Earth to Daniel Read online

  ‘HI, MUM!’ I called out loudly.

  Out of the corner of my eye I could see Calum’s jaw dropping open like he was totally gobsmacked. And that helped a lot.

  A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  I worked as a doctor in psychiatry for a number of years before I became a full-time writer, and during that time I dealt with many different types of mental health problems in children, teenagers and adults. One of the most important things I learnt was how terrifying it is for young people to feel cut-off and isolated from the people around them when they have – or a family member has – a mental illness. It can be very scary to feel that no one understands what you’re going through and that your ‘normal’ just isn’t the same as everyone else’s any more.

  Sometimes children and teenagers don’t know who to turn to for help. Sometimes they worry about upsetting their parents, especially if they think their parents have a lot of worries of their own. Sometimes it’s more a case of being too scared to tell anyone for fear of being ridiculed or rejected or misunderstood – or out of fear of what will happen next, if others find out.

  But if you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health, it is really really important to talk to a parent, where possible, or to another trusted adult. What usually happens next is that you or the person you’re worried about will get taken to see your GP or family doctor. If you are the one in need of help your GP will talk to you, either with or without a parent being present (it’s up to you), and work out the best way to help you. They will always be on your side and they will assess the problem and may offer to refer you on to someone you can talk to at greater length. If it’s a family member who’s seeking help, you can expect they would receive the same sort of help.

  There are also a number of online resources which offer support for people with mental illnesses and their families, and some offer a counselling service too. One really brilliant resource is Childline, provided by the NSPCC, which is free, totally confidential, and available to all children and young people who would like to discuss an issue that is causing them distress or concern, including issues relating to mental health.

  Childline.org.uk

  Childline is a free twenty-four-hour counselling service for children and young people provided by the NSPCC. Childline deals with any issue which causes distress or concern. Common issues dealt with include child abuse, bullying, mental illness, parental separation or divorce, pregnancy and substance misuse. Log in for a one-to-one counsellor chat online or call 0800 1111. Calls to Childline from any phone are free and don’t show up on your phone bill.

  Bloomsbury Publishing, London, Oxford, New York, New Delhi and Sydney

  This edition published in Great Britain in October 2016 by

  Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3DP

  First published as My Mum’s from Planet Pluto in 2003 by

  Macmillan Children’s Books

  a division of Macmillan Publishers Ltd

  This electronic edition published in September 2016

  www.bloomsbury.com

  BLOOMSBURY is a registered trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

  Copyright © Gwyneth Rees 2003, 2016

  The moral rights of the author have been asserted

  All rights reserved

  No part of this publication may be reproduced or

  transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying

  or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

  ISBN 978 1 4088 8301 3

  eISBN 978 1 4088 8300 6

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