From 25 to 28 November 2009 more than 8,000 participants attended Europe’s largest specialist conference in the field od Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Neuropsychiatry DGPPN) at the International Congress Center Berlin (ICC Berlin). Over 580 individual events were scheduled during the course of the meetings. Under the slogan of “psychiatric disorders during the course of life“ the following key topics were discussed: the development and prevention of psychiatric disorders, the psychosocial and biological influences on their development, psychiatric disorders in adolescence, as well as psychotherapy and drug therapy. Discussion will also focus on issues concerning quality assurance in diagnostics and therapy, and on organising suitable care for people with psychiatric disorders. From 10.30 a.m. to 2.45 p.m. on 28 November interested visitors obtained free information at an event organised by DGPPN, where experts answered questions from the general public. Key topics were depression, anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, schizophrenia, addiction and dementia.