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by Penelope Red (Author)
Consequences Beyond Belief is a first-hand account of shame, guilt, drugs, hope, love and mental health from a child of an addict. Nothing is out of bounds, and it is not dramatised or stripped back. There are a lot of references to research conducted in terms of mental health and addiction from various sources.
Social norms teach us what a heroin addict may look like. Common perceptions by the media and popular films such as Trainspotting show themes of desperate addicts who may be homeless, lacking work or even resorting to prostitution. Even popular music culture like Ed Sheeran's The A Team, shows the dark side of drug addiction.
In fact, ⅔ of homeless people cite drug and alcohol abuse as a reason for becoming homeless. But my story breaks statistics and challenges what we think we know. Introducing my mother.
Let's start a conversation and help those who are suffering in silence. I felt so alone as a teenager, as though I was the only one combating this. If I had a guide like this, it would have changed my outlook. I wouldn't have blamed myself or felt so isolated.
