THE MOTHER of a 15-year-old boy who has been participating in the Saoirse Addiction Treatment Centre’s gaming addiction programme says that the organisation’s help and the programme has given her family a whole new perspective.
The mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that she came to the service because of issues with her son’s gaming, but Saoirse’s wholistic approach saw them working not just with her son but with her and her whole family.
The woman said she can now see “the bigger picture” as well as the challenges her son and her family are trying to deal with.
From a place where she felt “alone” in trying to fathom what was happening with her child, the mother said she can now “offload”.
“I get information and advice and I get to see things from a different perspective, I don’t feel so alone anymore. I don’t feel I’m failing so much as a parent when I speak to Saoirse counsellors.”
The mother and son pair praised the service for their “non judgemental” approach and the fact that they were able to access the help of counsellor in a crisis and on an ongoing basis in the programme.
“The service has been extremely supportive, consistent, accessible and flexible. It was great having direct access to a counsellor, being able to make contact in a crisis situation and the response has been great,” she said.
