"I have a story to to tell."

In the book Prescription for Living: The House of You®, Justin Alan Hayes, MBA shares his most intimate mental health memoir and inspirational mental health recovery journey with you. Captured within these pages are his darkest hours of childhood trauma & shining championship like moments on his road to mental health self-discovery & healing, to finally find his Prescription for Living. Follow Justin as he makes his way through over 30 years of life in his own way, from an ordinary child to successful sports player, to a dedicated student and business professional. On the way, Justin experienced dangerous episodes of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder referred to as PTSD, panic attacks while driving, extreme anxiety in employment & social situations, alcohol abuse & addiction, eating disorders & major depression to name a few. What awaits is a truly eye-opening account into what it means to fall into crippling self-doubt and isolation, hit rock bottom, and bounce back to overcome adversity of being professionally diagnosed with various mental illnesses (major depression, generalized anxiety disorder & low spectrum autism) while much of society had placed a stigmatization of mental health on those with mental illness. This professional diagnosis by a board certified psychiatrist would not occur until Justin was taken by ambulance squad to the emergency room for the 3rd time in 2 consecutive weeks after Justin began blacking out with his Dad behind the wheel of his truck. Many blood tests were administered in the hospital including a positron emission tomography (PET) scan as well as a psychiatric evaluation that ultimately left Justin with the gut wrenching decision to voluntarily enter the psych ward of the Akron General Hospital for an unspecified period of time or leave the hospital that evening without knowing how long he would survive for with his given symptoms & conditions. It was only then that Justin swallowed his pride, narcissism/neuroticism and bullheadedness behavior and made the best decision in his estimation and that was to be voluntarily admitted into the psych ward for a thorough physical and mental health examination for what ended up being 5 days.

"Can I change my mind?"

Following the inpatient hospital stay, Justin took part in many months of group and individualized therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy & therapy art where therapy art was first introduced to him along with different kinds of therapy books for men. What you are about to embark on is a real life story about Justin's mental health and mental illness journey, not a book on mental illness fiction. Justin’s story is raw, unfiltered and a front row seat to what it is like to battle the mind, body, spirit, soul, demons & emotions simultaneously on a second-to-second basis, without knowing where the next twist or turn will be.

Through this self-help book we find courage to overcome paralyzing fear and self-consciousness, strengthening our connection to the world and helping us to believe we are worthy of self-discovery, personal growth, and boundless love.

Now more than ever, we all need to cultivate feelings of self-worth, as well as acceptance and love for ourselves. In a world where insults, criticisms, and fears are spread too generously alongside messages of unrealistic beauty, attainment, and expectation, we look for ways to “dig deep” and find truth and gratitude in our lives. A new way forward means we can’t hold on too tightly to our own self-defeating thoughts or the displaced pain in our world. Instead, we can embrace the imperfection.

Whether it be for you or if you are in search of mental health gifts for women or mental health gifts for men in your life, you can rest assured that anyone can learn how to cope & become whole again; and transition from surviving to thriving in life once again. Start 2021 off right by focusing on your mental health!

Form: Paperback Book