Psychology Intern Promotes Drug Prevention at International Forum

Abril Sánchez, an intern in the clinical psychology program at Montemorelos University in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, participated and contributed to the 2024 International Society of Substance Use Professionals (ISSUP) forum in Thessaloniki, Greece, June 24-28. This year’s event, which involved a partnership between several international organizations, was held under the theme, “The Art of Healing: A New Era in Substance Use Prevention, Harm Reduction, Treatment and Recovery Support.”

Sánchez was selected to represent Mexico and the Centros de Integración Juvenil (Youth Integration Centers, or CIJ) association, where she is currently doing an internship. She joined a select group of young people from around the world to address what experts call “one of the most urgent problems of our time: substance use among young people.”

Her Role and Experience

In Monterrey, Sánchez serves at one of 120 CIJ clinics across Mexico. CIJ clinics are part of the public health sector, and they are focused on the care, prevention, and treatment of addictions. “My role is focused on prevention and treatment,” Sánchez said. “I work a lot with schools, giving talks in elementary, middle, and high schools about prevention and providing them with tools.” Sánchez added that she also holds workshops for parents on how to be agents of prevention in their homes and participates in the Day Center program, which offers daily intervention for patients. “As part of the program, I give talks on controlling emotions and developing coping strategies,” she said.

During the international forum, Sánchez and her colleagues were challenged to develop concrete initiatives to address the issues singled out. Within two weeks, she developed and presented a project she titled, “Adelante con mi comunidad” (Forward with My Community), a social initiative focused on low-income communities and those at higher risk of drug use. “This project aims to create spaces in these communities to provide psychological support to adolescents and parents,” Sánchez explained. “It also seeks to encourage young people to engage in activities such as music, dance, art, sports, and agriculture.”

According to Sánchez, participating in the Greece forum gave her a wide range of possibilities and tools that she will be able to implement in her daily work. Also, “knowing the needs of other countries and the strategies they use to deal with similar problems has been invaluable,” she said. After presenting her project, Sánchez is now waiting to find out whether it qualified for external financing. A positive answer would help her implement the initiative in the city of Monterrey.

Sharing Ideas and Suggestions

Sánchez shared some of her ideas for addressing the problem of drug use in Monterrey, highlighting the importance of family. “I would focus the activities on fostering a good relationship and communication between parents and children, as well as providing tools for emotional management,” she said. “The lack of education in family unity and adequate communication contributes to children growing up without the support they need,” she added. Sánchez considers it crucial to educate both parents and children about substances and their effects, providing clear information to make informed decisions. In addition, she emphasized strengthening self-esteem and the management of emotions in young people as key preventive measures.

The forum included activities such as discussion tables, where Sánchez and her international peers collaborated to create a youth declaration. In it, they expressed their concerns about the current situation of drug use in their respective countries and proposed preventive actions. The statement was presented to various international authorities specialized in the prevention and treatment of substance use, including the ISSUP forum and representatives of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) of the State Department of the United States of America.

“My input on the youth statement focused on the importance of family and mental health in preventing youth substance use,” Sánchez explained. “In Mexico, there is an urgent need for mental health care, and it is essential that the government invests in social programs that allow access to therapy and psychological support, especially for the young population.”

Part of a Healthy Lifestyle

Sánchez has been intrigued by the human mind since she was a child. “What struck me was being able to understand how mental processes affect our lives, our social relationships, and our mood,” she said. “I want to use these tools to help my future patients understand why they experience certain emotions, and not just offer advice.”

According to Sánchez, enjoying mental health is essential, but it is often underestimated. Her dream is to help promote a healthy lifestyle that includes mental health care. “Helping others take care of their mental health and sharing this knowledge is my main goal,” she said.

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division news site.