹Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, ²Private Practice, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Female sexual desire disorders (FSDD) remain one of the least discussed but clinically relevant aspects of women’s mental health. In the Indian context, inadequate training, sociocultural taboos and lack of a holistic approach to the issue has led to under recognition and suboptimal treatment. Management predominantly follows a pharmacological approach, disregarding the cultural and relationship effects on the disorder.

This symposium discusses a biopsychosocial framework to diagnose and manage FSDD.

The first presentation will explore the neurological and hormonal mechanisms underlying female sexual desire and the impact of psychiatric disorders and psychotropic medication on sexual functioning.

The second will focus on evaluation, with special focus on the cultural and relationship aspects, while the third presentation will discuss the pharmacological options along with psychological and relational interventions like sex therapy, couples’ therapy and mindfulness.

Through case vignettes and audience interaction, the participants will learn to approach FSDD beyond the routine pharmacological approach.

Learning Objectives:

1. To understand the neurobiological, psychological, and sociocultural determinants of female sexual desire.

2. To understand the impact of psychiatric disorders and psychotropic medication on female sexual functioning

3. To acquire skills in comprehensive assessment in psychosexual formulation in FSDD

4. To explore integrated management strategies combining pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions.

Expected Outcome:

1. Improved clinician awareness and comfort in diagnosing and managing female sexual desire disorders.

2. Enhanced competence to approach and treat the disorder holistically.

Online gambling in India: At crossroads with psychiatry

Srinivas Singisetti, Srikrishna Nukala, Niveditha Vasireddy

Gitam Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

The rapid proliferation of online gambling platforms, fantasy sports applications, and real-money gaming apps in India presents a significant and under-recognized mental health challenge. With increasing accessibility via smartphones, minimal regulation, and sophisticated behavioral design, these platforms have created an ecosystem where gambling behaviors are normalized, gamified, and often addictive. This symposium explores the intersection of psychiatry, technology, and law, focusing on the mental health implications of online gambling and fantasy gaming in the Indian context.

Speaker 1 Dr. Srikrishna Nukala: Gambling and Mental Health – A Bidirectional Relationship This presentation will examine the complex bidirectional link between gambling behavior and psychiatric morbidity and will introduce the neurobiological framework for gambling disorder

Speaker 2 Dr. Niveditha Vasireddy: Addictive Design – Behavioral Traps in Digital Gambling Fantasy sports platforms, social casino apps and real-money gaming apps employ behavioral economics and persuasive technology to sustain user engagement. This presentation will focus on how digital platforms exploit those vulnerabilities through behavioral design and persuasive technology and how they contribute to compulsive gambling

Speaker 3 Dr. Srinivas Singisetti: The Legal Landscape of Online Gambling in India – Challenges and Psychiatric Implications India lacks a unified national framework to regulate online gambling. The distinction between ‘games of skill’ and ‘games of chance’ has created legal ambiguity, particularly around fantasy sports and rummy platforms. This presentation will review the existing legal frameworks and key judicial decisions shaping the current landscape.

Co-occurring conditions: Facing the reality and the challenges

B. N. Subodh, Shalini Naik, Rahul Chakravarthy

PGIMER, Chandigarh, India

Introduction: C0-occuring conditions also called “Dual diagnosis” defined as the co-occurrence of a mental health disorder and a substance use disorders. They present a complex clinical challenge, often resulting in poorer health outcomes, increased relapse rates, and greater difficulty in engagement with treatment services. Traditional single-focused treatment modalities frequently overlook the dynamic interaction between psychiatric symptoms and substance misuse, necessitating an integrated and multidisciplinary approach. This symposium aims to provide a comprehensive overview of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders, with a focus on Nosology and epidemiology, Diagnostic challenges and Management challenges.

Including psychiatric considerations in gender reassignment surgery.

Aims and Objectives:

1. To provide an overview of the Nosology and epidemiology of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders

2. To discuss diagnostic challenges of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders

3. To discuss facing the management challenges co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Methodology/Discussion Topics: Presentation 1: The first presenter will address the broadly nosology and epidemiology of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Presentation 2: The second presenter will focus on diagnostic challenges of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders

Presentation 3: The final presenter will delve into facing the management challenges of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

Conclusion: This symposium seeks to equip clinicians with a deeper understanding of practical skills to needed to identify and management of co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders to improve care delivery.

Long-acting antipsychotics and their relevance in current clinical practice

Subrata Naskar, Abir Mukherjee¹, Soumya Chatterjee²

Psynapse Clinic, ¹Manipal Group of Hospitals and Neotia, ²Antara Psychiatric Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Background: Long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) have gained renewed attention in contemporary psychiatric practice due to their potential role in addressing medication nonadherence, relapse prevention, and long-term functional stabilization in severe mental illnesses. Despite accumulating evidence supporting their effectiveness, LAIs remain underused in routine clinical care because of clinician hesitancy, patient misconceptions, and systemic barriers.

Aims: This workshop aims to provide an evidence-based, clinically pragmatic overview of long-acting antipsychotics and clarify their relevance in current psychiatric practice. Key questions include the range of LAIs available globally, comparative effectiveness of LAIs versus oral antipsychotics, impact on adherence, relapse and outcomes, relative advantages of newer formulations, identification of appropriate candidates, and reasons for continued underutilization.

Methods: The workshop will employ an interactive, case-based format integrating current international guidelines, landmark clinical trials, and real-world practice experiences. Faculty will discuss first-and second-generation LAI formulations, dosing strategies, initiation protocols, ethical considerations, and shared decision-making. Emphasis will be placed on interpreting outcomes cautiously and individualizing treatment beyond traditional indications of nonadherence.

Conclusion: This workshop is designed to equip practicing psychiatrists with practical knowledge and confidence to judiciously integrate LAIs into personalized treatment plans. By addressing myths, evidence gaps, and clinical barriers, the session aims to promote rational, earlier, and patient-centered use of long-acting antipsychotics, thereby improving adherence, reducing relapse, and optimizing long-term outcomes in severe mental disorders for clinicians across diverse settings, including early illness phases, community practice, and resource-limited environments in India nationally.

Experiences and evidences gathered from expressive behaviour therapy clinic: A longitudinal introspect

Suddhendu Chakraborty, K. S. Pavitra¹, Subratha¹, Abhiruchi Chatterjer

Institute of Psychological and Educational Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, ¹Shimoga Institute of Medical Science, Shimoga, Karnataka, India

Expressive Behaviour Therapy is a well recognised area of Psychotherapeutic intervention, often adapted to treat different disease conditions in people conducive to different tenets of Creative Arts. Different tenets of Expressive Behaviour Therapy like Dance Movement Therapy, Bibliotherapy, Music Therapy and Visual Art Therapy has been used to promote Child Developement in School going children, promoting overall emotional wellbeing and resilience, reducing depression and anxiety and even addressing issues concerning Autism. Evidences are largely lacking in the field specially in our country, due to lack of awareness, coordinated scientific approach and reliability. However, the present Symposium aims to overcome these deficiencies and we would like to share scientific experiences gathered while conducting two EBT clinic in two well connected cities. Also, the symposium attempts to bridge the gap in interpreting verbal and non verbal modes of Psychotherapy

Aim: To Scientifically establish effectiveness of Visual Art Therapy and Dance Movement Therapy as a part of the Expressive Behaviour Therapy model.

Methodology: Case vignette, questionnaire based interpretation and Statistical Analysis.

Future Goal: To extend the spectre of Expressive Behaviour Therapy to other fields of similar interest like music, drama and poetry.

Addressing mental health among patients with co-morbid conditions in India

Sudha Kallakuri, Pallab Maulik

George Institute for Global Health, India

This symposium brings together different dimensions to understand and address the mental health needs of vulnerable populations across India. The session highlights challenges faced by groups such as transgender communities, adolescents in urban slums, and Scheduled Tribe populations in rural settings, while demonstrating how context-specific, participatory, and innovative strategies can strengthen mental health and well-being. Drawing on findings from formative studies, implementation research, and community-driven initiatives, presentation will showcase emerging models of care, stigma-reduction approaches, and mental health promotion interventions with potential for scale-up in low resource settings.

1. Manthan – Promoting Mental Health Among Transgender Communities in Delhi NCR (Ms. Manmeet Bhatia)-a peer-support –based intervention aimed at enhancing mental health and well-being among transgender persons in Delhi NCR, outlining the model, implementation experiences, and emerging. outcomes.

2. ANUMATI 2.0 Trial – Adolescent Resilience-Building in Urban Slums (Dr Srilatha Paslawar)-a life-skills intervention to strengthen resilience among adolescents in urban slums. The presentation will outline the co-design process, key formative findings, and implementation progress.

