Diploma in Addressing Problematic Consumption and Addictions

Problematic substance use and addictive disorders are health conditions that strain the healthcare system due to their severity and prevalence. They also cause suffering for individuals and their families. It is essential to understand the origins of these problems, their clinical implications, and the various approaches available.

Doctors, nurses, psychologists, educational psychologists, social workers, therapeutic companions, music therapists, socio-therapeutic operators, occupational therapists, family counselors, social psychologists, and other related professionals. Advanced students in health sciences and related fields.

Lawyers, members of the judiciary, technicians and graduates in occupational health and safety, graduates in labor relations and human resources, delegates and members of unions, teachers and directors of educational institutions.

THEMATIC UNIT 1

Problematic substance use and addictions: generalities, neurobiological and behavioral bases

Monday, August 3, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• Presentation of the course.
• Problematic consumption and addictions: generalities and epidemiology.
• Brain circuits of reinforcement and learning.
• Differentiation between substance use, abuse, and dependence.

Monday, August 10, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• Addictive behaviors (pathological gambling, among others).
• Addiction to screens, networks and technologies.

THEMATIC UNIT 2

Classification of substances according to their action on the central nervous system (CNS)

Monday, August 24, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• General classification of substances according to their action on the CNS.
• Depressant drugs: alcohol (chemical structure and mechanisms of action).
• Alcohol consumption and alcoholism.

Monday, August 31, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• Depressant drugs: opiates and sedatives.
• Neurotransmission systems involved.
• Behavioral and cognitive effects.
• Adverse effects, toxicity, and therapeutic management.

Monday, September 7, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• Stimulant drugs I: cocaine and amphetamines.
  • Chemical structure and mechanisms of action.
  • Behavioral, cognitive, and adverse effects.
• Stimulant drugs II: caffeine and nicotine.
  • Types of consumption and routes of administration.
  • Smoking and smoking cessation.

Monday, September 14, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• CNS disruptive drugs I: hallucinogens.
  • Chemical structure and mechanisms of action.
  • Neurotransmission systems involved.
• Effects, toxicity, and therapeutic management.
• Clinical practice.

Monday, September 21, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Verónica Torres / Dr. Verónica Bisagno

• CNS disruptive drugs II: cannabis and derivatives.
• Chemical structure and mechanisms of action.
• Potential clinical uses of cannabis.

THEMATIC UNIT 3

Socio-anthropological and clinical aspects

Monday, September 28, 2026
Teacher: Dr. Juliana Mociulsky

• Eating and compulsion.

Monday 5 October of 2026
Teacher: Dr. Sergio Orlandini

• Socio-anthropological aspects of addictions.
• Comprehensive clinical diagnosis.

Monday 19 October of 2026
Teacher: Dr. Javier Naveros

• Socio-family assessment and approach.
• Harm reduction strategies.

Monday 26 October of 2026

Instructor: Dr. Javier Naveros

• Multidisciplinary approaches.

November 2 Monday of 2026
Teacher: Dr. Javier Naveros

• Pharmacological approach.

November 9 Monday of 2026
Teachers: Dr. Javier Naveros / Dr. Verónica Torres

• Treatments and therapeutic devices.

November 16 Monday of 2026
Teacher: Dr. Javier Naveros

• Preventive strategies.
• Psychotherapeutic approaches.

November 30 Monday of 2026
Teachers: Dr. Javier Naveros / Dra. Verónica Torres / Dra. Verónica Bisagno

• Prevention of consumption.

Monday December 7, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Javier Naveros / Dra. Verónica Torres / Dra. Verónica Bisagno

• Problematic consumption throughout the life cycle and in different areas.

Monday December 14, 2026
Teachers: Dr. Javier Naveros / Dra. Verónica Torres / Dra. Verónica Bisagno

• Discussion of local issues.
• Available preventive and therapeutic resources.

Monday December 21, 2026

• Final integrative assessment.

Remarks:

• Asynchronous integrative activities are planned throughout the course, to be completed on the virtual campus.
• This schedule may be subject to change depending on organizational or coordination issues.

• Raising awareness about the nature and management of addictive behaviors.
• To understand the clinical repercussions of exposure to risky behaviors and substances.
• Understanding neurobiology and its impact on human behavior and health.
• Understanding the need for an interdisciplinary approach and the characteristics of such approaches.

Thematic Unit 1
Brain circuits of reinforcement and learning. The role of dopamine in motivation. Psychoactive substances versus addictive substances.

Specific objectives:

• Understanding the physiology of the neural circuits involved in the reinforcement of behaviors and learning.
• Differentiate between drug use, abuse, and dependence.
• Brain circuits of reinforcement and learning. The role of dopamine in motivation. Psychoactive substances versus addictive substances.
• Addictive behaviors (pathological gambling).
• Problematic diet and consumption.
• Addiction to screens/networks/technology.

Thematic Unit 2
Classification of substances by their action on the central nervous system. CNS depressants, stimulants, and disruptors.

Specific objectives:

• To distinguish and classify the different groups of substances with an addictive profile with respect to their pharmacological mechanism of action, clinical effects, adverse effects and toxicity.

Agenda:

• Depressant drugs: alcohol, opiates, and sedatives.

