Patient name: Gervin Night
Occupation: High School Student
File under as:
Disension amongst the ranks
Admitted as
of: December
1, 2001
A Fall’s Path
Alcoholism amongst Native American Adolescents
And there was the situation of Gervin Night entering
into adolescent counselor Mike Siltz’s office. Gervin, 17, is an adolescent
client in the Yellow Creek Treatment Center located in the home agency of our
drafted tribe. About a week ago, on a cold and dry winter's night, there had
been a party on the out skirts of town, a sort of gathering ritual among the
high school upperclassmen. The parties they have in this part of the country
are the type in which loud music is played from out of the car with the largest
and fattest sound system and the drinks they consume are bought with the money
given to buyers. Who in turn are given money for their troubles or are invited
altogether to come along where ever they deem it most safe from the scrupulous
eyes of the tribal police. Coming back one late night from a party, an accident
occurred on North 13 Highway coming into town. It wasn't much for an occurence,
fortunately the most that happened this time around was some damage to the car
with no injuries to the occupants within. Cause: the teenagers within the
wayward car went into a ditch under the influence of alcohol, effect: a tow
truck had to be brought in to remove the car from the snow encrusted trench,
and it was a good thing too for it was the snow that absorbed much of the force
the car had as it swirved out of control off the road, and for the fact that
the tow truck had to be brought in, the family members of the teenagers would
later find out the circumstances at work here before, during, and after the
party the teenagers came from.
The driver of the vehicle in question,
it turns out, is the son of the prominent chairman Ben Night; and the vehicle
in dispute is owned by the forementioned, and may I add respectable, tribal
chairman. After which, young Gervin would later be referred for evaluation and
possibly treatment at Yellow Creek Treatment Center if called for.
Mike
Siltz closes the door behind them and they both sit down. Gervin
Mike: How’s your home life going?
Any problems at home? (During this Mike Siltz is reaching into the bottom
drawers of his desk and pulls out a file, putting it on his desk.)
Gervin: Not too bad. Same as
always. (As he says this he notices a pen on the desk, picks it up, and places
it in his hand.) Hmmm....I wonder how he
plans to "cure me" of my so called addiction. A certificate in
Counseloring awarded by the University of Seattle. Pictures of his family. A
Bachelors in Fine Arts from University of Washington six years prior to that.
And for what? So he can sit here and annoy the next referrant that comes in?
Mike: How’s your parents doing?
How are they doing? (as he does this he begins to take down notes, and begins
to closely
Gervin: They’re fine, they’re both
usually busy with the work that they do. (Gervin starts to look around the
room.)
Mike: No problems at home, how’s your
school work going?
Gervin: Yeahh…it’s going alright
Mike: Hhhaa, I see you’re a
honor student over at Roanesk High School (yes, a ficticous school). You have a
3.7 (about an A grade average). Glad to see your school work’s not affected
yet.
Gervin: And it won't. Can I go now?
Mike: No we’re not done here yet.
The SUDS test that was administered to you indicates you abuse alcohol.
Gervin: Well, I obviously don’t
have any problems…and what’s a little fun every now and then going to harm? I
don’t have a drinking problem, I was put here because my parents found out what
we were doing one night, and they are real sticklers…
Mike: Young man, we’re done when
I say we’re done. We really have to come up with a list of what you want to
accomplish here while you’re in treatment. I'm going to need some information
from you. How often have you been using alcohol, going out to parties? (As he
asks this he carefulies monitors the situation infront of him.)
Gervin: I don't...I started going
out to them just this year...
Mike: And you're a senior now?
Gervin: Yeah, that's correct.
Mike: How often have you been
going out to there parties? Every weekend? On weekdays?
Gervin: Every weekend ever since
before school started this year.
Mike: Do you ever consume alcohol
outside a party, any other occasion that you view as an opportunity to consume
alcoholic beverages and how much do you consume. Remember, truth is of the most
importance here.
Gervin: What now; questions, questions, questions. Couldn't see this coming.
Doesn't this guy ever shut up, must like the sound of his own voice. Why is he
asking me these questions!!!
Mike: Also, I need to ask you
about your family history. To the best of your knowledge, does your family have any history of drinking....
He seems somewhat irritant today. So tell me Gervin, what’s your case? You
come from a decent family, although that doesn’t mean the Tribal Chairman from
engaging in “inappropriate” activities. However, the family doesn’t have any
history of abusing, the kid has excellent grades and what I know of Ben;
there’s no worries there about adolescent delinquency. So what’s the problem
Gervin, parents expecting too much out of you, asking too much? Are you
rebelling against them, which pretty much sounds like what we have here.
Gervin:
My parents
aren’t alcoholic, I don’t remember them ever drinking more than a few drinks.
Mike: Do you get along with your
parents? You said your home life was good but do your parents ever put pressure
on you? Feel like you’re taken care of at home?
Gervin: No, I feel fine with my
parents, they’re not that controlling, I could talk them into letting me do
whatever…if I wanted. I don’t get pressured by them, usually, in making
the grade, I just do.
Mike:
(Mike,
writing some notes, puts his pen down, closes the file, and lets it drop to his
desk) Then what are you doing here!? Why aren’t you out there helping our situation.
Gervin: (Looking out the window of
Mike’s office out at the treatment center lawn…) Maybe I’m here because I like your
sparkling personality.
Mike:
I don’t get
it, but if you want treatment that’s one thing we can offer you here, the rest
is up to you on what you want.
The whole room itself is
built with the intercom screen in mind, with a flight of steps on either side
of the room gradually giving way to the pit of the room. Giving a sense that
the room was built after the screen came in. The whole room itself smelled new,
of a fresh carpet and tables that were probably just put into place along with
the timber in the walls. The paint itself had it’s trace.
Mike:
Alright
people, we’re going to watch a film on the complications that alcohol does on
the body. What we hope you get from this is a further understanding of what
alcohol does or what can happen to your body, what happens in advanced stages,
and after watching this; we want you to be able to make the right decision in
what’s healthy, good for you and your life. I fully understand that you might
not care about being here and watching this film, but try to understand that
what choices you make when your young can end up deciding the rest of your life.
(After
Mike sits down at the back of the room, he sees Gervin whom he begins to watch.
Throughout the film, Gervin stares at the screen, seemily into space.)
Hey
you there, quite dozing off. (to Cedric Plums sitting in the middle section).
I
hope this kid gets through this, wouldn’t want to see history repeat itself
over and over again with our young people. I hope Gervin doesn’t get too thick
headed, hope he goes out and makes something of himself, for all of us. Give us
something for the kids to latch on too. I don’t know, I sense much rebellion in
him. I really see potential in him and all these kids here, I just wish things
would’ve been different for them and for me. Me. Both of us recovering
alcoholics