3. SATHI Project – Reducing Stigma and Improving Mental Well-Being in Scheduled Tribe Communities (Dr Sandhya Yatirajula)-a quasi-experimental study conducted across 80 tribal villages in Eluru district, will highlight stigma-reduction strategies and mental well-being approaches grounded in a social-determinants framework.

4. DAYARA – Community Perspectives on Mental Health and Well-Being (Dr Ankita Mukherjee)-a situational analysis examining community perceptions, contextual realities, and priority needs related to mental health and well-being, informing the development of a culturally grounded mental health promotion intervention.

Mental health and well-being of industrial employees

Suhash Chakraborty, H. Chandrashekar¹, G. S. Palaksha²

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hospital, ¹ESIC Medical College and PGIMSR, ²Palaksha Clinic, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

In modern industries, employees work relentlessly to achieving target, increasing productivity, maintaining quality and keeping customers satisfied. Working in shifts, working overtime, over-responsibility with less autonomy makes employees vulnerable to stress. There is growing evidence in literature that mentally healthy workforce not only reduces the overall expenditure on health but boosts the performance of the industry also.

Mental health issues pertaining to industrial workers are different from general population. Social stigma about mental illnesses is a major barrier. Alcohol and other substance abuse disorders, adjustment disorders, illness anxiety disorders, masked depression, somatoform disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia etc are some of the major causes of morbidity and absenteeism in the industry.

Only a few top-level industries have taken initiative to implement mental health and well-being measures as part of their company policy. These include, identifying vulnerable population, periodic mental health assessments, appointment of mental health specialists, early identification of symptoms and early intervention. The suicide prevention program through “Gate-keeper Model” or 24 hours “on demand counselling” services are gaining momentum. Unfortunately, majority of industries especially those in unorganized sectors are lagging behind and have no policy to tackle mental health.

There is a need to recognize the mental health issues in this community, establishing a structured mental health care delivery system for mental well-being which is easy to implement, cost effective and can negate stigma. The three speakers having vast knowledge of working with industrial employees would highlight those features though this symposium.

The battles of sleepless nights’-INSOMNIA and all you need to know about it

Sumedha Roy, Ranjan Das, Urmi Sanyal, Deborshi Das¹

IOP-COE, Kolkata, ¹Tamralipto Governement Medical College and Hospital, Tamluk, West Bengal, India

Sleep is an essential physiological process that is essential for proper brain functioning.

Insomnia disorder is the most prevalent sleep disorder. The prevalence of chronic insomnia disorder in around 10%, but transient insomnia can affect up to 30-35% of the population. Children with neurodevelopmental disorders, psychiatric or medical comorbidities have high prevalence of insomnia. Insomnia disorder is frequently present with a comorbid medical or mental disorder. 40-50% of individuals with insomnia also have a comorbid mental disorder.

According to the International Classification of Sleep disorders, third edition, insomnia can be chronic insomnia disorder, short-term insomnia disorder, other insomnia disorder, isolate symptoms and normal variants (excessive time in bed, short sleepers).

Insomnia can cause daytime fatigue, poor attention, concentration, irritability, absenteeism from work and reduced quality of life. Long term sleeplessness increases risk of depression, cardiovascular complications, dementia.

There has been a paradigm shift of seeing insomnia as a distinct disorder, even when there is a comorbid condition. The understanding that insomnia and other conditions have a bidirectional relationship emphasizes on the fact that both condition must be treated simultaneously. Several efficacious management have evolved for insomnia-both pharmacological and non-pharmacological. There is increased emphasis on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT-I) for insomnia. Newer pharmacological molecules are also being developed with much fewer adverse effect profiles and dependence.

As the science of sleep and it’s enigma continues to be unfolded, the more sleep disorders and it’s management is receiving a paradigm shift towards a more holistic understanding and management.

Two most underutilised treatments in psychiatry-myths and evidence

Sumeet Gupta, Parveen Sharma¹, SantanGoswami²

TEWV Nhs Foundation Trust, Darlington, ¹Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust, UK, ²JIS School of Medical Science and Research, Howrah, West Bengal, India

Despite strong evidence and guideline support, Clozapine and Lithium—two of the most effective treatments for treatment-resistant schizophrenia and bipolar disorder—remain underutilised. This gap between evidence-based practice and clinical application contributes to suboptimal outcomes for many patients. Common barriers include concerns about severe adverse effects, the need for regular blood monitoring, and prescribers’ lack of confidence or experience. However, these risks are often overestimated, and many patients report a favorable risk-benefit experience.

Clozapine is linked to serious side effects such as agranulocytosis, myocarditis, and severe constipation. Yet, most of these can be prevented or managed with appropriate care. Agranulocytosis risk is highest in the first two years, and recent regulatory changes have reduced the frequency of required blood tests. Myocarditis risk is similarly time-bound, peaking in the first two months, and can be mitigated through slower titration and vigilant monitoring. Rechallenge with Clozapine is also possible in many cases, with proper precautions.

Lithium, known for its mood-stabilizing properties, and Clozapine both significantly reduce suicide risk—a critical consideration given that approximately 10% of individuals with schizophrenia die by suicide, compared to 1.3% in the general population. Avoiding these medications due to adverse effect concerns may inadvertently increase suicide risk and hinder recovery.

Clinicians must weigh the full spectrum of benefits and risks, engage in shared decision-making, and ensure that fear of side effects does not eclipse the potential for life-saving and life-enhancing outcomes.

Psychiatric aspects in major physical illnesses

Surbhi, Deepak Krishna Ghormode¹, Manoj K. Sahu¹

Pt JNM Medical College and Hospital, Raipur, ¹Shri Shankaracharya Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhilai, Chhattisgarh, India

Nearly one third of the people with physical health conditions suffer from added mental health disorders. The coexistence of these conditions often lead to worse outcomes than either alone. There is increased burden on functioning not only medically but socially and occupationally. The link appears bidirectional with various chronic illnesses precipitating psychiatric morbidity while psychiatric disorders themselves contributing to development or worsening of physical diseases. A few complex biological, psychological and social mechanisms are found to contribute to this occurrence. The common comorbid mental health conditions reported are anxiety and affective disorders, psychoses, substance use disorders and sexual dysfunctions. Also, almost all physical health conditions including the cardiovascular, respiratory and renal disorders are significantly associated with the mental health conditions. The diseases related to these three important systems often run a severe and chronic course contributing to the comorbidity.

First presenter will explore these psychiatric aspects in Respiratory Diseases, while second and third speakers will talk about these aspects in Cardiovascular and Renal Diseases respectively.

Artificial intelligence for psychiatric training: summarisation, simulated patients, and AI examiners

Suresh Bada Math, Tanmoy Chakroborty¹, Manik Inder Singh Sethi, Gouri Jadav, Prottay Kumar Adhikary¹

Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ¹Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi, India

Background: Artificial intelligence tools are increasingly used in psychiatric education for literature summarisation, case-based learning, and conversational simulations, including AI systems that act as standardized patients or examiners. However, many trainees and faculty lack clear practical experience and frameworks for ethical, effective use.

Aims: This one-hour symposium, led by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and psychiatrists from IIT Delhi and NIMHANS Bengaluru, aims to explore the multifunctional roles of AI in psychiatric training. These include supporting summarisation of clinical and research information, simulating patient interviews, and supplementing examiner roles in formative assessments.

Methods: The session will combine brief presentations, demonstrations of AI tools, and group discussions. Topics will include prompt engineering for clinical documentation, designing AI-mediated standardized patient encounters, and the potential role of AI-generated feedback while emphasizing data protection and ethical considerations.

Discussion: Participants will consider opportunities and challenges of AI deployment in psychiatric training, such as bias, transparency, and safeguarding learners and patients. The symposium will maintain an open, exploratory focus to encourage reflection on evolving professional roles and best practices for responsible AI integration.

Recent advances in neuromodulation: Transforming treatment resistant psychiatric disorders

Suvayan Saha, Gautam Saha¹

Dr DY Patil Medival College and Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, ¹NRS Medical College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Rationale and Objectives: Despite advances in psychopharmacology, 20-30% of patients with major psychiatric disorders (e. g., depression, OCD, schizophrenia) remain treatment-refractory, imposing a significant socioeconomic burden. Neuromodulation techniques—ranging from non-invasive (TMS, tDCS) to invasive (DBS)—offer circuit-specific interventions by modulating aberrant neural networks and enhancing neuroplasticity. This symposium highlights recent Indian and global evidence on neuromodulation’s efficacy, mechanisms, and implementation challenges in resource-limited settings. Objectives: (1) Review evidence-based applications for key disorders; (2) Discuss emerging technologies like transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS); (3) Explore translational research for personalized protocols; (4) Address ethical/practical barriers to scale-up in India.

