All of Me (23 page)

Trying to juggle a normal life knowing that at any moment I could be scooped off into the Maudsley was almost impossible. Almost – but not quite. I still found time to have a drink. Of course, when Dr Jackson found that out, his notebook received a new load of scribble. The next thing I knew I had a new diagnosis to add to my collection: alcoholic.

For once I couldn’t disagree. In the outside world I always seemed to have a glass of Pinot Grigio in my hand. It wasn’t the best tag to have on my medical records but, I realised, it was better than being called bulimic.

Nobody has ever been sectioned for being drunk.

But they have been locked up for schizophrenia – and that was coming my way next.

‘Pratt’ by Ria Pratt

To find out more about each artwork featured in
All of Me,
please turn to the back of the book.

‘Ken’ by Ken

‘The Art of Starvation’ by Judy

‘Lost in Play’ by Ken

‘Thinking Man’ by Abi

‘The Naming’ by Dawn

‘Reaching Out’ by Bonny

‘Aims’ by Suzy

‘Golden Kabbalah’ by Key

‘Longing Rose’ by Judy

‘Mystery of the Prayer’ by Anon

‘Hangman’ by MJ