Freedom Is Only the First Step

January – March 2026

Perspectives: Ex-Offender

"Being used to sleeping on almost-concrete floor is just the tip of the iceberg. Upon release, the pressure from real life starts pouring on. A certain level of anxiety may even rise to the surface."

After having slept in a cell where a straw mat was the only thing that separated my body from the concrete floor for 6 entire months, I struggled to adjust to sleeping on my own bed – something I had looked forward to from the first day of my incarceration.  

The first few days after my release from my first DRC sentence is seared in my memory. Specifically, how I (could not) sleep. 

The overwhelming emotions I felt may have contributed to the insomnia that almost drove me to lie on my bedroom floor. Very thankfully, it faded after a few days.  

I did not know, however, that the insomnia was just a prelude to the struggles I was going to face reintegrating back into society after my sentence.

A mockup sketch of the bed I slept in while in DRC 

 

It’s Supposed to Be Good, Right? 

Release from incarceration is a joyous occasion. The long period of isolation has finally come to an end, and finally, it is time to celebrate. There are hugs, kisses, dinners, and overdue catch-ups – where everyone is happy.  

What is usually missed are the internal struggles that occur. Being used to sleeping on almost-concrete floor is just the tip of the iceberg. Upon release, the pressure from real life starts pouring on. A certain level of anxiety may even rise to the surface.  

One of the first things that a person must overcome is getting used to socialising and just being amongst crowds of people.   

Whether your sentence was 6 months or 2 years, it was spent interacting with limited persons under very strict conditions, usually talking about a very limited number of topics.  

Socialising and being amongst crowds may seem normal and effortless to most but speak to those who are newly released, and most will talk about this struggle.   

Some will also have trouble managing who they meet. One of the first groups of people who will want to meet up are old circles of friends. If they’re a group of friends who engage in activities that may lead to the very reason you were incarcerated, what do you tell them? 

The entire sentence is spent planning for life post-incarceration. But we all know what happens to the best laid plans. 

A Change of Routine Is Not So Routine 

The best laid plans also involve a drastic change in routine. From being stuck in a cell for an average of 20 to 22 hours a day and having meals at roughly the same time every day, you’re suddenly thrust into freedom. Again, on the surface, this should be an easy thing to do. But there is more to that.  

Imagine having a routine you meticulously worked at both setting and getting used to for the past few months. In time – and this is especially so for someone in recovery – you come to rely on the routine to get you through tough periods.  

My routine helped me get through the slowest and toughest periods of both my DRC sentences – it put me on sort of an autopilot mode from which I derived some comfort. But when I was released, I had to set a whole new routine.  

Research on ex-prisoners reveals that life after release revolves around reconstructing daily routines with direct implications for mental health and adjustment. The PORLI-ex study done in 2023 highlights how institutional routines become deeply ingrained, and that support must focus on helping people regularize everyday life after release. 

Humans, not just those that have been incarcerated, show strong tendencies to resist change. And when the resistance is too strong, it often feels easier to resort to things that feel familiar or to not do anything at all. In the case of a someone released for a drug offence, it typically means returning to using substances.  

And if they go back to using substances, then the cat-and-mouse game starts and it is only a matter of time before they find themselves back on the concrete floor. This is how the vicious cycle perpetuates. 

The Punishment Extends, But Has to End  

When you commit a crime and get caught, there is no way around having to deal with the consequences. Prison sentences are an integral part of ensuring law and order in any society, and they have their rehabilitative benefits. As stated in the study mentioned above, it’s crucial for the rehabilitative efforts and support to continue upon release.   

Prison sentences are in themselves a punishment, and the disengagement from society that comes from being locked up can be seen as the greater punishment. 

The difficulty of engaging back into society is understated – but with the right support, it can go a lot smoother. Which is why at WE CARE, we facilitate forging new social connections in a safe environment.  

When someone walks through our doors for the first time  – whether they are part of Project SAFE, fresh out of DRC, or a walk-in – they may still feel like they’re being punished.  

But the punishment will end.  

Then, and only then, can life begin to feel like life again. 

 

By Jat Tan 

Jat is on the WE CARE Comms team.