9th Psychology Conference discusses the impacts of online gambling on mental health.

On August 27th, the date on which Psychology Day is celebrated, the Escola Bahiana de Medicina e Saúde Pública The 9th Psychology Conference was held at the Cabula Campus. With a packed auditorium, the event brought together students and professors from the Psychology course for a morning of reflection and dialogue on emerging themes related to training and professional practice. This edition's program focused on the impacts of online gambling on life and mental health, promoting discussions on the social, economic, and psychological aspects related to the phenomenon. The opening was led by the coordinator of the Psychology course, Professor Sylvia Barreto.

The opening conference, entitled “How Much Do You Want to Bet?: Lives at Stake(s) Under the Mask of Entertainment,” was given by Professor Carlos Danon. In justifying the choice of theme, he highlighted the institution's role in discussing contemporary phenomena that impact health. “The Bahiana "I couldn't ignore this discussion. An institution with a tradition in health education, in knowledge formation, cannot fail to raise the phenomena that are producing new forms of suffering," she stated. For Sylvia Barreto, coordinator of the Psychology course, the Conference aims to bring academic training closer to emerging themes in society. "The data is alarming regarding the impacts of online gambling on individuals' mental health, and we need to take a critical stance as a Psychology training program on this scenario," she emphasized. According to the professor, understanding what is behind online gambling is fundamental to preparing future professionals for the challenges that are arriving in the different fields of Psychology.

During the break, the poetry book “Para Ver de Brincadeira” by 10th-semester student Gabriel Nabuco was launched. Activities resumed with a panel discussion that brought together different perspectives on the topic. Student Caio Queirós presented his research “Motivations and Behaviors Associated with Online Betting: A Cross-Sectional Study,” while Professor Amanda Avelar addressed the relationship between internet addiction and the phenomenon of online gambling. Professor Millen Carvalho concluded the discussions with the presentation “Bet on Me.” 10th-semester student Yuri da Graça Santana emphasized the topicality of the subject and its relation to the challenges encountered in professional practice. “Online gambling has entered this context as a social problem that needs to be addressed by Psychology,” he assessed. For him, understanding the phenomenon also means discussing issues such as psychological suffering, transformations in social relations, capitalism, public policies, and the influence of advertising, thus broadening the preparation of future professionals for ethical and committed work in promoting mental health.