Bistrița launches adolescent drug prevention program

In Bistrița, the “Prevention Starts in Relationship” program has been launched to improve parental skills and prevent drug use among adolescents aged 10 to 21. Organized by the Zi de Bine Association with support from the World Health Organization in Romania and the Ministry of Health, the evidence-based program consists of five modules: understanding the developing brain, connection and communication, setting healthy boundaries, risk management, and future orientation.

This initiative addresses psychological trends identified in recent studies, such as the “sense of absence.” Research published in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health suggests that adolescents who feel “unseen” or disconnected from those around them are more likely to seek refuge in phones, gaming, alcohol, or drugs. Experts note that this feeling of being invisible can occur even in families that appear functional, stemming from a subjective lack of emotional connection rather than open conflict.