Target Audience: Psychiatrists, neurologists, and mental health professionals interested in interventional psychiatry.

Speakers and Topics: Dr. Gautam Saha (Clinic Brain Neuropsychiatric Institute & Research Centre, Kolkata): “Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation: TMS and tDCS in Depression and Schizophrenia” – Evidence from multi-center trials on neuroplasticity and symptom reduction, drawing from Indian research contexts.

Dr. Suvayan Saha (Neuropsychiatrist): “Neuromodulation in Addiction and Psychosexual Disorders: De-Addiction Protocols with tDCS” – Long-term outcomes in refractory substance use and integrating neuromodulation with psychotherapy.

Dr. Shobit Garg (Professor Psychiatry, SGRRM&HS, Dehradun): “Emerging Neuromodulation in Geriatric and Bipolar Disorders: VNS and Ultrasound Innovations” – Comparative efficacy, neuroplasticity in aging populations, and future directions for Indian clinics. Email: +918958534261

Indian classical music and mental health: Feasibility and current evidence in management of depression

Suyog Vijay Jaiswal, Nitin Raut¹, Astik Mane²

AIIMS, ²Dutta Meghe Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, ¹Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental illnesses. The treatment gap for common mental disorders is calculated to be 81% in India. The current common line of treatment, with a limited number of trained professionals available in India, remains largely psychopharmacological management, which is inadequate. Not more than two-thirds of patients respond to the trial of the first antidepressant, while not more than half the patients will achieve complete remission.

In India, structured psychotherapy has not been accepted as a regular treatment, and challenges faced in practising non-pharmacological treatment are multiple, such as social, psychological and financial as well. In such a situation, a non-pharmacological line of management that is standardised, affordable, acceptable and delivered remotely can address the gap.

Indian Classical Music (ICM) elicits and facilitates the regulation of emotions. It is known to activate the frontal cortical network involved in emotion processing and has a positive effect on depression in comparison to standard-of-care treatment. The core of ICM is Ragas, which means “one that induces the emotions of the mind”. Listening to certain Ragas is associated with a calming effect, reducing blood pressure, stress, anxiety and depression. Ragas consistently arouse specific emotions associated with their musical properties and are suitable for emotional healing. ICM has shown beneficial effects in isolation or in combination with other non-pharmacologic interventions. Various Ragas have been used in different studies, such as Bhairavi, Bilahari, Miya-ki-Todi, Malkauns, Bhatiyali, Lalit, Desh, Jaunpuri, Rageshree, Jog, Jaijaivanti, Dharbari, Hansadhwani, Shankara, Puriya, and Kaushik Dhwani.

Neuromodulation in psychiatry: Evidence, innovations, and clinical experience

Swarndeep Singh, Nayan Sinha, Subhashmita Malik, Amit Kumar

Department of Psychiatry, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India

Neuromodulation is transforming the landscape of psychiatric treatment by offering alternative approaches for patients with diverse mental health conditions. This symposium will present an integrative overview of neuromodulation modalities, emphasizing both established and emerging techniques.

The first session will review the global evidence on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), covering its mechanisms, clinical applications, therapeutic protocols, and outcomes across psychiatric disorders.

The second session will focus on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), summarizing current research on efficacy, safety, dosing strategies, and its role as an adjunctive treatment.

The third session will explore newer neuromodulation technologies, including portable vagal nerve stimulation, transcranial photobiomodulation, and ultrasonic neuromodulation, highlighting worldwide studies, mechanisms of action, and potential clinical applications.

The final session will provide practical insights into the clinical use of rTMS and tDCS, sharing experiences related to patient selection, treatment optimization, challenges encountered, and avenues for integrating emerging neuromodulation approaches.

This symposium aims to equip participants with a thorough understanding of neuromodulation’s evolving role in psychiatry, balancing evidence-based research with pragmatic clinical perspectives.

Unshackling psychiatry in the age of AI: Promise, peril and the path forward

Tamoghna Bandyopadhyay, Aritra Chakraborty¹, Nishant Saha

Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital, Murshidabad, ¹Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital, Bankura, West Bengal, India

Introduction: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly integrating into psychiatric practice, providing new tools for diagnosis, prediction, and personalized care. However, its uncritical use can lead to over-reliance, ethical issues, and a loss of clinical subtlety. This symposium explores how psychiatry can responsibly adopt AI—maximizing its advantages while protecting human judgment, empathy, and patient autonomy.

Clinical AI in Diagnosis — Promise and Practical Realities: AI-driven tools, including machine-learning algorithms, digital biomarkers, and natural language processing, are transforming early detection and diagnostic support. This talk will critically assess their accuracy, interpretability, and practical usefulness in real-world settings. It will emphasize where AI improves clinical practice and where its limitations require careful, context-aware interpretation.

Ethical and Medico-Legal Challenges in AI Adoption: As AI integration into mental healthcare advances, concerns about algorithmic bias, data privacy, informed digital consent, and accountability become more pressing. This session explores ethical challenges, including uneven model performance across diverse groups and the potential loss of clinical independence. It also highlights the safeguards needed to ensure AI is used safely, fairly, and ethically.

Integrating AI Without Losing Clinical Nuance — A Human-in-the-Loop Approach: This presentation introduces practical frameworks for incorporating responsible AI into psychiatry. It highlights the importance of preserving empathy, understanding context, and maintaining narrative awareness, prioritizing AI as a tool for augmentation rather than automation. The discussion will cover strategies for explaining AI decisions, ensuring clinician oversight, improving digital literacy, and ongoing model assessment.

Beyond desire: Reconceptualizing female sexual dysfunction at the intersection of neurobiology, trauma, and modern culture

Tanisha Pruthi, Shruti Zunzunwala, Preeti¹

Lady Hardinge Medical College, ¹Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, India

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) affects up to 40% of women across the lifespan, yet it remains underrecognized, undertreated, and burdened by longstanding stigma. Unshackling FSD from narrow biomedical or relational paradigms requires acknowledging its complexity across neurobiological, psychological, and sociocultural domains. Emerging research demonstrates that disruptions in reward –motivation circuitry, altered sexual excitation –inhibition balance, and hormone-mediated shifts in responsivity contribute to difficulties with desire and arousal. Trauma-related mechanisms—including HPA-axis dysregulation, hyperarousal, dissociation, and negative sexual schemas—further shape sexual functioning by altering safety perception, emotional presence, and interoceptive awareness.

Alongside these biological and trauma-linked processes, modern digital culture introduces potent new influences on female sexuality. Algorithm-driven beauty norms, online comparison culture, and exposure to unrealistic sexual scripts contribute to performance anxiety, body dissatisfaction, and avoidance patterns, particularly among younger populations. These multidimensional factors increasingly present in psychiatric settings, yet clinicians often feel insufficiently trained to assess or address them.

This symposium reconceptualizes FSD through an integrated biopsychosocial and trauma-informed framework. Topics include the neurobiology of female sexual desire, trauma and PTSD-related alterations in sexual function, the impact of social media and porn literacy on body image and sexual expectations, and innovations in psychiatric assessment and treatment. By synthesizing advances across neuroscience, trauma studies, and digital culture, the session aims to equip clinicians with practical, evidence-based tools to improve diagnostic accuracy, reduce stigma, and enhance patient-centered care. This comprehensive approach reflects the evolving landscape of women’s sexual health in contemporary psychiatric practice.

The search for the holy grail of psychiatry-biomarkers or beyond

Uday Chaudhuri, D. E. Abhay Kumar, Sanjay Kumar Saha¹

Ramakrishna Seva Pratshisthan, Kolkata, ¹Raigang Governement Medical College and Hospital, Raiganj, West Bengal, India

The search for the Holy Grail in psychiatry is usually synonymous with the search for biomarkers. The Human Brain Project of EU or the Brain Initiative of Barrack Obama was launched with lofty goals but not much headway was made. The Connectome Project of NIH made some progress. Pinpointing Radiological footprints in psychological illnesses has seen some progress though still debatable. The Human Genome project promised much-still nothing definitive. Candidate genes, linkage analysis, polygenic aetiology and others are mouth-watering terms but again don’t have definitive bio-markers to show. Areas like gene probes for Rapid metabolizers have seen some results but it’s still like just like standing at the foothills of the Himalayas. The new kid on the block is AI-not much still. It has to accepted, maybe somewhat grudgingly, that understanding mind and its functions cannot be fully done by treating the body as only a biological machine. It has to be accepted as harboring something beyond which is our consciousness. The practice of psychiatry is still as much an art as it is a science. It’s now time to ask-Are we losing the soul of psychiatry in our quest for biomarkers. The tremendous advances in the field of Contemplative Neuroscience may still hold the answer in our quest for the Holy Grail.

