The 11th International Conference on Behavioral Addictions (ICBA), one of the world's leading scientific gatherings dedicated to behavioral addictions, has opened in Istanbul in cooperation with the Turkish Green Crescent (Yeşilay).

The conference brings together researchers, academics, psychologists, healthcare professionals and social service experts to discuss behavioral addictions, including problematic internet use, gambling, compulsive shopping and eating disorders.

Previously hosted in Hungary, Switzerland, Israel, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, South Korea, Gibraltar and France, the conference is being held in Istanbul for its 11th edition with the support of Yeşilay.

The event is taking place at Boğaziçi University from August 24 to 26, bringing together experts from around the world to present the latest scientific research and approaches on behavioral addictions.

During the opening ceremony, Yeşilay President Associate Professor Mehmet Dinç said the changing nature of addiction requires scientific approaches to be continually reassessed.

He noted that addiction had long been viewed mainly through the lens of substance use, but emphasized that gambling, gaming, problematic internet use and other behavioral addictions are becoming increasingly widespread.

"The nature of addiction is constantly changing"

Dinç stressed that, in the digital age, addiction cannot be understood solely by examining individual behavior.

"We should ask not only why a person loses control, but also what kind of environment makes losing control more likely," he said, adding that addiction has environmental and systemic dimensions as well as individual ones.

He underlined the need for cooperation among disciplines including neuroscience, psychology, psychiatry, public health, sociology, technology, economics and ethics.

Dinç also said Yeşilay's approach extends beyond treatment, focusing on prevention, reducing stigma, strengthening psychological and social resilience, and creating environments that encourage healthy choices.

Leading scientists gather at Boğaziçi University

The conference's opening day features internationally recognized experts in behavioral addiction research from leading institutions, including Yale University, the University of Chicago, the University of Geneva and the University of Lausanne.

Key speakers include Marc N. Potenza, Hae Kook Lee, Sophia Achab, Maèva Flayelle, Jon Grant, Daniel King and Wim van den Brink.

The conference is also attended by Zsolt Demetrovics, President of the International Society for the Study of Behavioral Addictions (ISSBA). The scientific committee includes experts from Canada, Japan, Spain, South Korea, Hungary, Germany, the United States, China and several other countries.

Beyond presenting the latest research, the conference aims to strengthen international scientific cooperation and establish new research networks. ICBA will continue at Boğaziçi University until August 26, promoting multidisciplinary approaches to addressing the evolving and increasingly diverse nature of behavioral addictions. (ILKHA)