‘Baywatch’ star Jeremy Jackson speaks openly about addiction and prison in new documentary (exclusive)

For Jeremy Jackson, life was not like the fun in the sun he had experienced in Baywatch in the 90s.

The former child actor, who was cast in the series at the age of eight, suffered from addiction issues as a teenager and tells PEOPLE today that the experience “totally threw him off track.”

“But how satisfying it is when you finally get through this tangle out of,” he says. “So I'm untangled and that's in the past, so I'm happy today.”

He looked back on his time on the show with his appearance in the documentary series After Baywatch: Moment in the sunwhich examines Jackson's struggle with crystal meth. In the docuseries, Jackson recalls a conversation with his co-star David Hasselhoff when Hasselhoff confronted him on set one day.

“I remember David said, 'Are you smoking weed or something?' And I was [thinking] like, 'Jesus Christ, they think I smoke weed?' I could never tell them the truth. What would they think?” Jackson recalls. “When you've not slept for five days and you've been smoking crystal meth, the worst thing that can happen is someone looks you in the eye and says, 'Dude, are you OK?'”

Despite Jackson's challenges, he and Hasselhoff remained close friends. In fact, their connection was evident from the moment Jackson auditioned for the role of his son, Hobie.

“I fought for him,” Hasselhoff said during the casting round to Jackson, who was competing against the young Leonardo DiCaprio for the role.

“Ole DH and I talk a lot and still hang out here and there,” Jackson tells PEOPLE about his “homie” Hasselhoff.

Jackson also maintains close relationships with other Baywatch Graduates are also represented, including David Chokachi, Alexandra Paul, Erika Eleniak and especially Nicole Eggert, who is currently undergoing breast cancer treatment.

“I've seen her grow and take on so much,” Jackson says. “This is a championship and success story for anyone. She's a very special person.”

Eggert has also been a long-time supporter of Jackson: in 2017, she visited him in prison while he was serving a sentence for his involvement in an alleged stabbing.

“I was definitely in a downward spiral,” Jackson says in the documentary series. “My life was slipping through my fingers like sand.”

When asked why he agreed to participate in a documentary series that revisited some of the topics he found potentially challenging, Jackson gives the credit to the people involved.

“My life is an open book anyway. I always say we are only as sick as our secrets,” he tells PEOPLE. “But my 'why' was for others. [Producers] Matt Felker and Nicole Eggert had a vision and a passion… For me, getting involved was out of the question.”

But: “Would I do it all again?” Jackson asks himself in the series about his life decisions. “Probably not.”

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Lately, the star has been focusing on his business, Jeremy Jackson Fitness, which he describes as “a website dedicated to helping people struggling with body dysmorphia, anxiety and depression to inspire them and develop a plan of attack,” he tells PEOPLE at the June 26 premiere of the documentary series.

“I've gotten into great shape myself, but I've found that if that spiritual aspect isn't intact, I tend to fall over. So building that structure of health, happiness and mindset has multiple pillars. That's why I incorporate more mindset into my approach to helping people with nutrition, fitness and meditation.”

He says he is in “remission” today.[When people ask] 'Am I OK?' they say, 'Am I still sober?' It's a big mistake people make with 'good' and 'bad' when drug addiction and alcoholism are a mental illness and not a matter of moral strength or personal character and virtue,” he says.

And added: “I am in remission from the chronic, fatal and progressive disease that once plagued me? Yes, thank God. Yes, I am.”

After Baywatch: Moment in the sun is now streaming on Hulu.