The Torrevieja International Auditorium will host the 5th National Congress of the Spanish Society of Suicidology on September 25th.

The Torrevieja International Auditorium will host the 5th National Congress of the Spanish Society of Suicidology next Friday, September 25th , under the theme "Diversity, Science, and Comprehensive Prevention." Rosa Cañón, Councilor for Health, Prevention, and Health Promotion of the Torrevieja City Council, and Jesús Mesones , Head of the Psychiatry Department at the Torrevieja University Hospital and Vice President of the Spanish Society of Suicidology, presented the program for this event at a press conference today.

The congress is organized by the Torrevieja City Council and the Spanish Society of Suicidology, with the collaboration of the Valencian Regional Government and the Torrevieja Health Department. It has the scientific endorsement of the Spanish Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Spanish Association of Private Psychiatry (ASEPP).

The event will bring together psychiatrists, psychologists, doctors, nursing professionals and social workers, as well as educators, counselors, pedagogues, communication professionals, university students, associations and family members committed to the prevention and support of people in vulnerable situations.

The sessions will cover the latest developments in prevention in Spain, artificial intelligence, the relationship between psychosis and substance use, care within the Armed Forces, the role of the media, LGBTQ+ diversity, and support for individuals and families. The program will conclude with a practical clinical assessment workshop.

OPENING AND TOMORROW'S PROGRAM

Registration and document submission will begin at 9:00 a.m. The official opening ceremony will take place at 9:15 a.m. , with the participation of the Mayor of Torrevieja, Eduardo Dolón ; the Manager of the Torrevieja Health Department, José Cano ; the Director General of Mental Health and Addictions of the Valencian Government, Bartolomé Pérez ; and the Vice President of the Spanish Society of Suicidology, Jesús Mesones .

At 9:45 a.m. , Andoni Anseán , president of the Spanish Society of Suicidology and the Spanish Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will present an update on the prevention of suicidal behavior in Spain.

At 10:00 a.m., an interview on artificial intelligence and suicide will take place, focusing on the application of 5P medicine to prevention. Jesús Mesones will interview psychiatrist Pedro Moreno . At 10:45 a.m. , psychiatrist Álvaro Crespo will address the relationship between psychosis, substance use, and suicidal behavior in a panel discussion moderated by Pablo Tobajas and sponsored by Otsuka-Lundbeck.

After a break at 11:30 a.m. , the program will resume at 12:00 p.m. with a panel discussion on suicide in the Armed Forces , its risk factors, resilience, and intervention protocols. It will be moderated by Jesús Mesones and will feature Ángel Ruiz , Lieutenant Colonel and Head of the Psychology Unit in Murcia; Carlos Astrain , Commanding Officer of the Torrevieja Company of the Civil Guard; and Fulgencio Ros , a retired Mental Health Nurse and Commanding Officer.

At 1:00 PM , the debate "Werther vs. Papageno" will take place, focusing on the influence of communication on suicide . It will be moderated by psychiatrist Luis Fernando Carles , with the participation of psychiatrist Félix Luis Crespo , Professor of Psychology Antonio León García-Izquierdo , and journalist Lucía Hernández .

DIVERSITY, SUPPORT AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES IN THE AFTERNOON SESSION

After the working lunch, Councillor Rosa Cañón will open the afternoon session. At 3:30 p.m. , a panel discussion on LGBTQ+ diversity and identity will begin, analyzing vulnerability, stigma, and prevention strategies. It will be moderated by psychiatrist Esperanza Almenta , secretary of the Spanish Society of Suicidology, and participants will include Olga Brotons , head of the Psychiatry Section at Elda General Hospital, and Inmaculada Vilella , psychologist and sexologist from the Torrevieja Health Department.

At 4:15 p.m., the Acompaña Service , dedicated to suicide prevention and support for survivors and families of people who have attempted suicide in the Valencian Community, will be presented. Service professionals Patricia Sánchez Cortés and Jaime Calderón Benítez will speak in a session moderated by Andoni Anseán.

At 4:45 p.m. , the discussion "Overcoming Suicide: 'I Chose Life, My Sensitivity Is Not My Weakness but My Greatest Strength'" will bring together psychologist Nuria Javaloyes and Abbie Munz , who will share her personal experience. Psychologist Raquel Martínez will moderate.

After a break at 5:30 p.m. , the final session will begin at 5:45 p.m .: a practical workshop on the clinical assessment of patients with suicidal behavior . The workshop will cover interviewing as a tool, the use of scales, and decision-making, with José Eduardo Montejo , Mariona Durán , and Laura Gil as instructors. The closing remarks will be given by Jesús Mesones and Andoni Anseán .

REGISTRATION OPEN

Registrations can be made at www.congresosucidologia.es . The fee is 100 euros and includes access to all sessions, the certificate, the congress documentation and the working lunch.

The scientific and organizing committee is made up of Jesús Mesones, Andoni Anseán, Raquel Martínez, Pablo Tobajas and Esperanza Almenta .