Today we’d like to introduce you to Ethan Justice.
Hi Ethan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
In the past year, I have been through the pits of hell and out. My body and mind felt like a never-ending purgatory. I was beyond the worst I thought life could get. As my freshman year of college at KSU began I was finally out of my parent’s house and living happily in my own apartment at the Pi Kap fraternity at West 22. I was not a part of the fraternity, rather I just picked up a friend’s lease. I finally had no one to tell me how late I could stay out, where I could go, or how much I could party. So I got silly drunk and on my ass stoned up to 6 times a week. I knew I didn’t really want to be at college. I only went because I had a scholarship from good grades. I was going nowhere but downhill. I had quit releasing my music, working out, going to class, and just smoked weed to escape my self and issues. Then the world collapsed on me. I suddenly began having panic attacks daily due to all the substances I had been taking while on anti-depressants. These panic attacks would have me shaking violently on the floor and throwing up for hours drowned in intense fear and paranoia. I had to stop what I was doing. I stopped partying and started doing my classwork, but the panic attacks did not end. They would be caused by random things such as the light turning off or a scent. I could no longer leave my room as I was to afraid of having another attack. My college friends continued to party and I could no longer keep them in my life. It broke my heart. The depression I thought I had fought off for good creeped back into my life. I had no source of income and maxed out my credit card paying rent. Miscommunications with my mom resulted in us no longer being on talking terms, and I experienced my first true heartbreak with a partner. I felt like I had no way out and no one there for me. My doctors increased my antidepressants to the point where I was completely numb. I couldn’t release any of my emotions, for they were trapped in me. I no longer had an escape. I lost my apartment and moved in with some of my family.
After a week of straight panic attacks and high doses of Xanax to stop them, I had given up. Every waking moment was full of pain, fear, defeat, hopelessness, confusion, paranoia, misery, and self-hatred. I could no longer live like this. It was worse than the worst thing I could imagine. I would rather have every bone in my body shattered than continue experiencing it. So I decided to put an end to it. At 1 am November of 2021 I drove my car over 100 in a 30 and planned to drive off the road. I griped the wheel palms sweating and a hole in my stomach. Right before I planned to jerk the wheel the smiled and joy of my loved ones flashed through my head. I began to vomit so I slowed down. I immediately burst into tears at what I was about to leave behind. Shook to my core, I could no longer trust my body or my brain. I arrived and my grandparent’s front door pale as mayo and soulless. They brought me inside and sat me down clueless of what had just happened but fully aware that something was really wrong. I couldn’t talk for hours and had no will or energy left in me. The next day I arrived late to my online counseling session. I couldn’t get myself to speak. The thought of what I was going to do shattered me and I hated myself for it. I cried profusely infront of my laptop. snot running out of my nose my session was over. My counselor joked and said, “At least I don’t have to charge you extra for missing the appointment” and beep. He hung up. My mind thrusted me towards the razor blade on the desk. I held it in my hand shaking violently. I didn’t want to take my life, but I could no longer live. I went to take action, gripping the handle of the blade tightly. “Clack” the blade hit the floor. The embers of hope kept me alive but left me freezing next to a dead fire. Shaking and crying in a ball a family member found me upstairs. I soon fell asleep. Hours later, I was awoken and told I was going to need to go to an institution in Florida for drug and mental health rehabilitation. I was deathly afraid of what they would do to me. After being informed of my state of being my mom called me and wanted me to come stay with her.
For six months, I was nursed back to health by my mother. During that time, I had to relearn everything about life. I was unable to leave the bed better yet the house, I couldn’t be around my friends or hardly eat without being paranoid and rushed with fear. Yet my mom encouraged me to take it day by day “it will all be over soon” she said. I didn’t believe her. I then started getting better. I forced my negative mental habits into positive habits, began getting back into the gym, working on my music, I started a clothing brand to raise money for mental health charities, I started truly loving myself, eating healthy, getting on a schedule, visiting my friends, and understanding the value of what I had been through. The worst thing that could ever happen to me transformed me into the best person I could ever be. The purpose I could not find was clear to me. Nothing in life matters like love and forgiveness, and you can never properly love until you become, take care, and love your true self. You are not your mistakes and those that say you are projecting their own interior turmoil. Learning these lessons taught me what life is really about which is doing what you love and loving other people. From March of 2022 to now, I have written the best music of my life, got a job, moved into a house on my own, took a month business trip to LA, launched a video, photo, and graphic design freelance business that I am now living off of, and have continued to forgive, spread love, and spread wisdom daily. After hard ass work and consistency great opportunities are coming my way with my photo and video work, and I am doing what I love! The bad times only stay bad if you choose to not learn from them. I am thankful for everything I experienced as it has made me into my true self, the true Ethan Justice. Thanks for reading! ~ Love and forgive others as they are only human.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
No. As far as business goes, you must take large risks to have a large outcome and you must not be afraid of being broke. If you truly believe you can accomplish your dreams.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a musician that has worked made connections with many successful and upcoming entertainers such as Ryan Hall, Atlas in motion, Han.irl, Sammy Rash, Silly Goose, Zach Greer, Kaleb Justice, Sadie Crowell, Justus Bennets, Marco Luka, Illusion Hills, Prat.Verma, Jacob Joiner, Noah Justice, Trilla Kid, Donny Daydream, Spirit Ritual, Boon Eason, Skybreak, Matt Bari, Amanda Joy, Slush Puppy, Luke Smith, Young Bobby, Jahee Anderson, and more. My artist name is “Ethan Justice” and I’ve released 13 songs with the help of Ryan Hall and Kaleb Justice. I have 15+ expertly produced/executed unreleased songs that include but are not limited to genres such as hip hop, rnb, pop, alternative, trap, jazz, EDM, Latin, and more.
I am also a professional creative videographer and photographer shooting/editing/designing/scheduling/budgeting a variety of work from music videos to professional headshots. Some of my clients include Ryan Hall, Han.irl, Atlas in Motion, Kaleb Justice, Sammy Rash, and Myself.
I also founded a clothing brand “Endangered Mass” centered around mental health, that is currently shut down due to over donations to charity.
I am a mental health enthusiast and plan to help people across the globe.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Helping others live a life full of positivity, hope, and meaning.
Pricing:
- Videography Day Rate: $300 per day
- Music video: Depends on the project, but I no longer accept videos under a $1000 budget
- Photoshoot: $250
- Event Photoshoot: $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ethanjustice.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_ethanjustice_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009059219474
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfB8Ug16f1FiZo8f7yNWz3w
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7nWPQgljZxgxsTBknGwe6S https://music.apple.com/us/artist/ethan-justice/1518657888
Image Credits
Ethan Justice, Tr4shbear