Introduction-Dr Abhay Kumar De

Where we stand now-Dr Sanjay Kr Saha

Contemplative Neurosciences-The road less travelled-Dr Uday Chowdhury.

Cyberchondria-internet influenced self diagnosis amongst adolescents

Urmi Sanyal, Sumedha Roy¹, Sucheta Chatterjee¹, Aratrika Sen¹

Institute of Psychiatry, ¹IOP-COE, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Social media has significantly influenced the trend of self-diagnosing psychiatric disorders among young adolescents. Increased use of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for seeking information about mental health symptoms often leads them to prematurely label themselves with psychiatric diagnoses without professional evaluation. Easy access and handy use of internet provides information regarding mental health that is attractive and thought-provoking to the curious minds of adolescents. Personal experiences and stories of influencers shared on their social media profiles help to minimise stigma associated with psychiatric diagnosis and promote mental health awareness, but on the other side, youngsters are becoming prone to identify themselves with those disorders even without visiting a mental health expert. Many symptom checklists and quizzes are all over the internet that provide a false sense of confidence over the diagnosis. Sometimes teens visit a psychiatrist just for the confirmation of the diagnosis that they have already made and seek a prescription and medicines he/she apparently needs. Very often adolescents visit mental health professionals with self-diagnoses like ADHD, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, Multiple personality disorders, gender identity disorder, etc., for which they seem to have gone through many contents from the internet. This condition carries risks of misdiagnosis, extreme anxiety and challenges in accepting professional help. The roles of parents and peers are significant in the process of development as well as in the prevention of cyberchondria. Mental health professionals are increasingly concerned regarding this issue and advocating for improved psychoeducation, digital literacy and clinical intervention aimed at youth.

Combating gender based violence: With the mind, not the fists

Veda N. Shetageri, Lokeswara Reddy¹, Mona Nongmeikapam²

East Point College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ¹Government Medical College, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh, ²Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, Manipur, India

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a pervasive public health and human rights crisis, affecting individuals across age, socioeconomic, and cultural groups. While societal responses have traditionally focused on legal, punitive, or crisis-management frameworks, emerging evidence highlights the critical role of psychological understanding, mental health promotion, and early cognitive-emotional intervention in preventing and addressing GBV. This presentation, “Combating Gender-Based Violence: With the Mind, Not the Fists, ” reframes GBV as not only a social or legal issue but also a deeply rooted psychological and behavioural phenomenon.

Drawing on perspectives from psychiatry, trauma studies, cognitive science, and community mental health, the session explores how attitudes, beliefs, emotional regulation, and interpersonal dynamics contribute to both the perpetuation of violence and pathways to prevention. Key themes include the psychological underpinnings of power, control, and aggression; the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences; the role of gender norms and cognitive biases; and the mental health consequences faced by survivors. Evidence-based strategies such as cognitive-behavioural interventions, trauma-informed care, bystander training, and community-level psychoeducation will be highlighted as effective tools to shift mindsets, cultivate empathy, and reduce violent behaviour.

The presentation emphasizes that sustainable reduction in GBV requires strengthening minds—not fists—through awareness, emotional literacy, resilience-building, and supportive systems. By integrating mental health principles with societal advocacy, the session aims to equip clinicians, educators, and community stakeholders with actionable insights to prevent violence, support survivors, and foster compassionate, equitable relationships. This holistic perspective underscores that meaningful change begins within the human mind.

Your gut feeling: “Decoding the microbiome’s role in mental health a new frontier in psychiatric care”

Veda N. Shetageri, Swapna Bondade¹, Sree Ramya²

East Point College of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, ¹Oxford Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Bengaluru, Karnataka, ²Manasa Hospital, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India

It’s incredible to think that our “gut feeling”and might be more than just an idiom—it is a real connection! Our brain and our gut are constantly chatting through something called the gut-brain axis. They are not just digesting food; they are actually shaping our brain development, our immune system, and even the chemical signals that influence our mood. We are discovering that when this microbial community is out of whack, it can play a big role in conditions like depression, anxiety, and stress. But here is the exciting part: we can actually talk back to our gut microbes! Things like “psychobiotics”,special probiotics and prebiotics are showing real promise in clinical trials, helping to ease psychiatric symptoms. We will explore how these interventions work; from the tiny molecules our microbes produce to how they might calm our stress responses. This is not just microbiology; it is a new way to understand and care for our minds, offering fresh hope for mental health. The study of Microbiota-G-B-Axis has clinical implications in the field of behavioural sciences. It plays a significant role in etio-pathogenetic dysbiosis in ASD, MDD, BPAD, PTSD, ADHD and Schizophrenia, as a futuristic diagnostic aid, Psychotherapeutic role). Despite advancements in understanding gut –brain communications and encouraging results in experimental models, the clinical trials of microbiome-based therapeutics have yielded mixed results.

Comorbidity or multimorbidity? Understanding the mood –addiction nexus from mixed affective states to criminal justice and late-life risks”

Vijayakumar Seethapathy, Lakshmi Yatham¹, Shabbir Amanalluah²

Canadian Psychiatry Association/Provincial Health Services Authority/University of British Columbia, ¹University of British Columbia, British Columbia, ²University of Western Ontario, London, Canada

Mood disorders and substance use disorders frequently coexist, yet the clinical reality often extends far beyond simple comorbidity. This symposium explores whether these presentations are better understood as multimorbidity — complex, interacting conditions that shape the course, prognosis, and lived experience of patients across the lifespan.

Dr. Lakshmi Yatham will open the session by examining mixed affective states, diagnostic challenges in bipolar spectrum disorders, and how substance use can obscure or exacerbate mood instability. Dr. Vijay Seethapathy will then explore the mood –addiction interface through the lens of concurrent disorders, drawing on clinical experience from Canada’s Red Fish Healing Centre and correctional mental health settings. He will highlight pathways linking mixed mood states, impulsivity, substance use, and involvement with the criminal justice system. Finally, Dr. Shabbir Amanullah will address late-life vulnerability, focusing on emerging patterns of addiction in older adults, their intersection with mood dysregulation, cognitive decline, polypharmacy, and risk.

Together, the session provides a comprehensive, real-world understanding of the mood –addiction nexus and offers practical, evidence-informed strategies for assessment, treatment, and system-level care across age groups and clinical environments.

Challenges in rehabilitation of persons with mental illness in India: Barriers, gaps, and the way forward

Vijender Singh, Pravin B Yannawar¹, Ankit Chaudhary²

AIIMS, Bhopal, ¹NIMHR Sehore, Sherpur, Madhya Pradesh, ¹IHBAS, Delhi, India

Background and Major Challenges (Housing, Skills, Stigma): Rehabilitation of persons with mental illnesses (PMIs) in India remains a crucial yet underserved domain. Despite robust legal provisions under the Mental Healthcare Act (2017) and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2016), significant gaps persist in implementation and it remains a major challenge due to limited supported living options and community-based residential facilities, often resulting in institutionalization or dependency on families. Lack of vocational skills, limited employment opportunities and workplace discrimination hinder economic inclusion. Stigma, gender bias and negative societal attitudes further restrict help-seeking behaviour and reduce participation in rehabilitation initiatives.

Administrative and Logistic Barriers: There is lack of mental health facilities in most of the places in India. There is scarcity of trained professionals, and inadequate intersectoral coordination creating hindrance in rehabilitation planning and continuity of care. Rural and geographically remote areas suffer from community rehabilitation centres, deepening inequities. Family members, who remain the primary caregivers, face a considerable psychosocial and economic burden due to insufficient community support structures and respite care services.

Way Forward and Recommendations: Priorities include development of community-based housing models, expansion of vocational training and supported employment. Improved integration within DMHP, capacity-building of multidisciplinary teams, digital solutions, and sustained investment are essential. Ensuring active involvement of service users & caregivers in planning & monitoring can lead to more responsive and effective rehabilitation systems. Strengthening psychiatric rehabilitation in India demands a recovery-oriented, rights-based approach emphasizing social inclusion and empowerment.

