Talk to me: My mum is dependent on sleeping tablets — we have argued about the best thing to do now

Psychologist Caroline Martin is here to answer your questions on whatever issues you are dealing with in life, from work pressure and stress to loneliness and grief

In a recent Irish study completed by the Health Research Board in 2020 it was found that women over 65 years had the highest rates of recent use of sedatives when compared to other ages or their same-age male peers

My mum is dependent on sleeping tablets. It's got to a point where she can't sleep through the night without them. She's in her early 70s and rang me last week, saying her doctor wouldn't prescribe any more. She wanted me to ask my GP for a prescription and when I said no, she got angry and hung up the phone.

I love my mum and want to support her but it's difficult to know what to do.