In a high-security British prison‚ an anonymous inmate (whose real identity must stay hidden) shares his eye-opening story. His first days were dark - he made a rope thinking about ending it all‚ but prison staffʼs quick-response protocols made him think twice about such actions
The reality of life behind bars changed his view: “Its not as hard as people think; we need less than we imagine“‚ he writes. Missing his kids was rough - he wrote letters daily for 4 months but learned to block-out thoughts to cope with the pain
The physical limits of prison life hit hard. Between sept-march‚ inmates in A-wing dont see direct sun (they get vitamin-D pills instead). The whole place feels ship-like - three-decks high with metal-rails and tiny port-holes in cell doors. At noon time prisoners catch glimpses of sunlight from top-floors‚ dreaming of far-away places
The writer misses simple things: bike rides cycling-trips and cold-water swimming. His biggest heart-break came when his family went to the Lake District without him (a place they always enjoyed together). The facilities dont allow tennis - though theres badminton; and swimming is out-of-question
Prison changes people in weird ways - you give-up parts of your identity and independence. But as Anonymous Inmate notes: its not about being special or tough; thousands manage it everyday. The criminal-justice system breaks down human connections; you just learn to deal with it