Common statistical tests and inferences in psychiatric research

Vikas Menon, Samir Kumar Praharaj¹

Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, ¹Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India

Basic knowledge of statistics, along with the ability to interpret test results, is essential for any health professional (academic or non-academic) to critically appraise evidence and make informed decisions about clinical care. Arguably, for mental health, these skills assume greater significance because of the multifactorial nature of most mental health conditions and the complex nature of interactions between individual determinant variables. We aim to provide a primer on commonly used statistical tests in mental health research, focusing on simple explanations and interpretation of outputs. The focus will be on the statistical concepts and tests commonly used for postgraduate dissertations, which form the bulk of research carried out in the country. We will use illustrative examples to aid understanding and focus on the appropriate statistical tests to use for different research questions, how to report the test findings, and how to interpret test results validly. We will introduce terms such as effect size, bias, and confounding, in addition to fundamental concepts such as P values and confidence intervals. We will then cover standard parametric and non-parametric tests used in psychiatric research, concluding with a discussion on correlation and regression (multivariable) analysis. The symposium will equip attendees with a working knowledge of common statistical tests, their reporting and interpretations.

Climate change and geriatric mental health: Emerging evidence, mechanisms and adaptive strategies

Vipindeep Kaur Sandhu, Ankit Chattopadhyay¹, Pinki Sevda, Arnab Datta

All India Institute of Medical Sciences, ¹Institute of Human Behahavior and Allied Sciences, New Delhi, India

Climate change and population ageing are converging global forces that significantly heighten mental health risks for older adults. Physiological vulnerability, impaired thermoregulation, multimorbidity, and social isolation make the elderly particularly sensitive to climatic stressors such as heat waves, air pollution, and extreme weather events. Epidemiological studies consistently show that high temperatures and temperature variability increase psychiatric emergency visits, hospitalizations, and suicide in older adults, while long-term exposure to pollutants like PMâ‚‚.â‚… and NOâ‚‚ is linked with higher rates of depression, cognitive decline, and dementia. Post-disaster data demonstrate persistent elevations in PTSD, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among older survivors of floods, droughts, and cyclones. The ageing brain already burdened by neurodegenerative, vascular, and metabolic processes responds disproportionately to environmental stress. Heat triggers systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and autonomic imbalance, worsening delirium, affective instability, and behavioral symptoms in dementia. Air pollution accelerates microglial activation, vascular damage, and amyloid accumulation. Chronic climate related stress activates the HPA axis, disrupts sleep, and increases vulnerability to anxiety, depression, and cognitive deterioration. Psychosocial mechanisms such as heat-related isolation, disrupted routines, nutrition insecurity, and forced migration further erode cognitive reserve and emotional resilience. These interacting biological and social pathways underscore the need for climate-informed geriatric psychiatric assessment and targeted prevention. Building climate-resilient mental-health systems requires action plans. Integrating environmental exposure data into clinical risk prediction, strengthening primary care capacity, and mapping vulnerability hotspots are key research and policy priorities. Protecting mental wellbeing in an ageing, warming world demands coordinated, cross-sector strategies and innovative models of care.

Reimagining neuromodulation in psychiatry: The emerging role of home-based tDCS

Vishal Chhabra

Chhabra Psychiatry Center and Fortis Hospital Vasant Kunj, Delhi, India

Background: Psychiatry faces persistent challenges: rising chronicity, partial response rates, treatment fatigue, and access barriers. Despite pharmacological advances, a significant treatment gap remains. Neuromodulation—specifically tDCS—offers a brain circuit-based approach that addresses neural dysfunction alongside neurochemical imbalance. However, neuromodulation can only achieve meaningful impact at scale through home-based, affordable delivery models. Clinic-centric approaches, constrained by ease of use, infrastructure, geography, and cost, inherently limit access to those who need it most.

Objective: This talk examines how home-based tDCS can establish neuromodulation as a standard second pillar of psychiatric treatment, working synergistically with medication to improve outcomes, reduce relapse, and expand access to evidence-based care for millions rather than the privileged few. It also discusses the practical considerations today-answering patient queries, building a commercial model around it, etc.

Framework: Drawing from real-world clinical practice, this talk explores:

> The evolution from medication-only to multi-modal treatment paradigms

> Why scalability demands home-based models: infrastructure constraints, geographic barriers, and the chronic nature of psychiatric illness

> Evidence supporting home-based tDCS: safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes

> Patient selection, supervision protocols, and clinical governance

> Impact on adherence, therapeutic alliance, and patient agency

> Integration into existing practice workflows

> Revenue models for doctors

> Ethical considerations and standardization needs.

When medicines misbehave: Psychotropic side-effects and its management decoded

Vishal Indla, Shvetha Chilukuri¹, I. R. S. Reddy

Indlas Hospitals, Vijayawada, ¹Wellminds Neuroscience Centre, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India

Outline: The symposium will provide a systematic overview—from classification and mechanisms of psychotropic adverse effects to clinical management, prevention, and patient-centered communication for optimizing safety and adherence.

Objectives:

1. To review the classification and mechanisms of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) related to psychotropics.

2. To identify risk factors and pharmacogenetic influences on ADR susceptibility.

3. To discuss practical, evidence-based management strategies for common ADRs.

4. To address psychological contributors such as the nocebo effect and enhance adherence through patient education.

Psychotropic medications remain central to psychiatric care, but their adverse effects significantly affect treatment adherence and patient well-being. This symposium will integrate recent evidence from major psychiatric journals and clinical practice to equip participants with strategies for early detection, prevention, and management of adverse effects. Topics include extrapyramidal syndromes, metabolic complications, QTc prolongation, hyperprolactinemia, sexual dysfunction, and lithium-induced nephropathy. Special focus will be on GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight and metabolic management. The discussion will emphasize patient-centred communication, rational drug selection, and balancing efficacy with safety to improve long-term outcomes.

Key Words: Adverse drug reactions, antidepressants, antipsychotics, medication adherence, nocebo effect, psychopharmacology, psychotropics

Freud is not dead

Vivek Kirpekar, Sudhir Bhave¹, Sushil Gawande¹, Abhijit Faye²

NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, ¹NKP Salve Institute of Medical Sciences, ²Shalinitai Meghe Medical College, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

Sigmund Freud, arguably the biggest name in mental health till date, forms an important part of teaching in psychology and psychiatry. Though the psychoanalytic techniques propounded by him don’t find universal acclaim in modern psychiatry, research in neurobiology over the past few decades has interestingly validated his theories to a significant extent. The insights thus gained form an exciting area of research in mental health. These, with Freud’s continued legacy in psychology and culture, make an important area of study for mental health professionals.

Microbiota modulation as adjunctive therapy in psychiatry: Current evidence and future directions

Vundi Manasa Ram, Sai Kiran¹, Swati Mishra²

Indlas Child Guidance Clinic, Visakhapatnam, ¹Guntur Medical College, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, ²MKCG Medical College, Berhampur, Odisha, India

The bidirectional gut –brain axis has become a critical focus in contemporary psychiatric research, with growing evidence demonstrating that modulation of the gut microbiota influences neuroimmune, neuroendocrine, and neurotransmitter pathways implicated in mental illness. Probiotics—particularly Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and next-generation psychobiotics—have shown the ability to regulate cytokine profiles, alter tryptophan –kynurenine metabolism, modulate HPA-axis activity, and enhance neuroactive compound production. This symposium examines the emerging clinical utility of probiotics in child and adolescent psychiatry, adult mental health, and sexual disorders.

In child and adolescent populations, microbiome dysbiosis has been associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, irritability, and neurodevelopmental conditions such as ASD and ADHD. Early clinical trials suggest that strain-specific probiotic supplementation may reduce stress reactivity, improve mood regulation, and influence inflammatory markers. Their role as adjunctive therapy alongside behavioural and pharmacological interventions is of increasing interest.

In adults, psychobiotics have demonstrated beneficial effects in major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, trauma-related disorders, and cognitive impairment. Mechanisms include reduction of systemic inflammation, modulation of GABAergic and serotonergic pathways, and improvement of gut barrier integrity. Probiotics are also being investigated as augmenting agents in treatment-resistant depression and in patients with comorbid functional gastrointestinal disorders.

Emerging evidence in sexual disorders suggests that microbiome composition influences hormonal balance, medication-induced sexual dysfunction, metabolic health, and chronic stress responses. Probiotics may provide supportive benefits by modulating endocrine and inflammatory processes relevant to libido and arousal.

This symposium synthesizes current evidence, evaluates clinical applicability, reviews safety considerations, and highlights future research directions for integrating probiotics into evidence-based psychiatric practice.

Combating social isolation in the medical profession

Dhruv Gupta

SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York, USA

Objectives: Review evidence-based literature on social isolation in medicine across diverse settings globally.

Assess the health and mental health consequences of social isolation and the benefits of fostering connectedness.

Examine how social isolation uniquely impacts individuals that are underrepresented in medicine.

Discuss strategies to overcome social isolation in medicine for diverse populations.

