Our Type of Normal

Jessica "Juicy" Patterson knew from an early age that there was something different about her mother. Between prolific drug use and numerous suicide attempts, her mother was never a proper parent or responsible guardian. For the first time, Patterson opens up about the abuse, both physical and mental, that she and her siblings endured as a result of her mother's drug habit.

Patterson vividly recalls moments when she was very young. She and her siblings were moved out of their grandmother's house when her mother met and later married Mr. Johnson. In poignant detail, Patterson chronicles the first time she understood that the two were chronic drug users and alcoholics. As she and her siblings tried to live like normal children, make friends, and explore the world, they were imprisoned by their mother's drug abuse and mental illness. Numerous calls to 911, ambulance trips, and visits to the hospital ensured that Patterson could never have a normal childhood.

Patterson hopes that by sharing these moments from her life, she can connect with girls and young women struggling with trauma and abuse. She wants to show them that there is always hope for a better future.