Mental Me

Justin Rollins' acclaimed The Lost Boyz (below) traced the author's early life on the streets. Ten years on, this new book describes how he did time in adult prisons and experienced other challenges including trauma, associated fears, flashbacks and fixations. It traces the origins of his anxiety, obsessive compulsive behaviour, complex post-traumatic stress and other life-limiting conditions. It tells of the violence and abuse in his past and explains how this drove many of his actions. Fast paced and readable as any novel, the book describes how the author overcame 'locked-in' thinking and a violent lifestyle to become not just law-abiding but an acknowledged expert on street crime, gangs, drugs and youth culture. It will be of interest to a wide range of people working with disadvantaged young people and those confronted by mental health issues and/or affected by 'ghosts' from the past.