Mental health articles

The mental health of prisoners The mental health of prisoners is important for two reasons:
• Some people with mental illness get involved in criminal activities and end up in prison.
• Being in prison can be a stressful experience. The isolation, loss of freedom and anxiety can, in
some people, lead to mental illness. Drug use and violence may occur in some prisons. Thus, being in a prison can cause mental illness.

The types of mental illnesses that are relatively common in prisons are:
• psychotic disorders, especially in people who are behaving in an odd way, speaking to imaginary people or themselves, restless or agitated;
• withdrawal reactions in people with drink or drug problems, very soon after being put in prison;
• depression and anxiety, which are likely to be the result of imprisonment (suicides can occur
even in the most highly guarded environment such as a prison).

Tags: Health, mental, Mental health, prisoners