In the 1980s, Galicia witnessed a fierce fight against drug traffickers who devastated entire generations with heroin and cocaine. At the epicenter of this battle was Erguetean association of mothers led by Carmen Avendaño, who did not hesitate to confront the powerful drug lords, even striking the home of drug trafficker Laureano Oubiña. Today, more than 40 years later, this image would go viral in minutes, but war has changed the battlefields. NOW, the threat that worries families It does not come in the form of a white powder, but in the form of light screens.
Mobile phones, social networks and easy access to the Internet They have become the new addictions of young people. From Érguete, who helped so many people escape the abyss of drugs, the focus has shifted to new technologies. According to Laura Durán, organizational psychologist, “especially among women, the use of social networks is linked to problems with self-esteem, depression and anxiety.” Among men, the main problem is lack of concentration, aggravated by excessive use of mobile devices.
Elvira Rivas, director of Érguete, raise awareness of the importance of intervening from an early age. “We can’t wait until we’re 12 or 13 to set limits. If we don’t work on them before, it will be very difficult,” he explains. The problem, he says, is that many families see the cell phone as a quick fix: “Children receive the cell phone as if it were a pacifier or candy, and at ten years old, it is too late to teach them how to use screens properly. . “.
If in the 90s drugs created major family conflicts, today it is screens. 80 to 90% of family discussions are related to the use of technologyDuran said. Erguete’s worry is that just as many parents didn’t see the heroin problem coming, they now underestimate the impact of screens. That’s why the organization is working to increase counseling for families, so that tragedy doesn’t happen again, this time in the form of digital addiction.