Social isolation in medicine has been a longstanding issue, but it has gained renewed attention in the post-pandemic era amid growing conversations about physician well-being—particularly for underrepresented groups—and its impact on their career trajectories. It is increasingly recognized as a significant public health concern, with strong links to negative health outcomes and increased odds of premature mortality. This session reviews evidence-based literature on social isolation in medicine across diverse settings and its health and mental health consequences, especially on individuals that are underrepresented in medicine. After shared personal narratives, the presenters discuss strategies to overcome social isolation in medicine through three key approaches: building communities, fostering connections, and strengthening mentorship at individual and systemic levels. They will also discuss how these strategies can be adapted and applied in diverse settings, ranging from individualistic to collectivist societies. Finally, the session concludes by engaging the audience, inviting them to share experiences and solutions from their own practices and communities to overcome social isolation.

Digital assessments in health psychology for psychiatric practice

Anand Kumar

Rationale and Objectives: Advances in digital technology have created new opportunities for enhancing psychiatric assessment through continuous, real-world data capture. This symposium proposes to examine how digital assessment tools developed within health psychology can be effectively integrated into psychiatric practice to support diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment planning. The primary objective of this symposium is to bridge health psychology methodologies with clinical psychiatry, emphasizing applied, evidence-based use.

Scope and Content: The symposium will focus on the use of ecological momentary assessment (EMA), mobile health (mHealth) applications, wearable sensors, and artificial intelligence–driven analytics for assessing mood disorders, anxiety, stress-related disorders, ADHD, sleep disorders, and treatment adherence. Presentations will address the development and validation of digital assessment protocols, including psychometric equivalence with standard psychiatric scales and clinical utility in routine practice.

Applied case studies will demonstrate the role of digital assessments in early relapse detection, suicide risk monitoring, medication adherence tracking, and personalized intervention planning. Special emphasis will be placed on integrating multimodal data—self-report, behavioral, and physiological—into clinically interpretable formats for psychiatrists.

Expected Outcomes: The symposium aims to equip psychiatrists with practical frameworks for adopting digital assessments, enhancing precision, continuity of care, and patient engagement, thereby strengthening clinical decision-making and mental health outcomes.

The symposium will conclude with future directions for research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and digitally enabled mental healthcare for psychiatrists in India.

Redefining basic infrastructure in psychiatry: Lessons from a rural center of excellence

Rezaul Hamid

Mindcare Neuro Psychiatry Research Centre, Barpeta, Assam, India

Mental healthcare infrastructure in India remains vastly underdeveloped, especially in rural areas, where psychiatric hospitals are either absent or lack essential standards. This lecture highlights the minimum basic facilities required in a psychiatry hospital—reframed through the lens of rural innovation, functionality, and cost-effectiveness.

Drawing from a decade of grassroots experience at Mindcare Neuro Psychiatry Research Centre (MNPRC), Assam’s first rural-based psychiatric hospital, the session will explore how a 10-bed unit evolved into a fully digitized, multidisciplinary center integrating inpatient psychiatry, deaddiction, neuromodulation, psychological rehabilitation, and 24x7 emergency care. From this foundation, the Mindcare Institute of Mental Health & Allied Sciences—a 100-bed super-specialty psychiatric hospital—is being established with state-of-the-art infrastructure. The design process places equal emphasis on affordability, scalability, and compliance with global best practices.

This lecture will detail the real-world planning and implementation of essential units: violence-free acute care setups, separate neurodevelopmental and geriatric zones, telepsychiatry-enabled OPDs, advanced diagnostics, psychophysiology labs, safe medication dispensing, and family-inclusive rehabilitation spaces. It will also share insights into using digital records and AI-ready workflows to future-proof psychiatric care.

The presentation is especially relevant to general hospital psychiatry, policymakers, and mental health entrepreneurs aiming to replicate or adapt this scalable, cost-effective model in other low-resource districts. By redefining ˜basic’ facilities in psychiatry through evidence and innovation, the lecture advocates for a national standard that bridges clinical excellence with infrastructural equity.

Is decision making capacity valid yardstick for non-consensual intervention? Expanding boundaries beyond bolam and bolitho

Amitabh Shanker Saxena

Air Force Central Medical Establishment, New Delhi, India

Mental capacity is a dynamic construct, that needs to be assessed holistically. It is not an all-or none phenomena. Not only The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, but the recently enacted Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita presupposes mental capacity in all adults. Mental health professionals are often challenged clinically when tasked to determine capacity and treat persons who have may have impaired capacity due to mental illness, delirium, intoxication, age and neurodivergence related ailments. Howsoever comprehensive the laws may be, they cannot address the varied nuances of human behaviour. Allowing a choice in persons who should not be allowed to choose or disallowing a valid choice is legally untenable. The intuitive erasure of the mind body dichotomy in putting the mentally ill on the same platform as the physically ill is fraught with danger. Even this criteria has been challenged successfully in the European and English Courts. The use of mental capacity in the Indian socio-cultural context and the pitfalls therein would be analysed and solutions suggested.

Bariatric psychiatry – “The need of the hour” – Ten years of experience and research from the first bariatric clinic in CMC, Vellore

Stephen Amarjeet Jiwanmall

Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India

Obesity and mental health challenges are closely intertwined, with each condition potentially exacerbating the other. Individuals struggling with obesity often face societal stigma, discrimination, and negative self-image, which can contribute to the development or worsening of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. Conversely, mental health disorders may lead to unhealthy eating patterns, reduced physical activity, and medication side effects that promote weight gain. This bidirectional relationship creates a complex cycle that can be challenging to break. Additionally, both obesity and mental health problems share common risk factors, including genetic predisposition, environmental stressors, and socioeconomic factors. Addressing these interconnected issues requires a comprehensive approach that integrates physical and mental health interventions, promoting overall well-being and quality of life for affected individuals.

I intend to deliver a lecture addressing the challenges our nation encounters in light of the depression and the obesity epidemic. I will draw upon a decade of experience and research conducted at the first multidisciplinary tertiary care teaching hospital, Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, specifically within the Bariatric Clinic. The intersection of obesity and psychiatry necessitates robust collaboration between psychiatrists and physicians/surgeons to effectively address the epidemic. It is imperative to establish definitive guidelines for the psychological and psychiatric assessment and management of patients with obesity, and the Indian Psychiatric Society could spearhead further initiatives in this regard. Bariatric psychiatry, as a specialized field, is poised to gain prominence.

Antipsychotics: Clinical challenges and evidence for combination use

Rohit Madan

Banner University Medical Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona

Antipsychotic medications have been the cornerstone of schizophrenia management since their serendipitous discovery in the mid-20th century. Despite their widespread use, these agents remain primarily symptomatic treatments, lacking pathophysiological or disease-modifying effects. This presentation provides an overview of antipsychotic classes, their mechanisms, long-term effects, and the evolving evidence surrounding combination therapy. First-generation antipsychotics, characterized by high D2 receptor affinity, and second-generation agents, with broader receptor targets, have improved symptom control but only modestly impact psychosocial functioning and long-term outcomes. Clinical trials such as CATIE demonstrated limited benefits in functional recovery and mortality reduction, highlighting the persistent gap between treatment and meaningful public health outcomes.

Emerging evidence from longitudinal studies (e. g., Harrow & Jobe, 2022; Wunderink et al., 2013) suggests nuanced trajectories, where antipsychotic discontinuation in select patients may be associated with improved functional outcomes, though at the cost of higher relapse risk. The phenomenon of antipsychotic-induced dopamine supersensitivity psychosis (aiDSP) underscores challenges with escalating doses and treatment resistance. Combination therapy—often used in refractory cases—has shown mixed results. While certain combinations, such as clozapine with adjunctive agents, may offer clinical benefit, systematic trials remain limited and guidelines lack definitive support.

Ultimately, the judicious use of the lowest effective dose, consideration of gradual discontinuation in carefully selected patients, and integration of psychosocial interventions remain essential strategies. The presentation will critically examine current evidence, highlight gaps in knowledge, and emphasize the need for targeted, systematic research to better define the role of antipsychotic combination therapy in clinical practice.

Off-label treatment recommendations in intellectual deficiency and autism spectrum disorder for children and adolescents

Mayank Gupta

Southwestern Human Services, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasingly recognized worldwide, with a current prevalence of approximately 1 in 31 children. Intellectual disability (ID) co-occurs in nearly 70% of individuals with ASD, often leading to significant behavioral and functional impairments. Limited availability of approved pharmacological treatments has contributed to frequent off-label prescribing in children and adolescents with ASD and ID.

