Hamilton man to fundraise for men’s mental health in book based on his troubled past

A former drug addict from Hamilton is raising money for a men’s mental health charity in a new fiction book loosely based on his past.

Grant Aird’s life went on a downward spiral after experiencing childhood abuse, which led to an addiction to class-A drugs and steroids.

The 44-year-old even tried to take his own life 21 years ago.

However, the now recovered oil and gas worker in the Middle East is hoping that his new fiction book, ‘The Light’, based on his trauma, can help other men with mental health issues, as for every paperback book sold, £1 will be donated to Men Matter Scotland.

He said: “It’s a fictional account based on my personal journey battling mental health problems from childhood trauma, which led to anxiety, depression, and self-medication in the form of class-A drugs and steroids.

“The underlying message is there of a guy seeking love whilst trying to rid himself of mental health demons before eventually seeing the ‘light’- which is where the title comes from - when he takes a hit of Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a.k.a psychedelics.

“It is very topical because of the psychedelic renaissance at the minute in the media about how they can treat PTSD and anxiety. “

Grant spoke more about how his own personal experience inspired the story, he continued: “I went through childhood trauma in the form of abuse, which manifested into my own troubles with anxiety, depression and self-worth.

“That led me to try and look for other ways of being the person I thought I had to be, which I did through hopeless amounts of class-A drugs and steroids. This then led to my suicide attempt when I was 23.

“I had a lack of support from health care professionals at the time, which is mentioned in the book.

“It’s been a long road of fighting addiction ever since and I’ve only really now come out the other side.

“The affliction of anxiety and lack of self-worth created an inferiority complex in me where I felt like an imposter.

“The real breakthrough was when I did DMT. I went down the rabbit hole of psychedelic drugs and I have now become very spiritual.

“My second masters is going to be in the neuroscience and psychology of mental health in May.

“I am going to be moving away from the corporate position I am in now to a coaching and therapy position, once I get my masters.

“I want to further help people and give back in my day-to-day life as well as with this book.”

‘The Light’ is due to be released on Amazon in June.

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