Prolonged confinement can lead to mental health issues as seen in Assange’s case

The infamous Julian Assange, currently in a top-security British prison, has potentially fatal mental health issues. Doctors say this is because of his confinement.

By: Paras Hemrajani | Edited by: Paras Hemrajani | | Published: November 27, 2019 5:38 pm

Tags: awareness about mental health conditions awareness on mental health

Assange faces a sentence of up to 175 years in a US prison for leaking classified military and diplomatic files.

Wikileaks founder, and America’s most wanted criminal, is not only fighting to stay out of a US prison, he is also fighting for his life. The 48-year-old Australian is currently in a top-level security prison in Britain and is fighting against a US bid to extradite him. Assange faces a sentence of up to 175 years in a US prison for leaking classified military and diplomatic files. Also Read - Mental illnesses on the rise in India: Know why and what you can do to fight the problem

However, according to doctors, he might not even be able to handle the extradition process, let alone prison. Sixty prison doctors have submitted a letter to the British Home Secretary saying that Assange is suffering from severe mental health disorders after being kept in confinement for nearly two years in an Ecuadorian embassy. They have requested that he be transferred to a hospital immediately. Assange’s last public appearance was six months ago at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, where he had difficulty remembering his own birth date and was seen confused about what was happening in court. His condition shows what continuous confinement can do to a person’s mental health. Also Read - Lessons learned from 2020: Why you should prioritise mental health in 2021

PRISON AND MENTAL HEALTH

According to a report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), there are 450 million people suffering from mental or behavioral disorders in the world. People living in prisons are prone to these conditions. According to WHO, the rate of mental disorder in prison is high due to various reasons including lack of treatment, care and rehabilitation, the widespread conception that all people inside prison are bad and general intolerance for disturbing behaviour. Also Read - Subtle signs that can predict relapse in bipolar disorder

Symptoms of mental health disorders are ignored as they are considered to be due to the general stress of imprisonment. Along with this, overcrowding, lack of privacy, isolation from social network, insecurity about future prospects and various forms of violence inside prison are major contributing factors.

HERE’S HOW CONFINEMENT TRIGGERS MENTAL DISORDERS

Confinement is defined as a 23-hour hold inside a cell, which is approximately 80 square feet. According to WHO, suicide rates in prisons are 10 times higher than in the general population. Here is why.

Makes him more dangerous for himself

The point of prison is to improve a person’s behaviour. But due to extreme stress caused by dangers from other prisoners, treatment from guards and social isolation, a prisoner becomes dangerous to others and himself. Prisons are made to hold people in, and some people would do anything to escape this depressing hole, even if it means driving yourself crazy or killing yourself.

Causes a specific psychiatric syndrome

Living in a stressful situation with poor living conditions can trigger a specific psychiatric syndrome, according to Harvard Medical School. This syndrome is characterised by hallucinations, panic attacks, overt paranoia, diminished impulse control, hypersensitivity to external stimuli, and difficulties with thinking, concentration and memory. The constant need to stay alert for danger can lead to a crippling obsession in them and cause sleep deprivation.

According to WHO, we can reduce the negative effects on their mental health by educating prisoners and staff in prison about mental health, providing prisoners with an appropriate mental health system, opening up proper psychiatric wards prisons, providing psychotropic medications and providing better facilities.

Published : November 27, 2019 5:38 pm