The different types of addictions and the consumption of psychoactive substances are a phenomenon that has been present since the beginning of mankind. In response to these, the human being has tried to explain this phenomenon in many ways. Today there is still no generalized theory that explains their configuration with certainty.
There are theological models, biologicist medical models, environmentalist behavioral models, among others. For Brújula Salud Mental this is a phenomenon that should be looked at from a “biopsychosocial-pitirual” perspective, that is to say from different optics, where knowledge is integrated and the person can be approached in a broad and integral way, not so that one optic in itself is the only one that can be considered. The aim is to complement and accompany the person and his or her system in this
Martin Kooyman said: “substance use is a self-administered self-medication that aims to hide, cover up, anesthetize everything that you don’t want to live and feel”. In this order of ideas, we consider that addiction is a symptom, not the problem itself.
What about Youth and addictions?
The latest epidemiological studies have alerted us to the decrease in the age at which substance use and addictive behaviors begin, and we have begun to see children of 8 and 9 years of age with active substance use. In addition to this, consumption in the school population between 12 and 17 years of age is increasing. Associated with rebellious behavior, fashion, appearance, group membership, among others. It is an age when many physical, hormonal, familial, psychological and social movements are taking place.
Considering the revelations offered by epidemiological studies and how these are contrasted with reality, we are confronted with the difficulty that family systems have in adequately accompanying their members. Someone once said, “There are no happy families, only happy people who build families”. The family in its conception is more than a place, space and moments that are configured around it; the family should be constituted as a healthy sum of its members.
Everyone, before occupying a role in this family, or having a profession, or developing some activity, we are human beings, We assume a number of experiences, constructions, fears, defense mechanisms, conscious and unconscious factors that we put at the service of our close ones, where many times we do not clearly recognize what we do, and with the best of intentions and under the cover of “love” we often generate more harm than good.
So what role does the family play?
The behavior of young people and the consumption of substances should be viewed from their point of view, and from the social representations that this implies. We are usually faced with young people who compensate in drug use those family distances, poor communication, overprotection, the absence of people who “accompany” them in an adequate manner, who listen.
They usually resort to “the patch” to find the acceptance they do not find elsewhere, to feel listened to without being judged, they resort to social figures that represent security and respect, looking for to compensate for absent figures, protection and identification that many times is missing or inadequate (not necessarily to be, is to be).
Our young people often shout at us and stun us with their behavior and at other times with their silence, we do not know, we are not prepared or because of our daily chores to decipher their call. The consumption of a substance and the addiction itself is an alert that is turned on, draws attention, and indicates that there is something not only in the consumer but in a whole family system that is not working well.
It is very common to find parents who assume themselves to be excellent and who find it difficult from their ego to recognize their own mistakes. Many times it is easier to put the responsibility on the other, to judge, to project outwardly everything that I find difficult to assume.
The family that has a substance abuser among its members should ask itself (each of its members): What do I contribute to the appearance and sustainability of this problem? What do I need to change? what is my responsibility in this situation? What do I need to learn from all this?
In short, there are many topics and a universe of thoughts that emerge when we touch on these very critical issues, we will develop others to contribute to the knowledge and sharing of experiences that we all have, as human beings in this eternal process of training and learning.
By: Juan Carlos Giraldo Ramirez – Addiction Specialist – [email protected]
