Prison is no joke. There are a lot of media portrayals of this and it seems like people make it out alive, just fine. It’s true, people serve their time, get to leave, and end up with a positive life after. But there are those that don’t make it. There are those that end up dying in there, and there are those that can never live a regular life outside. If you are faced with the reality of prison, and are wondering whether or not you’re going to make it, you need to start with the mental side of things.
Is it hard to survive prison? Yes and No. The mental side of things will dictate whether or not you are going to make it. If you focus on the mental elements of going to prison, there are things that you will no doubt be shocked about. But if you take a deep breath and focus on survival, there are things that you can do. You can survive prison, and it starts with taking on a mental change. You cannot be who you are today in the free world, and be the same person in the prison world, as you’ll be eaten alive. To fight back, consider a few notes that is going to help you push forward. These are tips that are based on many different ideas that have been pushed out through many different voices.
Your Attitude Matters Greatly
The way that you handle yourself is very important. This means that you need to absolutely mind your manners, and be careful as to how you present yourself. You cannot walk around like you’re having a great day, smiling and singing, and enjoying the day. You have to be serious, but not in a way that people think you’re behaving “tough”. If you act tough and someone sees you, you can get an attitude adjustment. You also need to make sure that you are not showcasing weakness either. You will have to possess a balancing act. The balancing act that you push forward, matters greatly here.
You need to focus on your mind, health, and spirit. Take time to observe what is going on, what others do, and don’t stare. Focus on just facing forward, doing your time, and allowing your mind to refresh through any trivial elements that are safe. Do not boast, do not try to build yourself up in a way that may be taken as an offense.
Don’t Do A Lot of Talking
It’s very important that you are prepared to listen. Listen, take orders from guards, and focus on your own business and do not become a gossip, do not say anything, and don’t over react. You don’t have to be a complete mute, but don’t be too talkative, and don’t try to be something you aren’t. Just focus on what is going on, and see what is going on. There are rules that are unwritten, and you need to learn them. Be patient if this doesn’t happen on day one. You’ll have break downs, but you need to allow yourself to hold onto them in plain sight.
Get Ready To Be Left Behind
Once you step into prison, be prepared for your friends, family, and even significant others to walk away. Many people will end up leaving you. They will not call, they will not write, they will not visit. You need to mentally prepare for this beforehand. It’s very important that you do this. Prepare yourself from the moment you get in trouble, and you are ready to move forward with the notion that you are being left behind. Your life will not be waiting for you when you end up getting out, it just won’t. Your life is going to be different, and people in your life may not stay with you. If they do, awesome! But focus on the reality that they are not going to wait for you outside. There is no way to say this more clearly, be prepared for your friends to leave you behind.
Be Ready To Be On Your Own
When inside, you may not be able to have the same social life that you will have anywhere else. You may have to deal with your own head, and in some instances you may be put into isolation. Whatever the case is, make sure that you are comfortable with being alone, even if it means long hours. Some claim that it’s easier to ask for solitary, or act crazy, and that may seem great, but isolation and solitary confinement for a long period of time could very well be a tough run of things for people. In fact, there are a lot of articles coming out as to how hard this could be. Be ready to be on your own, and with your own mind being your only device for entertaining. Be ready by preparing ahead of time, and don’t let others know what you’re struggling with inside, or you will end up looking weak to the wrong people.
Look Ahead To Release
In the case that you are serving a limited amount of time, you will want to focus on the future. Look forward to what you will move ahead towards. If you can mentally see the end, you’ll probably have an easier time. Experts suggest that you start planning far ahead for your release, including focusing on what you will do when you’re out, how you can get a job, housing and much more. The more you think about this in advance, the better your stay will be, and the greater your chances are of not returning.
At the end of the day, surviving the mental side of prison is tough. But you can start preparing before you get there by cycling through emotional changes, and focusing on the reality that will most likely hit you in the future. Learn how to meditate, and clear your mind, focus on becoming more aware of your surroundings, and you will be fine. It’s possible to survive prison, but it’s not a simple thing if you don’t prepare yourself in advance.
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