Alex, a 17-year-old artist from East Yorkshire, has published a book of his artwork titled Raw Emotion to support others living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Born with FASD and taken into care as a baby, Alex has faced numerous challenges, including learning difficulties, depression, and other mental health issues.
Describing art as his lifeline, Alex said, “Art saved my life” after conventional therapies failed to provide relief. “I felt I could talk to a piece of paper better than I could another person,” he shared. His collection began after he reached a mental health crisis point last year, and creating the book has allowed him to “be understood” and “escape from being lost in my own feelings.”
Alex’s artworks, featuring hooded figures and dark colors, depict the “boy inside my head” who has haunted him through his childhood. His paintings represent feelings he had never previously expressed verbally. He hopes his book will help others with FASD feel that “it is OK to be different” and is currently exhibiting his work in a Yorkshire gallery.
Adopted by Penny and Wayne at age two, Alex’s parents have faced “challenges and judgment” related to his FASD diagnosis. “People presumed I was the one who had drunk during pregnancy,” Penny said, addressing the stigma associated with the condition. FASD results from alcohol consumption during pregnancy, which can impair an unborn baby’s brain and body development.
The lack of awareness about FASD has made it difficult for the family to access appropriate support. Penny noted that understanding improved after Alex received a late autism diagnosis at age 15, which opened up new avenues for help. “He didn’t change after the diagnosis, but the offers of help did,” she said.
The couple found that art therapy has been the most effective form of support for Alex, surpassing group and individual counseling. Now, Alex is giving talks at group therapy sessions for other teenagers struggling with their mental health in Yorkshire, using his experience and art to inspire and assist those facing similar challenges.
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