  • Chemical structure of each substance. Mechanism(s) of action. Neurotransmitter systems involved. Types of use and routes of administration. Behavioral and cognitive effects. Adverse effects. Toxicity. Therapeutic management and clinical practice.

• Stimulant drugs I: cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine and nicotine.

  • Chemical structure of each substance. Mechanism(s) of action. Neurotransmitter systems involved. Types of use and routes of administration. Behavioral and cognitive effects. Adverse effects. Toxicity. Therapeutic management and clinical practice.

• CNS disruptive drugs I: hallucinogens.

  • Chemical structure of each substance. Mechanism(s) of action. Neurotransmitter systems involved. Types of use and routes of administration. Behavioral and cognitive effects. Adverse effects. Toxicity. Therapeutic management and clinical practice.

• CNS disruptive drugs II: cannabis and its derivatives.

  • Chemical structure. Mechanism(s) of action. Neurotransmitter systems involved. Types of consumption and routes of administration. Behavioral and cognitive effects. Adverse effects. Toxicity. Therapeutic management and clinical practice.

Thematic Unit 3
Socio-anthropological aspects.
Clinical aspects of mental health and addictions.
Clinical diagnosis. Comprehensive diagnosis.
Assessment. Socio-family approach and diagnosis.
Harm reduction strategies, prevention of substance use. Multidisciplinary approaches to substance use. Pharmacological approach. Treatments, devices, preventive strategies.

Specific objectives:

• Reflecting on harm prevention strategies, consumption prevention, and therapeutic approaches in clinical practice.
• Prevention of substance use. Zero Consumption Goal. Interventions and tools to reduce harm, even in a context of active substance use.
• Multidisciplinary approaches: treatments and resources for addressing addictions and problematic substance use. Preventive strategies. Psychopharmacological approaches, detoxification. Psychotherapeutic approaches.

FINAL INTEGRATION MODULE

• Problematic consumption in the life cycle (pregnancy, childhood, adolescence, youth and adulthood).
• Problematic consumption and addictions in different areas of life (family, school, work and community).
• Discussion of local problems and available preventive and therapeutic resources.

• Electronic Certificates

Diploma courses are not considered degrees but rather courses and therefore do not issue titles but certificates (DNGU. DOCUS N°3. Inc.12).

Dear Postgraduate Participant, we would like to inform you of the latest updates regarding the tuition policies for our undergraduate and postgraduate programs:

Due to the complex economic situation in Argentina, the tuition fees for our programs and degrees are adjusted periodically. This is to preserve the academic quality that underpins our value proposition and to meet the University's commitments and obligations. These increases will be based on indicators reported by the Central Bank of Argentina.

Once again, we appreciate the trust you have placed in our University and renew our commitment to providing you with the highest level of training and professional development.

• Payment Policies: The participant must pay or confirm their payment method and/or fee at least 72 hours prior to the start of the activity through the means mentioned in the FEES section.
  • Duty: Accepted payment methods: VISA, Mastercard and American Express debit and credit cards, Decidir and Mercado Pago.
  • Due to current regulations, the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences cannot receive cash. For this reason, only electronic payment methods will be accepted during activity accreditation.

• Cancellation policy prior to the start of the course: Cancellations must be made at least 96 hours in advance through a formal channel by sending an email to posgradofcb@austral.edu.ar placing in the subject WITHDRAWAL REQUEST – “Name of Course/activity (In the body of the message, you must include your personal information: name and surname, ID number).

• Cancellation policy during the course (not applicable to short courses): The participant must send an email to posgradofcb@austral.edu.ar placing in the subject WITHDRAWAL REQUEST – “Name of Course/Activity” (In the body of the message, you must include your personal information: first and last name, ID number). The cancellation request must be sent between the 1st and 10th of the current month. From the 11th onwards, the corresponding fee will be billed and debited.

• Refund Policy: If you do not participate in the program and/or activity, and do not process the corresponding withdrawal request in a timely manner, no refund requests will be accepted.

• Tuition refund policy: The registration fee serves as a deposit to reserve a place and is non-refundable once paid. If you request to withdraw, your enrollment status for that activity during the current academic period will be considered.

• Partial refund policy: In the event that the student/participant has made the full payment for the course in advance or has made advance payments through open plans:

1. If the activity has not started: You will be able to recover 100% of the advance payments at the current value at the time of payment, less 5% for administrative expenses.
2. If the activity started and progressed to 30% of the total course time: 50% of the advance payments will be refunded at the current value at the time of payment, less 5% for administrative expenses.
3. If the activity progressed more than 30% of the total course time: Advance payments will not be refunded.

• Replacement policy: If the registered person is unable to participate in the program and with prior notice of at least 96 hours before the date of the event, they may transfer their participation to a third party.

• Activities that grant a certificate of participation: The minimum required attendance of 70% of the academic program, its activities, and administrative debt must be met to request the corresponding certification.

• The discounts/promotions offered cannot be combined.
• The opening of the program or course is subject to the number of students enrolled at the time of its start.
• Procurement policies do not apply to non-tariff activities.

FREQUENT QUESTIONS:

How can I tell if my degree program has been accredited by CONEAU? For programs with ministerial accreditation, the resolution or file number and the corresponding accreditation year will be displayed at the top of the page. Programs without accreditation issue a certificate to participants, not a degree.