An ex-drug addict recently released from prison is dismissed by doctors after telling them he’s suicidal in tonight’s eye-opening episode of Life after Lock-Up.
Jason, 46, has been in and out of jail since the age of 13, and with a history of severe depression and attempted suicide, he’s nervous that he’ll be unable to cope with life on the outside.
At the very start of the show he’s taken to see his local NHS mental health trust in order to assess the state of his mental wellbeing. While there he divulges his plans to take his own life at the end of that week if he can’t get the help he needs.
But despite his shocking honesty, doctors say that they will get back to him ‘the following Tuesday’.
Following the consultation, Jason explains: ‘I’ve told them when and where and how – by Tuesday it’s all going to be too late. I need to show them that I’m serious.’
The episode also follows two ex-alcoholics who were recently released from prison and are trying to rebuild their lives and stay away from the booze.
Jason, 46 has been in and out of prison since the age of 13, and with a history of severe depression and attempted suicide, he’s nervous that he’ll be unable to cope with life on ‘the outside’
During the show Jason reveals that, as a child, he witnessed his brother’s death which has had a profound effect on him. He says: ‘I feel like I constantly don’t have anything to live for – I feel like I have no purpose anymore.’
The programme reveals later on that three months after his mental health assessment, he still hasn’t received the treatment he’s been promised.
It is revealed that back in 2012, Jason jumped off the roof of a car park. The episode follows him back there, where he says: ‘I’ve got a strange feeling that I’ll be coming back; I’ve got some unfinished stuff here.’
The episode also follows ex-alcoholic Kimberley, 36, who has served 18 months for burglary.
Meanwhile the episode also follows ex-alcoholic, Kimberley, 36, who has has served 18-months for burglary, to see how she is coping with life on the outside
Like Jason, her problems stem from her past. She admits: ‘I had a horrible childhood – I got into alcohol when I was 12, by 14 I was injecting drugs.
‘I would take a tin pencil case into school with me with the needles in and inject myself in the toilets. It made me forget about what was going on in here and here (pointing to her heart and head).’
To begin with she attempts to live a normal life, but trying to get a job and waiting for benefits take its toll on her.
When we see Kimberley again, her alcoholism has also caught up with her. She admits: ‘Unfortunately, one drink is never enough for me – I have an addictive personality.’
After days of drinking and catching up with an old ex-boyfriend, who has also come out of prison, she misses an appointment with her probation officer.
She needs to hand herself into the police, but instead of admitting defeat she goes on the defensive, swearing and swerving her responsibilities.
Kimberley attempts to live a normal life, but trying to get a job and waiting for benefits take its toll on her
When we see Kimberley again, her alcoholism has caught up with her and she is seen buying booze in her local shop
Another alcoholic, Andrew, 45, admits he has been battling booze since he was 25. Nervous of his new-found freedom, he wants to start afresh and tries to build a new life for himself.
He’s seen looking for jobs and even joins a local art group. But just weeks later he’s back on the booze.
‘I went to the off licence and got a beer, it took until about 4pm when I started sipping it – in the evening I found myself in the pub,’ he admits.
Kimberley admits her problems also stem from her childhood and says she got into alcohol when she was 12, and by 14 she was injecting drugs
Later we see Andrew after he’s quit the drink again and signed up for the Great Manchester run – helping to raise money for a charity that helps vulnerable people in the area.
After running the 10K and raising £250 for charity he says: ‘It’s brilliant – so liberating, it’s so great that I can do this now. I would not sacrifice my freedom to go back to jail.’
But three months later he’s forgotten his post-running words and is seen drinking again.
Andrew, 45, is seen looking for jobs in his local area and and even joins up to a local art group
Andrew has been battling alcoholism since he was 25. Nervous of his new-found freedom, he wants to start afresh and build a new life for himself
Later on in the show it’s revealed that police attended an incident where Jason was trying to kill himself – and they sectioned him for his own safety.
‘I’m hoping at the end of this I will come out a different person with different thoughts – to keep going back to jail isn’t a sensible option,’ he says at the beginning of his hospital stay.
But after four weeks he’s discharged as he broke the rules by taking drugs on the ward.
However, Jason seems like the only one who sincerely wants to make a big change. We then see him training to become a support worker at a local ‘neighborhoods for change’ charity which helps vulnerable people.
‘It’s given me a purpose – my dream is to be able to make a difference to someone’s live,’ he says.
Life After Lock-Up is on at 10pm tonight on Channel 4