On October 16, 2025, an open meeting was held at the Mental Health Center with Andriy Zakharov, a practical psychologist, addiction specialist, specialist in helping people with addictive behavior, member of the National Psychological Association of Ukraine.

The meeting was dedicated to the topic "What is addiction? The view of an addiction specialist". Participants had the opportunity to consider key aspects of the formation of addictive behavior, learn about modern approaches to understanding the causes and mechanisms of addiction, as well as hear practical tools for helping people who are addicted. Special attention was paid to the issue of preventing professional burnout in specialists who work with such clients.

Among the main topics of the meeting:

why addiction is not about weakness of will;

how the psyche of an addicted person works;

what mistakes are most often made by specialists in an attempt to "save";

how to help without burning out yourself.

The event brought together students of the Psychology specialty, practicing psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, teachers, doctors and everyone interested in the topic. The format of the event was interactive: the speaker willingly answered the audience's questions, shared professional experience and examples from practice, which made the meeting lively, dynamic and profound.

The Mental Health Center is a space where the complex becomes understandable.