Caritas Mexico giving hope to drug addicts

Mexico City, Mexico, Sep 13, 2010 / 09:58 am

Caritas Mexico City is operating a program designed to reach out to teens and young adults suffering from addictions. “Love Life” was established in 1991 to provide assistance to drug addicts, regardless of their age or sex. 

Counselors and doctors involved in the program make home visits and provide ambulatory care for more than 60 patients and their families.

Psychologist Socorro Colin, who works with the program, explained that they “try to give them the tools so they can find a purpose for their lives, as generally the young people who come here are undisciplined, undereducated, unemployed and have too much free time on their hands.

“For this reason we provide workshops to help them learn a trade and take up their studies again.”

As part of the activities offered at the program’s rehabilitation center, Father Rafael de Jesus Rocha leads a spiritual workshop for those in recovery to help them discover meaning in their lives by practicing values such as honesty, truth, freedom, justice and forgiveness.

The Mexican government reports that drug use among young people has skyrocketed 127 percent over the last three years.

Colin added that the program also helps 11 and 12 year olds who have fallen into inhalant abuse, often called “huffing.”