“Drugs strip you of your soul”: Prisoners at Inverness’s Porterfield Prison discuss addiction and recovery
Behind the concrete walls of HMP Porterfield, there has been a shift in the way that the prison treats those who suffer from the disease of addiction.
I sat in a room surrounded by prisoners, many of whom were in the midst of their own journey with addiction and recovery, listening to a man called Justin share his story. The room was silent with the weight of his words as he described battling a heroin addiction that saw him do time in prison, and how turned his life around in 2010.
I was invited on behalf of The Inverness Courier to participate in the prison’s ‘recovery walk’ as part of a Scotland-wide mission to help people with their substance misuse issues, and to remember those who have lost their lives to addiction.
According to data, substance use and dependence represents the most common mental health need in the UK prison population. In fact, research shows that individuals in prison are more likely to have a substance problem than not.
Recovery Days - with a focus on the support available to people both inside and outside the prison - is an important element of the rehabilitation offered in Porterfield prison.
Prisoners (or “residents” as prison staff prefer to call them) were given the option to participate in the walk around the grounds whilst carrying a recovery flag. 25 outside organisations were also invited along to offer support and information on available addiction resources.
Residents were also given the opportunity to write the names of loved ones they have lost due to addiction and hang them on a remembrance tree. The Scottish Government is calling on drugs to be decriminalised in order for people caught in possession of drugs to be treated and supported rather than criminalised and excluded. However this has been vetoed by the UK government, so the SPS are trying to do what they can within their remit.
Speaking about their experience of getting help for drug addiction in prison, a resident said: “I think the staff here are trying to really make it work. I’m out soon, and there is help there, and there are staff that want to help you.
“Today meant a lot to me as I've had a lot of friends that have died due to addiction. I’ve also been in the hospital myself three times before due to drug-related incidents.
“When I get out, I want to find people who have been in the same situation and have gotten better. I don’t want to come back here.”
Another resident spoke about his desire to work in mental health when he is released after he has battled with drug addiction throughout his life.
He said: “I have battled with a crack habit and things got really bad. My mum had terminal cancer, and I had cancer too, and I would cry myself to sleep at night. I ended up in a really bad way.
“I came off crack and I had three weeks of absolute hell, but I’ve not touched anything since then. I’ve made a lot of mistakes.
“Drugs strip you of your soul, and it turns you into someone else. I’ve wasted a lot of my life on drugs and feeling like I had no purpose.
“What helps me is hearing other people’s stories. There is also help there. You just need to ask for it.
“I’ve done work as a listening Samaritan while I’ve been inside, and I enjoy being able to help other people.
“When I get out I want to help people with their mental health - it makes me feel good sharing my experience and trying to encourage others.”
The recovery day has been done in the past, but the staff at the Scottish Prison Service are on a mission to become more recovery-focused, and much work has been done over the past three years to support people.
Acting governor at HMP Porterfield, Mark Holloway said: “I think what we have been trying to do has been received well. I want to say thank you to the partner organisations from the community and the staff that have organised today’s event.
“Over the past three years, we have been more recovery-focused.
“The prison isn’t independent and we are trying to be a support to the Inverness community.”
Sharon Halloway, the drug and alcohol policy lead for SPS was also present at the day. She added: “It’s great to see more momentum and enthusiasm for recovery across prisons. There is lots of fantastic recovery work being done. We want to reduce the stigma that is placed on people in addiction.”
