I'm 63 now but 19 when it started
So for 44yrs it's lasted
I was born in London in 1944
My dad fought and got shot in the Second World War
I remember my education and my childhood as being fine
Although my mother died when I was 9
Dad became depressed and drink became his life
When I was about 11, he found himself a new wife
She didn't like me and used to beat me a lot
Dad died, he never really recovered from when he was shot
I got job in a factory after I left school
Making some sort of stationary tool
I met my wife Jane at a disco in town
And was married for 3yrs before my world came crashing down
My past was obviously too much for me to carry
I soon felt changes begin to happen to me
I missed my mum and dad and my life was a mess
I lost my job and soon became depressed
I looked upon my life as a total failure
And Jane soon left me as I took it all out on her
The rows and my mood swings became too much
And as the years went by we lost touch
Time had brought me into 1960
And I soon turned to drink and LSD
All I remember was my life became wild
Escalating in one drunken night fathering a child
The story goes it all came a to head
When I wrote a letter wishing I was dead
The story goes I was on drugs when I went under the train
But they found a note saying I wanted to end the pain
I just wanted to end my life that night
But I couldn't even get that right
They sectioned me in hospital and classified me mentally ill
And put me on medication which I am on still
I can't remember how long I was in hospital for
But the hospital closed down in 1994
I was placed in the community in a residential home
I was apparently not allowed to be left alone
But some Drs saw me in 2001
And told me what a long way I had come
I soon got my own place
And for about 20 years I finally had a smile on my face
I got a social worker who told me about a mental health day care
Where people like me come and discuss about their lifes and share
I am feeling better these days and have not been ill for some time
I might even be pushed to say that I am fine
I like coming to my day centre it gets me out my flat
And that is where I told my story to my key worker, Matt.
