Josiah Hartley

Josiah Hartley is 23 and lives in an isolated farmhouse in the West Country,

but close enough to Bristol to enjoy its music scene. He is an animal lover and

servant to two French Bulldogs. Equally happy at a music festival or watching

rugby with his mates, he likes the outdoor life and with Devon only a short drive

away often heads to the sea to surf and sit on the beach watching the sun go

down. After two stints at The University of Southampton and The University of

Bristol and one unsuccessful suicide attempt Josh decided to write about his

descent into mental illness and the depression that has held him in its grip for

the past few years. “The Boy Between” carries the overriding message that

things can and often do get better. It’s a book of reflection, raw, honest and full

of hope: the proof being that Josh is still here and now excited about what comes

next. He is ready to catch any opportunities that life throws his way, quite a thing

for someone who only 3 years ago was ready to disappear from the face of the

earth… to all those who might find themselves in a similar position Josh says, “if

you are thinking or have thought that suicide might be the best option, I am

proof that there is a life to be lived after depression and a life to be lived with

depression - though it might not always feel like it. Don’t give up. Talk it through,

write it down, run, dance, read, paint, sleep, play sport, do yoga, sit in a chair,

walk in a park! Do whatever you need to and wait it out until the demon is off

your back and the darkness passes. Things can and often do get better. Don’t

delete yourself. DON’T DO THAT. Don’t wipe out what just might be a fantastic

future. The world is big. The possibilities infinite. Know that the world is better

with you in it. It’s a shit hard struggle – probably the hardest you will ever face,

but you can do it. You can! When you are between a dark and light place,

between despair and joy, when you are deciding whether to stay or whether to

go, hold on. Please hold on. Hang in there. Just one more more day and one

more day and then one more…”