Three and a half years ago, I was released from prison. Since then, my journey has been one of challenges, recovery, and transformation. As part of my community order, I was sentenced to a Mental Health Treatment Requirement (MHTR). From my experience, I believe that with the right support, community sentences like the MHTR can be far more effective than short-term prison sentences. I want to share how the MHTR has played a pivotal role in my recovery.
The Impact of Trauma and Mental Health Struggles
My life was shaped by trauma, leaving me overwhelmed with anxiety, fear, and shame. These emotions affected my relationships and clouded my judgment. Over time, as my mental health deteriorated, I turned to alcohol to numb the pain. What started as a coping mechanism quickly became a destructive habit, turning me into someone I barely recognised – angry, distressed, and prone to poor decisions.
Trapped in a Cycle of Crisis and Crime
As the years passed, I found myself stuck in a damaging cycle, drifting in and out of the criminal justice system while my underlying mental health issues remained unaddressed. My alcohol dependence worsened, and my crimes were becoming more frequent. Eventually, I hit rock bottom. I lost everything- my children, my home, and my self-respect and became street homeless. Sleeping on the streets felt like the lowest point of my life. At times, I would try to get arrested, as a night in a cell felt safer than the uncertainty of the streets.
A New Approach: Determined to Engage
At my sentencing, the judge recognised that my mental health struggles were contributing to the crimes I was committing. Instead of focusing solely on my alcohol misuse, the court took a new approach – one that addressed the root causes of my behaviour. This led to the MHTR being part of my sentence.
Desperate for change, I committed fully to engaging with the MHTR. Nothing else had worked for me, and I was determined to face my challenges head-on. This was an opportunity to confront my mental health in a way I had never experienced before.
How the MHTR Helped
Completing the MHTR has been transformative. Through therapy and support, I learned how to manage my emotions, which allowed me to break free from the grip of alcohol. For the first time, I was able to develop healthier coping mechanisms to help with my negative thoughts and feelings about myself and the world around me.
This change also led to something I once thought was impossible – rebuilding my relationships. After years of feeling disconnected from my children, I am slowly reconnecting with them and other family members. It’s a slow process, but every small step toward healing these relationships feels like my life is coming together.
The Need for Combined Treatment Orders
While the MHTR was crucial to my recovery, I believe that offering combined treatment orders could provide even more comprehensive support for individuals like me. In my case, an Alcohol Treatment Requirement (ATR) alongside the MHTR would have addressed my dependency as well. For years, alcohol was my way of coping with mental health struggles, and my criminal behaviour was often tied to this. A combined order could have offered a more holistic approach, helping me tackle both issues simultaneously. I am very grateful to the judge for allowing me to receive the MHTR, though I wish I had been offered it much earlier in my life. Perhaps I wouldn’t have fallen into the crisis I eventually landed myself in.
Moving Forward
I have emerged from the darkest moments of my life stronger, more determined, and fully committed to change. Today, I live free from crime and alcohol, driven by a sense of purpose that once seemed unreachable. This journey hasn’t been easy, but the transformation has been life-changing. I now have clarity, confidence, and a foundation of stability that shapes each day.
I’m proud to be a member of the lived experience team at Revolving Doors, where I use my voice to help break the cycle of crisis and crime. I’ve also contributed to the design and delivery of MHTRs, drawing on my own experiences to shape better services for others. By sharing my story, I hope to advocate for solutions that address the root causes of reoffending, giving others the same opportunity for rehabilitation that I was fortunate to receive.
Revolving Door is a charity championing long-term solutions for justice reform.
Webinar for MA Members
MA members can log in to watch our Revolving Doors webinar to learn more about the benefits of MHTRs. The webinar also covered the criteria for referring people to the MHTR team for assessment and the role of pre-sentence reports.
