A missing man who endured a ‘roller coaster’ of emotional pain was found hanged just days after being discharged from hospital an inquest heard today.

Jonathan Stent, 20, disappeared from his home in Ashtead in September 2011 and was found hanging from a tree in woodland near the station three days later.

Mr Stent struggled with depression and had a history of abusing cannabis, valium, alcohol and in particular ketamine - an animal tranquiliser that is taken as a recreational drug but is also used to treat people suffering from bi-polar depression.

He had been discharged from Epsom Hospital on September 6, the day before he went missing.

His mother Caroline Stent told Woking Coroner’s Court that after coming back from hospital he talked about being a burden and not wanting to have his whole life ahead of him.

Ms Stent told the court: "He said no one can help me. He said that several times: no one can help me. He spoke about being in emotional pain."

Mr Stent had been home on leave from the hospital’s psychiatric unit since August 23 where he was admitted for a week after an overdose and cutting his wrists.

His mother said during time on leave he initially closed down then his mood lifted and dropped again. She said: "It was a real roller coaster with him."

On September 7, Mr Stent’s older sister, Rebecca, saw him leave the house looking glazed and signalling that he was going to the shops.

In a statement read out in court, she said: "I was concerned but only because I thought he was going out to buy more drugs."

After a search and a police appeal, his body was found by a passer-by three days later in a woodland near Woodfield Lane.

PC Susan Grout, from Surrey Police, said she was called to the scene which was about 100 yards from the main path used by dog walkers.

PC Grout said: "It is dark there and he was wearing dark clothes."

Pathologist Dr Mohammad Ameen described the cause of death as asphyxiation and hanging.

He said the level of ketamine found in his bloodstream by the toxicologist was not high enough to indicate an overdose.

Mr Stent left a note, read out by the coroner, apologising for all the problems and saying his mother was the ‘best mum in the world’. 

His father Stephen Stent, who had divorced his mother and only ran into his son by chance after his 17th birthday, sent him a letter while he was in hospital saying that he loved him.

Just before his death, Mr Stent had got a job at a garden centre in Ashtead. He worked for landscape gardeners and in various pubs after leaving school at 16.

The inquest continues tomorrow.