What to take to prison 2

[drinkswineoutofamug]

Not a great title but can't think of anything catching this time of the morning. Will figure out how to link to the old thread.

Thanks weezol , is it a useful drug for ptsd? They don't think she has depression and neither does she. I'm also wondering what sedative drug she would be put on for hallucinations.

It's a good all rounder. I moved on to it from Citalopram.

I have PTSD and depression - the depression is part situational, but is exacerbated by a medical problem that inhibits my absorbtion of B & D vitamins. Sertaline helps me manage sthe PTSD more effectively, in conjuction with a good chunk of person centred counselling and learning some relaxation and de-escalation skills.

I can't help re: hallucinations. Could they be related to seizures,or a side effect of other meds, med contraindications* or from historic drug/alcohol misuse?

*Pharmacists are way better to talk to about this than doctors - mine has picked up and queried a few things and is a mine of information.

She has psychosis, be it drug based or not I'm not 100% sure. Think this is what they are figuring out. She sees a psychiatrist and has been encouraged to go to the gym. It's not for the main women. She called it the lunatic gym as it's where everyone with mental health issues goes under stricter supervision. The wing she's on is stricter due to everyone there having mh issues. She's a high risk inmate so got a cell to herself. She was with a 'pad mate' but her OCD tendency was causing fractions.
She's having strange dreams and seeing people in her cell who are either dead or nemesis. She's done detox for alcohol and drugs again. Thinking back to before I think the mh issues came first and have been made worse by drug taking. I've got some phone calls to make to various people tomorrow so will look into some more.

Oh and boarder line personality disorder

Dreams could well be PTSD related, I had a period of night terrors and they were genuinely terrifying, along with some just generally odd ones. Some of it is the brain trying to process experiences that we keep shut out while we're awake or bury with substance abuse (I drank a lot, have now been sober for 8 years). Hope the below link is helpful.

www.ptsduk.org/about-ptsd-uk/

I don't know a great deal about BPD, but I don't have it or OCD and sharing a small space with a stranger would be beyond difficult for me. I think I'd regress massively, so glad to hear you daughter is in a single.

Thanks for the link.

Spoke to the prison safeguarding team, they are looking into matters around meds and stuff

Another thing occurred to me - hallucinations can be caused by dehydration. Given your daughter is using the gym, is she keeping up her hydration? Increased excersise combined with detox may be causing her body to 'reset' to sober levels (yay!) So she needs to be eating/drinking to support this.

My medical problems (Crohn's, ileostomy) leave me vulnerable to dehydration, and I've had some interesting times when at the point of needing iv fluids - altered spatial awareness, aural hallucinations and other oddities.

Prison matron apologised , medication now sorted

I've read most of the original thread and just Thankyou to OP for starting these threads. My step brother was arrested and has admitted in custody a horrific crime. He was taken straight from the court to prison. The last time I saw him was court and now we have all entered a new world. Our parents are no longer actually together. My DSis and I seem to be the only people equipped to deal with anything. I have a naice, middle class job and I was in court yesterday watching this little boy I have adored his whole childhood in this utter mess of his own making.

It is a really confusing time. He has done the most horrific thing, and yet I can't switch off my feelings. I understand it as a grief of sorts. I feel horrific. Haven't managed to eat since I found out why he was arrested.

Today's to do list is to find out about getting money to him and start getting some stuff to him.

This is a hell I never knew existed.

Oh god @Lonelystarbuckslover

I'm so sorry you are going through this

I hope the crime your brother has committed is something you can forgive him for

((Hugs))

Thank you @catinboots

It is bad, very bad. I still love him very much. Forgiveness doesn't seem like my job I suppose - I am not the victim of his crime, although he has caused my family hurt. I feel like I am in survival mode myself and moving forward, his wellbeing is important and that is my priority. He needs help - he is dangerous to others and to himseld and I am willing to treat him with compassion in order to preserve that. I feel guilty for feeling that way too.

