The Co-ordination Unit for Combating Addiction was established to carry out protective, preventative and interventionist work against forms of addiction that have been on the rise in recent years and pose significant risks to individual and public health. The Co-ordinating Unit approaches addiction not merely as an individual behaviour, but as a multifaceted phenomenon with physical, mental and social dimensions, and develops holistic solutions accordingly.
Today, forms of addiction such as tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs, technology and gambling not only reduce individuals’ quality of life but also have a negative impact on family structures and social cohesion. In this context, the Co-ordination Unit analyses the biopsychosocial risk factors contributing to the emergence of addiction and carries out science-based research aimed at reducing these risks.
Activities carried out within the Co-ordinating Unit include educational programmes, seminars, conferences, workshops, sporting events, and summer and winter camps. Through these activities, the aim is to raise awareness, particularly amongst young people but also across different sections of society, to instil healthy lifestyle habits and to develop protective skills against addiction.
The Substance Abuse Prevention Co-ordination Unit develops and implements national and international projects in collaboration with the university’s relevant departments, public institutions and organisations, local authorities, the private sector and civil society organisations. In this process, joint initiatives are carried out with stakeholders active in the field of substance abuse prevention, notably Yeşilay; education, awareness-raising and field-based interventions are implemented in a coordinated manner.
Operating with an interdisciplinary approach, the Coordination Unit brings together knowledge and experience from various fields—such as social work, psychology, psychiatry, public health and educational sciences—to develop multifaceted intervention mechanisms. Consequently, the process of combating addiction is approached not merely as an effort to reduce risks, but as a process of social development aimed at empowering individuals, enhancing their social participation and improving their quality of life.
Through all these initiatives, the Substance Abuse Coordination Unit aims to contribute to individuals leading healthier, more informed and productive lives, and to foster a strong awareness of substance abuse prevention across society as a whole.