Transcript

Role Play

When Antoine first started attending the service, one of his driving factors to work on his substance abuse factors was his desire to help in the care of his mother who has dementia. He has admitted to suffering anxiety surrounding the thought of her dying. Throughout his treatment, he has increased the amount of time he spends helping to care for her.

Antoine has now acknowledged that her death could cause him to spiral out of control and he knows that he needs to have a plan in place to deal with that eventuality. His mother's health has steadily worsened over the last few months. She is now bed bound and Antoine knows time is short.

He has come to you and asked you to help him to work through the problem and help him plan for this quickly approaching event.

Hi, thanks for seeing me. My name's Anton I came here to work on my substance issues, and I haven't relapsed, which is great, especially at my age. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks, but I've found that I can.

My mother has dementia, so I'm caring for her.

My psychologist says I have a lot of concerns over my mum's dementia. I have several issues to consider, and the doctors basically said mum is dying

She has been, you know, so we've been asked to say our goodbyes and to provide for her as best we can. I don't want to relapse during this time, but I know what my triggers are, and this is part of it. For example, losing the only person who has supported me throughout my lifeshe was there for me even in my darkest momentskept me going, so that's why I really want to take care of her and stuff. However, she has gotten worse and worse since then, and the doctors have sort of told me and my siblings that we need to make arrangements for her, and I don't think I can do that, at least not sober like I am.

I have no idea how to prepare for a funeral. Don't even pretend mum won't be here. Although she has dementia, she has moments of clarity, and I can picture my old mother making me pancakes and other things when I was a kid. I love her very much.

How do I handle that? How do I talk to my siblings? I don't know what to do.

My anxiety is getting worse and affecting my depression. I don't know what to say or do. I guess I could talk to my brother and sister and ask them what they expected me to do, but I've been caring for mum, not them. What do I do? I can't do it. I just ask him, Do you think they'll think less of me because I don't know how to have that conversation with him?

I don't want him to assume I'm only thinking about myself because I've been clean and sober for a while.

How do I handle situations like, where do I proceed from here? I don't want to relapse. You know what? How should I proceed? I just don't know how. I even asked them, "Can you help me because I don't want to be back in the situation where I was trying to get sober, and I don't know if I can do it again without you?"

My mother was always proud of me. What do I tell my siblings to let them know? In response, what do I do?

My health and bodily wellness are something I must take care of.

What should I ask or tell them? I don't want their opinions. I don't know. Maybe you can help?

Could you help me talk to them? It's about Mum, not me. Then I was celebrating like mum's life without me breathing, you know, mum not being here about us all grieving, you know, and not being here anymore, but like, I don't know, I know I have to take care of things like my physical health and stuff, you know, because if I don't know, if my strategies aren't in place,