He's just called his DM and the relief is palpable that he will engage with us.

How do I get a postal order to him?

You can send money via gov.uk once you have his prison number. My son had his money that way. Big hugs as it is a shock, especially the first time around of anything.

We don't have his prison number so managed to send a PO.

I am in shock. Haven't eaten. Can't do anything.

It's not just him being in prison but coming
to terms with what he has done.

@Lonelystarbuckslover I am sorry to read about your step brother. It gives me comfort knowing that these threads have helped other families. Please come here to chat to us. We are a wealth of advice , tiny May be able to help you more with male prisons . No question is a stupid question, you are welcome to vent and let it all out. It's not just the prisoner that serves the sentence, the family does as well.

I have never condoned my daughter, she has a masters degree in being a dick head. She is a violent criminal , who at her lowest point attack me. I had her arrested. But she's my daughter and I will still fight for her tooth and nail, especially due to her medical needs and mental health.

tiny is your sons universal credit sorted or are you still at the paperwork stage?

cat 👋🏻

My son was only in for 13 days on remand and as he was a vulnerable adult I am not sure if his experiences were the same as your brother.
He wasn't allowed anything other than letters. When we finally visited him after 10 days we could t take him anything and we were able to buy him food at visiting time but he had to eat everything then and there and couldn't take it back to his room (loathe to call it a cell).
As he was vulnerable he was watched every half hour.
Drinks.... we have had another meeting at the job centres. We have to get a fit note from the GP (or rather an unfit one) as his letter form the GO saying he can never hold down a job is not good enough anymore.
He should get payment on July14th all things being equal which will be 11 weeks after we first applied for it. I have a meeting with someone from DWP on Friday after work to be his appointee. I am already his appointee for DLA. This will be the first step towards power of attorney which we will start in the summer holidays.
Thinking of you both. Xx

Should read .... from the GP!

Thankyou for responding. I woke up this morning in hell, so worried about his welfare. I was spinning, so finding this thread was so so reassuring - that it's not just me, that the emotions are complex. I had to put the reason he's there aside for a short time and get on with practicalities.

My stepbrother will likely be away for a long time. He will never be back home, not his home and not in the town.

He is vulnerable but not vulnerable enough and so there's never been any help. My only hope is now that he can get a shot in hell at getting that. He took an overdose around the time he committed his crime. We have relayed this information.

Our family is a reasonable size and everyone's reactions are so different.

lonely when you get his prison number you will be able to email him.
Create an account, credit it £5 depending which prison they have a reply service. It's 40p to send an email. Arrives the next day.

Thankyou - the email will really help. I sent him a short letter with his PO but so mindful of any of the other people inside getting to read it. It's so strange not being able to just contact someone in this day and age.

EmailaPrisoner is great.

www.emailaprisoner.com/content/frequently-asked-questions

See if this link works. I'm on my phone so it might not.
www.emailaprisoner.com

You can also book visits on line. But he has to put in a Visiting order. That will have your details on it. Not 100% sure on male prisons but female prisoners once convicted get 2 visits a month. Is he a young offender? If on remand I may be weekly. That's a gov.uk site. Just google visit a prisoner.

There is also
www.partnersofprisoners.co.uk
Also known as pops. It's a support group for offenders families.

As I think of more I will link them. Chin up x

I love how you have became a support for others in similar situation OP. You seem to be a lovely woman

He's not a young offender - just shy of that. He said he would release his number to his mum on the phone so that should help with the email. He is going to allow her to visit him. He is on remand.

I don't know if I will be up to visiting him. The nature of the crime being what it is, I'm not sure I can stomach it, or being under the gaze of the other prisoners. I suppose I have to work out what support I am able to offer. All of our heads are spinning.

Those links are helpful, Thankyou

I honestly don't know how you're doing this. It's like he's died except there's so much fall out.

Stay strong 😊 My son was allowed two visits a fortnight where he was.