El Consumo de Sustancias Psicoactivas en Jóvenes: un Pretexto para Movilizar Redes de Cuidado Comunitario.

Abstract

This community development project addressed the consumption of psychoactive substances (PAS) in young people as a symptom of historical and contextual dynamics in the relocated community of La Miel, impacted by the armed conflict. The central problem was the way in which consumption reflects deficiencies in family and community relationships, in addition to processes of cultural uprooting and deterministic discourses that perpetuate the exclusion and pathologization of young people as consumers. The study, of a qualitative type, was approached from a systemic clinical consulting methodology. Through conversational scenarios with families, young people and community leaders, we sought to understand the patterns of self-organization of the system and promote its co-evolution. Tools such as network maps, cartographies and problem trees were used for data collection, guaranteeing confidentiality through informed consent. The main results showed that PAS consumption in young people acts as a relational and affective symptom, making visible the fractures in family dynamics and community structures. They also identified processes of sociocultural uprooting that hinder integration, fostering youth isolation and limiting the construction of support networks. The project highlighted the need to restore community networks and redefine consumption as an opportunity to create bonds and shared meanings. This approach sought to transform reality from a systemic and ecological perspective, promoting the participation of the actors involved in solving the problems.