Scientific Sessions

Personalized medicine in psychiatry and addiction focuses on tailoring treatments to the unique biological, psychological, and social characteristics of each individual. Traditional approaches often rely on standardized treatments, but responses to medication or therapy can vary widely due to genetic differences, brain chemistry, lifestyle, and environmental influences. By incorporating tools such as pharmacogenomic testing, clinicians can predict how a patient might metabolize or respond to certain psychiatric medications, reducing trial-and-error prescribing and minimizing side effects. This individualized approach enhances treatment effectiveness for disorders like depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and substance use conditions.

In addiction care, personalized medicine also integrates behavioral assessments, digital monitoring tools, and biomarker research to design targeted interventions. For example, genetic and neurobiological markers may help identify individuals at higher risk for substance dependence, while data-driven tools can track cravings, stress, and relapse patterns in real time. Combining these insights with psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, and recovery support creates a holistic and adaptive care plan. Although challenges such as accessibility and cost remain, personalized medicine represents a transformative step toward precision psychiatry—one that optimizes outcomes, supports long-term recovery, and improves quality of life by treating every patient as truly unique.