Strathblane writer hopes first book will help others on mental health journey

Strathblane author John McNicoll hopes his new men’s mental health novel will help spread important messages to those following the same footsteps as he once did.The 35-year-old off-shore worker didn’t expect to be hitting the shelves until he started experiencing random panic attacks.He attempted to explain those away and tried various fixes, including visiting his doctor for medication, before hypnotherapy offered a way out and his attacks began to calm down.Following that scare, John thought his encounter with mental health was in the rear view mirror - until the impact of lockdown hit him hard and caused him to start a daily journal from which his new book was formed.‘The Silent Assassin of your Average Johnny’ is composed of cartoon sketches, key points and positive quotes and messages in every chapter, all with the aim of helping people of all ages struggling with their own mental health demons.John told the Observer: “I was an outgoing guy myself who liked to travel the world; nothing really fazed me and I didn’t believe mental health was something that affected someone like me at that stage.“During lockdown, my girlfriend and I split up, I lost work and I crashed my car, everything you can possibly imagine happened in those six months and it jused caused the world to crash around me.“I really tried to get myself into that positive mindset and a big part of that was forming daily habits, trying to stay away from even basic things that you wouldn’t think affect you but just give you a negative start to the day.”His book has been an early hit with readers on Amazon, with 70 books being bought so far, including an order from John’s gym at MXP Fitness in Stirling.Alongside the novel, John is also hoping to begin a