In episode 42, Sunny and Mayank sit with Arman Vestad who was a former criminal and drug addict. He now owes his life to two of the things that made his remarkable transformation possible: running and kindness.
In the past, Arman spent a lot of his time on the run. Through a series of poor life choices and unfortunate circumstances, he had found himself dealing drugs and engaging in other kinds of criminal activity. He even gained notoriety as the infamous ‘Gunman from Molde’ after supplying a weapon that was used in a triple homicide.
While to outsiders it seemed that he was living as a criminal playboy with drugs, friends, partying, and money, he actually felt alone. His body was struggling to keep up with a devastating drug habit, and he felt that there was nobody he could trust enough to be himself around. Wanting to let go, he even contemplated suicide.
After leaving prison for the 10th time, it wasn’t long until Arman found himself under arrest once again. This time, however, a policeman on the case sat down with him and asked what he could do to help. He showed that he cared, and those few moments changed the course of Arman’s life forever.
What came next was a prolonged and difficult fight to rebuild a normal, happy existence. As he pushed himself back to health, he also embarked on a new career as a debt adviser for Norway’s welfare administration. He later became an international public speaker, an advocate for bringing reformed criminals back into work and society, and (most importantly) a father.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Arman saw that many people were struggling with the same isolation and loneliness that he felt when living life on the wrong side of the tracks. Asking for help had never been his strong point, but it only took a moment of kindness to help him change for the better.
Arman now hopes to encourage more people to smile and help one another while sharing his message: the smallest acts of friendliness and compassion multiplied many times over can change the world. Arman is proof that it is never too late to change your life.
You can follow him:
Instagram: @armanvestad
Website: https://armanv.no/
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There are some sensitive topics we touch on regarding mental health so if there are any triggers for you please know there is support and there will be plenty of links in access below.
LifeLine - Ph: 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/
Banksia Project - https://thebanksiaproject.org.au/
Mr. Perfect - https://mrperfect.org.au/
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As always, Bottled Up is a passion project to help provide a voice to those many men who are going through the peaks and troughs of life. We are not trained professionals and if you're worried about someone close to you and their mental wellbeing, it's important to get professional advice.
Start a conversation with them and let them know that they're not alone and that there are many support resources out there - including friends, family, school chaplains and plenty more!
If you're feeling distressed or overwhelmed, Beyond Blue has a number of trained mental health professionals available 24/7 on 1800 512 348.
For immediate support, call Lifeline on 13 11 44 and in an emergency, always dial 000.
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Music: https://www.purple-planet.com