Objective: This review examines the patterns, rationale, and implications of off-label psychopharmacological treatment in children and adolescents with ASD and ID, with particular attention to symptom domains such as aggression, irritability, anxiety, and sleep disturbances.

Methods: A narrative review of existing literature and clinical reports was conducted, synthesizing available evidence on the efficacy, safety, and clinical application of off-label psychopharmacological interventions in this population.

Results: Off-label use of psychotropic medications is widespread in pediatric ASD and ID, most commonly involving atypical antipsychotics (risperidone, aripiprazole, quetiapine), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (fluoxetine), and melatonin. Evidence supports potential benefits in managing aggression, irritability, anxiety, depression, and sleep problems, although findings are heterogeneous and frequently limited by small sample sizes and methodological constraints. The “start low, go slow” approach is commonly recommended, yet uncertainty remains regarding long-term safety and efficacy.

Conclusion: Off-label psychopharmacological treatment plays a substantial role in clinical management of children and adolescents with ASD and ID. While current evidence suggests utility for certain medications, the lack of standardized guidelines and robust trials poses challenges for clinicians. Clearer evidence-based recommendations are urgently needed to optimize safety and efficacy in this vulnerable population.

Gut microbiome and mental health

Madhukar Katiyar

RAMA Medical College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

The Human Gut Microbiome has co-evolved with mankind. It significantly influences our Mental health through the Gut-Brain-Axis, which is a bidirectional communication system where gut microbes (Archaea-bacteria, Eu-bacteria, Viruses including Bacteriophages and Virions, Fungi and unicellular Protista) affect our Brain and Mind functions through various means and routes such as by producing Neurotransmitters (Serotonin and GABA) and Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs-Butylates, Propionates and Acetates), training and modulating the Human Immune System (both Early and Late, Innate and Acquired immunity T and B cells), Postbiotics such as Lipopolysaccharides(LPS) and the two Vagi Nerve (which consist of 80% Afferent and 20 % Efferent nerve fibers) stimulation. Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis produces increased concentration of pathogenic microbes and LPS, decreased concentration of keystone resistant and resilient microbes, thinned out or absent mucus layer, loosened Gut Epithelial Tight Junctions,-leading to a Leaky Gut Barrier, permitting passage of toxins and food micromolecules, affectind the Enteric Nervous System (ENS) and entering the blood stream causing a low-grade Chronic Systemic Metabolic Inflammation this depending on the age and intensity of Gut-Brain ultimately causing a Leaky Blood-Brain-Barrier This leads to development of various neuropsychiatric diseases like Autism Spectrum Disorders and A. D. H. D in utero and early childhood, to Anxietry Spectum Disorders’ and Substance abuse in early adolescence and young adulthood to Depression, Bipolar Disorders and Schizophrenia spectrum Disorders in midlle adulthood to various neurodegenerative Disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’ Diseases and various Dementias and movement disorders in the elderly.

Glymphatic system and neuropsychiatric disorders

Madhukar Katiyar

RAMA Medical College, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

Essentially, our brain’s “waste removal service,” the newly discovered Glymphatic System, is mainly active during Stage 3 NREM Sleep, clears the Brain Parenchyma’s metabolic waste through its interstitial fluid and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from the central nervous system (CNS). Dysfunction of this system is linked to various neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, depression, anxiety, and trauma-related disorders, due to the accumulation of toxic proteins like amyloid-β. Impaired glymphatic function can result from factors like poor sleep, which reduces its efficiency, thereby increasing the risk of neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Neurodegenerative Diseases: Impaired glymphatic clearance can lead to the buildup of toxic proteins, such as amyloid-β and tau, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease, and contribute to the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases. Mood Disorders: Recent studies reveal a connection between glymphatic system dysfunction and conditions like depression. Diminished AQP4 expression and altered astrocyte distribution are associated with these disorders. Glymphatic impairment is also implicated in trauma-related disorders, potentially playing a role in the underlying pathology.

Other Disorders: The system’s dysfunction is also linked to other brain conditions, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and epilepsy.

The moving mind: Neuropsychiatric interface in movement disorders

Vipul, Reinhard Haun¹, K. S. Anand¹, Rajinder K. Dhamija¹

IHBAS, Delhi, India

Movement disorders have traditionally been regarded as the domain of neurologists, but a growing body of evidence reveals the substantial psychiatric comorbidity and neurobehavioral complexity that coexists with these conditions. This symposium brings together Indian and international leaders from neurology and psychiatry to present the latest insights on how motor and non-motor systems interact, and why collaborative care models are urgently needed. Prof. Reinhard Heun, an internationally recognized authority in geriatric psychiatry, will chair the session, facilitating dialogue across disciplines and generations. He will also offer closing remarks on the need for integrated neuropsychiatric frameworks in movement disorder clinics across India and globally. Presentations & Speakers: 1. Dr. KS Anand Topic: “The Invisible Burden: Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease”-Covers neuropsychiatric (depression, hallucinations), autonomic (constipation, OH), sensory, and sleep disturbances-Emphasizes early identification and psychiatric screening using Indian case examples 2. Dr. Rajinder K Dhamija Topic: “Dopaminergic Therapies and Neurobehavioral Side Effects: Where to Draw the Line? ”-Focus on impulse control disorders, dopamine dysregulation, and psychosis-Discussion on DBS and balancing motor benefits vs psychiatric side effects-Focus on impulse control disorders, dopamine dysregulation, and psychosis-Discussion on DBS and balancing motor benefits vs psychiatric side effects 3. Dr. Vipul Janardan Topic: “Functional Movement Disorders (FMD): Psychiatric Syndromes with a Neurological Mask”-Misdiagnosis of psychogenic tremors, dystonia, gait issues-Role of trauma, stress, CBT and integrated neuropsychiatric rehabilitation 4. Prof. Reinhard Heun (Chair & Discussant) Mini-Talk: “When Movement Ceases: Catatonia, Akinetic Mutism, and Parkinsonian

Predicting major depressive disorder from hippocampal volume: A novel mathematical and circuit-based model

T. Naveen Keerthi

MIMER Medical College, Pune, Maharashtra

Background and Objectives: Reduced hippocampal volume is consistently associated with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), yet its predictive value remains limited due to the absence of a mechanistic framework linking structural atrophy to functional risk. Most studies offer only statistical associations, leading to uncertainty about causality. This study aimed to address this gap by developing an integrated, mechanistically informed model that predicts MDD risk from hippocampal volume.

Methods: A synthetic dataset of 500 data points, derived from meta-analytic means and standard deviations of MDD and control cohorts, was used. The analysis involved two steps: (1) a logistic regression model estimating the probability (p) of MDD as a function of hippocampal volume (V); and (2) a novel mechanistic “circuit” model conceptualizing hippocampal integrity as voltage and depressive load as resistance, following the derived relation. The resulting current (I), representing functional output, was used as the predictor in the regression, modeling nonlinear vulnerability to depression.

Results: Depressed subjects showed significantly lower hippocampal volumes (2.73 ± 0.46) than controls (3.28 ± 0.37). The integrated model achieved an AUC of 0.720, indicating good discriminative power. A threshold volume of 1.1348 corresponded to a high-risk probability (p ≥ 0.8). The circuit output (I) correlated strongly with p, supporting the hypothesis that structural loss amplifies functional deficits.

Conclusion: This study introduces a transparent, interpretable framework linking hippocampal structure to MDD risk. The defined anatomical cutoff highlights hippocampal volume as a potential biomarker, warranting validation with real neuroimaging datasets.

From the field to the synapse: A psychoneuroimmunoendocrinological and biopsychosocial analysis of farmer suicides in India

Prashant Sunil Chaudhari

Bandra Care Clinic, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

The persistent crisis of farmer suicides in India constitutes a critical public health emergency that transcends conventional socio-economic explanations. This paper aims to synthesize the holistic Biopsychosocial (BPS) framework with the mechanistic Psychoneuroimmunoendocrinological (PNIE) model to provide a more comprehensive understanding of this tragedy. The central thesis is that PNIE pathways—specifically chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation and systemic inflammation—provide the biological evidence for how social and psychological stressors, identified within the BPS model, become biologically embedded, leading to severe depression and suicidality. A statistical analysis of national and state-level data reveals the geographical and demographic concentration of the crisis, particularly in regions like Maharashtra, while a critical evaluation of existing interventions highlights their insufficiency in addressing the deep-seated biological consequences of chronic stress. This analysis culminates in a proposal for a new paradigm of neurobiologically-informed public health interventions. These include culturally adapted mind-body therapies, nutritional psychiatry targeting the gut-brain axis and micronutrient deficiencies, and the prospective use of biomarker-based screening via point-of-care diagnostics. It is concluded that a paradigm shift toward integrated psychobiological public health strategies is imperative to meaningfully address the farmer suicide epidemic in India.

