Currents News Staff
New addictions such as gambling and internet pornography will be closely examined at an international congress organized by the Vatican.
From Thursday, Nov. 29 to Saturday Dec.1, 465 experts from 63 countries will share their experiences in the fight against addictions afflicting the people of the 21st century.
The congress has not been organized by a medical organization. Instead it was convened by the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which was established by the pope in 2016.
“The human being is not just a body to be fed and clothed. He has an eternal dimension, a spiritual dimension that must be taken care of, that must be guided. This dimension is what so many times is the key to dealing with many of these addictions,” said Msgr. Segundo Tejado Muñoz, Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
Of course, drug addiction will also be discussed. According to the 2017 World Drug Report, approximately 5% of the world’s adult population has used them at least once while 0.6% has serious problems caused by it.
The congress participants explain that there is still a lot to learn about these newer dependencies. They say their biggest obstacle will be informing entire societies and public institutions of the seriousness of some of these illnesses.
“With gambling, there are many contradictions. On the one hand, it is condemned, even at the state level. On the other, the state itself receives a percentage of taxes from this business. Therefore, the message is very ambiguous at the educational level,” said Nicolò Pisanu, a psychologist and expert in family therapy .
On Saturday, the Pope will receive congress participants alongside people who have overcome drug addiction.