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Abstract(s)
O presente estudo visa caracterizar trajectórias de jovens que atravessaram um período
de experiências problemáticas com drogas, bem como o abandono de tal comportamento, de
modo a conhecer a extensão deste fenómeno no sector juvenil e compreender os processos
inerentes à superação do consumo problemático, reconhecendo a implicação destes no
desenvolvimento pessoal e social saudável. Optamos por uma abordagem qualitativa, de
forma a explorarmos significados associados ao uso de drogas no seio de um percurso de
vida, tomando a perspectiva narrativa como veículo através do qual os indivíduos projectam e
comunicam sentidos (Manita, 2001; Fernandes & Carvalho, 2000; Denzin & Lincoln, 1994).
Ao longo da trajectória, o uso de substâncias psicoactivas (SPA) adopta um papel
central e sua progressão parece proporcionar um distanciamento em relação aos objectivos de
vida dos jovens, que reportam vulnerabilidade e dificuldade em controlarem os seus usos de
drogas, revelando prejuízos a nível de saúde mental, desinteresse escolar e enfraquecimento
da qualidade dos laços com a família e os pares. Já no que concerne à superação do uso
problemático de drogas, se alguns participantes cessam o uso pela percepção de risco
associada à sua conduta. Outros, salientam a gestão do uso num processo de abandono do
consumo problemático, considerando a incompatibilidade entre o seu padrão de uso anterior e
uma vida funcional e adaptativa, reservando o uso de drogas à esfera do lazer e distanciando-o
das responsabilidades e actividades normativas.
Globalmente, o desejo de autonomia em relação à sua própria conduta parece
contribuir para a mudança comportamental, onde os jovens revelam a aquisição de
competências de recusa à influência dos pares, a reflexão e capacidade de projectar o futuro e
a necessidade de pedir ajuda aos progenitores como estratégias eficazes na superação do uso
problemático de drogas.
The present research aims to characterize the trajectory of youngsters that went through a period of problematic experiences with drugs, as well as the abandon of such behavior, so as to acknowledge the extension of this phenomenon in the youthful sector and to understand the processes inherent to the overcoming of the problematic consumption, recognizing their repercussion in the healthy social and personal development. We opted for a qualitative management, so that we could explore significances associated to the use of drugs in the bosom of one’s life course, taking the narrative perspective as vehicle through which the individuals project and communicate senses (Manita, 2001; Fernandes & Carvalho, 2000; Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). Throughout the trajectory, the use of psychoactive substances (PAS) assumes a central role and its progression seems to afford a withdrawal towards the youngsters ’life goals, which convey vulnerability and difficulty in controlling their use of drugs, revealing harm and damage in what concerns mental health, school indifference, and weakness of the family and peers ties quality. In what concerns the overcoming of the problematic use of drugs, if some participants stop using them due to the awareness of the risk associated to their conduct, others enhance the management of the usage in a process of abandon of the problematic consumption, bearing in mind the incompatibility between their previous standard of use and a functional and adaptable life, keeping the use of drugs to the leisure circle and keeping it away from the responsibilities and normative activities. Globally, the desire of autonomy regarding their own conduct seems to contribute to the behavioral transformation, where the young people reveal the acquisition of skills of refusal of their peers influence and capability of projecting the future and the need of asking for help to their progenitors as efficient strategies in the overcoming of the problematic use of drugs.
The present research aims to characterize the trajectory of youngsters that went through a period of problematic experiences with drugs, as well as the abandon of such behavior, so as to acknowledge the extension of this phenomenon in the youthful sector and to understand the processes inherent to the overcoming of the problematic consumption, recognizing their repercussion in the healthy social and personal development. We opted for a qualitative management, so that we could explore significances associated to the use of drugs in the bosom of one’s life course, taking the narrative perspective as vehicle through which the individuals project and communicate senses (Manita, 2001; Fernandes & Carvalho, 2000; Denzin & Lincoln, 1994). Throughout the trajectory, the use of psychoactive substances (PAS) assumes a central role and its progression seems to afford a withdrawal towards the youngsters ’life goals, which convey vulnerability and difficulty in controlling their use of drugs, revealing harm and damage in what concerns mental health, school indifference, and weakness of the family and peers ties quality. In what concerns the overcoming of the problematic use of drugs, if some participants stop using them due to the awareness of the risk associated to their conduct, others enhance the management of the usage in a process of abandon of the problematic consumption, bearing in mind the incompatibility between their previous standard of use and a functional and adaptable life, keeping the use of drugs to the leisure circle and keeping it away from the responsibilities and normative activities. Globally, the desire of autonomy regarding their own conduct seems to contribute to the behavioral transformation, where the young people reveal the acquisition of skills of refusal of their peers influence and capability of projecting the future and the need of asking for help to their progenitors as efficient strategies in the overcoming of the problematic use of drugs.
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Keywords
Trajectórias de vida Juventude Uso problemático de drogas Life trajectories Youth Problematic use of drugs