Unseen and underdiagnosed: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder across the life span and opportunities for improved outcomes

Raman Baweja

Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental condition that persists across the life span. Despite growing global recognition, ADHD remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in many parts of the world, including India, where stigma, limited awareness, and gaps in clinical resources contribute to delayed identification and significant functional impairment. Significant gaps remain in understanding ADHD trajectories, optimal assessment strategies, and evidence-based interventions across the lifespan.

Aims: This symposium aims to (1) describe the developmental course of ADHD from childhood through adulthood, highlighting symptom continuity and change; (2) review evidence-based assessment and treatment strategies across life stages; and (3) discuss challenges and opportunities in optimizing functional outcomes and managing comorbidities associated with ADHD.

Methods: A comprehensive review of literature, clinical guidelines, and recent meta-analyses was conducted to synthesize knowledge on ADHD across childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Special attention was given to evolving clinical presentations, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, and functional outcomes, including academic, occupational, and social domains.

Results: ADHD manifests heterogeneously over the life span, with hyperactivity often decreasing and inattention and executive dysfunction persisting into adulthood. Comorbidities—including mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders—further complicate treatment. Evidence supports multimodal interventions combining pharmacotherapy, psychosocial support, and skill-building strategies. Challenges include delayed recognition, inconsistent access to care, and variability in treatment response.

Conclusion: Understanding ADHD’s lifespan trajectory is critical for timely diagnosis and individualized treatment planning. Integrating developmental considerations with evidence-based interventions can improve functional outcomes, reduce comorbidity burden, and enhance quality of life for individuals with ADHD at all stages.

tDCS in clinical practice-”seeing is believing”: Early neurostimulation for optimising outcomes and reducing treatment failure

J. Krishna Sahithi, Manasa Kaja, Gorrela Subhash

Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Background: Delayed therapeutic response and high rates of partial or non-response remain major challenges in managing mood disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS), as an adjunctive neuromodulatory intervention, has shown growing promise not only in reducing symptoms but also in accelerating therapeutic response when introduced early in the treatment course.

Aim: This presentation evaluates early clinical and neurobehavioral changes following tDCS augmentation and examines its potential role in reducing treatment resistance and improving response predictability in routine psychiatric practice.

Methods: Observational data from 30 patients (18 mood disorders, 12 OCD) receiving tDCS alongside stable pharmacotherapy were examined. Standardised scales (HAM-D, Y-BOCS) were administered at baseline, day 10 & 20. Early response indicators such as psychomotor activity, cognitive flexibility, task initiation, emotional regulation, and subjective cognitive clarity were recorded.

Results: Within 2 weeks, 70% of patients demonstrated measurable improvement on at least one primary outcome scale. Mean score reductions at day 14 were 5.6 points on HAM-D and 4.3 points on Y-BOCS. Early responders exhibited faster processing speed, greater emotional tolerance, and increased behavioural activation; these changes correlated strongly with sustained response at six weeks (r = 0.64). Early augmentation was associated with a 35% reduction in treatment modification rates, suggesting a decrease in progression toward treatment failure pathways.

Conclusion: Introducing tDCS early in the treatment accelerates symptom stabilisation, provides clinical markers of response, and permits timely optimisation of treatment strategies. By reducing uncertainty and treatment inertia, early neurostimulation may mitigate treatment resistance and improve clinical efficiency.

Endoxifen across the lifespan: Clinical perspectives and emerging evidence

Deepak Gupta, Hema Tharoor, Vishal Indla

Endoxifen is the active form of tamoxifen and is widely used in the treatment of hormone receptor–positive breast cancer. In recent years, it has also gained attention for its potential role in psychiatry. Endoxifen works by modulating estrogen receptors and inhibiting protein kinase C, both of which are involved in mood regulation, emotional control, and impulsivity.

Recent studies suggest that endoxifen is helpful in managing acute mania and mood instability, offering a mechanism different from commonly used mood stabilizers and antipsychotics. Its relatively faster onset of action has made it a promising option in selected patients.

This symposium will provide an overview of the use of endoxifen across different age groups, focusing on clinical evidence, safety, and tolerability. Important issues such as dosing, monitoring, hormonal changes etc. will be discussed.

By integrating knowledge from oncology and psychiatry, this session aims to help clinicians understand where endoxifen fits in current practice, its limitations, and its future potential in mental health care across the lifespan. Sir, the following names will be included in the author list:

Precision antipsychotic therapy – Focus on blonanserin

Gautam Saha, Rajesh Nagpal, Venu Gopal Jhanwar

Precision antipsychotic therapy represents a shift from conventional symptom-based prescribing toward biologically informed, individualized treatment strategies targeting dopamine–serotonin modulation. Advances in neurobiology, pharmacogenomics, and clinical phenotyping now enable clinicians to better understand inter-individual variability in treatment response, tolerability, and functional outcomes. This symposium explores precision psychopharmacology with a specific focus on Blonanserin as an illustrative model.

In the first talk, Dr. Gautam Saha will outline the conceptual framework of precision antipsychotic therapy, emphasizing receptor-binding profiles, dopamine–serotonin modulation, clinical phenotypes, and emerging biomarkers that guide rational antipsychotic selection and dosing. The session will highlight how targeted modulation can improve efficacy while minimizing adverse effects and enhancing adherence.

The second presentation by Dr. Rajesh Nagpal will trace Blonanserin’s journey from bench to bedside, focusing on its pharmacological profile characterized by high affinity antagonism at dopamine D₂ and D₃ receptors with minimal off-target activity. Clinical implications of this receptor selectivity, including efficacy on positive symptoms and favorable metabolic and tolerability outcomes, will be discussed.

The third talk by Dr. Venu Gopal Jhanwar will address cognition, negative symptoms, and functional recovery—key unmet needs in schizophrenia. The potential role of Blonanserin in improving motivation, cognitive functioning, and social engagement, supported by its D₃ receptor activity and low sedative burden, will be explored.

All speakers will use clinical case-based examples to translate evidence into practical, recovery-oriented treatment strategies.

Neuroscience of spiritual practices: Brain plasticity, networks, and mental health

Deepak Raheja, G. Prasad Rao, Priyanka Kanjilal

This symposium examines neuroscientific evidence linking contemplative spiritual practices—particularly meditation and yoga—to brain plasticity and mental health outcomes. Drawing from functional neuroimaging, electrophysiology, neurochemical, and epigenetic studies, it explores how sustained contemplative practice modulates large-scale neural networks involved in attention, self-referential processing, and emotional regulation. A transdisciplinary framework is proposed positioning meditation as both a catalyst for neuroplastic change and a potential therapeutic avenue for psychiatric disorders.

Speaker 1: Neural Network Modulation in Meditation

This presentation reviews evidence demonstrating meditation-induced alterations in the Default Mode Network, salience network, and fronto-parietal executive control systems. Reduced self-referential processing, enhanced attentional stability, and improved emotional regulation are discussed, with relevance to network dysregulation observed in anxiety, depression, and ADHD.

Speaker 2: Neuroplastic and Molecular Correlates

This talk focuses on biological mechanisms underlying contemplative practices, including structural brain remodeling, up-regulation of neurotrophic factors such as Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, altered neurotransmitter dynamics, and epigenetic mechanisms supporting stress resilience and affect regulation.

Speaker 3: Clinical Translation and Integrative Frameworks

Methodological challenges, future research directions, and clinical implications are outlined, proposing an integrative framework bridging ancient contemplative traditions and modern cognitive neuroscience.

Learning Objectives: Participants will understand (1) neural network changes associated with meditation, (2) biological mechanisms underlying contemplative neuroplasticity, and (3) clinical relevance for mental health interventions.

Key Take-Home Messages: Meditation induces measurable neuroplastic changes; these changes overlap with networks implicated in psychiatric disorders; integrative neuroscience can inform mechanism-based, culturally sensitive mental health care

Foundations of nutritional psychiatry: Neurobiology, gut–brain axis, and clinical relevance

Vishal Akula

Professor and HOD, Psychiatry

Speaker 2

Name: Dr. George Reddy

Affiliation: Senior Psychiatrist

Topic: Dietary Interventions in Common Psychiatric Disorders: Evidence to Practice

Speaker 3

Name: Dr. Sridhar Dandapally

Affiliation: Psychiatrist

Topic: Nutritional Deficiencies, Metabolic Syndrome, and Psychotropic Medications

Speaker 4

Name: Dr. G. Saketh Reddy

Affiliation: Psychiatrist