Solitary confinement & isolation: coping in the hole

• Administrative segregation (ad seg)
• Disciplinary segregation
• Protective custody, in some places
• Restrictive housing
• Special housing unit (SHU)
• “The hole” or “the box”

People may be placed in solitary for breaking rules, while an incident is investigated, for their own protection, or for health reasons. Some people end up there for long stretches.

Whatever the reason, the isolation can affect the mind in similar ways.

Unit lockdowns, quarantine or being in a cell most of the day for other reasons can bring the same challenges. The coping ideas in this guide can help in all of these.

• Losing track of days
• Trouble concentrating or remembering
• Thoughts going in circles
• Daydreaming much more than usual

With little to see or hear, the brain can become very sensitive. Doors, footsteps or voices may feel startling or overwhelming.

Feelings can swing quickly, or go flat. Anger can build with nowhere to go. Some people find old memories or trauma coming back.

People often sleep too much or too little, lose appetite, feel stiff or tired, or get headaches. Gentle movement and routine can help.

In New York City jails, only 7.3% of admissions included solitary, but those stays accounted for 53.3% of acts of self-harm.

In North Carolina, people who had spent time in restrictive housing were 24% more likely to die in the first year after release, including higher risks of suicide and overdose, than people who had not.

BJS found that 29% of people in prison and 22% of people in jail with current serious psychological distress had spent time in restrictive housing in the past year.

These studies show strong links, not proof that solitary is the only cause. Researchers say the findings point to the need for alternatives and better care.

The Rules define prolonged solitary as more than 15 days in a row. They prohibit both prolonged and indefinite solitary confinement.

The Rules say solitary should be used only in exceptional cases, as a last resort, for as short a time as possible, and with independent review. They also say it should not be used for people with mental or physical disabilities when it would make their condition worse.

The Rules say discipline and restrictions should not include a ban on family contact.

The Mandela Rules are international guidelines. In the U.S., rules about solitary are set by each state, the federal system and local jails, and they differ a lot. Some places have passed limits; others have not.

This is general information, not legal advice. A lawyer or legal aid office can explain what applies to you. The Legal Services Corporation can help you find free civil legal aid.

1. Wake: wash, make your bed, a few slow breaths
2. After breakfast: exercise and stretching
3. Late morning: read, write or study
4. After lunch: rest or a mind-travel exercise
5. Afternoon: letters, drawing or a project
6. Evening: gentle stretching, prayer or reflection
7. Before sleep: write one thing you got through today

Mark each day in a notebook or on paper. Note small events: a letter, a shower, a conversation. It helps the days stay separate in your memory.

Keeping yourself and your space clean is a way of telling yourself you matter. It also gives structure to the day.

Ideas

• A set number of pages read
• A letter written
• A new word or fact learned
• Your exercise routine done

• Push-ups, against the wall or floor
• Squats, holding the bed frame for balance if needed
• Lunges in place
• Planks, starting with a few seconds
• Calf raises

• Marching or jogging in place
• Step-ups on a low, steady surface
• Shadow boxing
• Pacing slowly, counting steps

• Neck rolls and shoulder shrugs
• Reaching up tall, then folding forward
• Gentle twists while seated
• Hamstring stretch on the bunk

A daily set, like 10 of each move, can give your day a structure and something to track. Write down your progress to see how far you have come.

1. Name 5 things you can see
2. Name 4 things you can touch
3. Name 3 things you can hear
4. Name 2 things you can smell
5. Name 1 thing you can taste, or one kind thing to say to yourself

In a bare cell, look closely: cracks, light, textures, the pattern on your blanket. Details count.

1. Breathe in for 4
2. Hold for 4
3. Breathe out for 4
4. Hold for 4
5. Repeat 4 times

Lie or sit still. Move your attention slowly from the top of your head down to your feet. Notice tension and let it soften on each out-breath.

Many people find comfort in prayer, verses from their faith, or a simple phrase like “This will pass.” Counting slowly or saying the words with your breath can steady you.

Close your eyes and walk through a place you know: your childhood home, a street, a park. Notice colors, sounds, smells and people. Go slowly, room by room.

Design your dream home, plan a garden, or work through how you would fix a car or cook a big meal. Picture each step in order.

Ask what books, study materials or correspondence courses you can get. Learning something new, like a language, history or a trade, gives your brain fresh work to do.

Letters keep you connected to people outside. A journal lets you sort through feelings and keep a record of your days. You can also write letters you never send, to say what you need to say.

Making something, even with a pencil and scrap paper, is a way to express what words can’t. It is also proof that you are still you.

• Do math problems in your head
• Name a place, food or team for every letter A to Z
• Recall the plot of a favorite movie or book in detail
• Remember every teacher, team-mate or job you’ve had

What can help

• Take short breaks in quieter spots
• Use grounding when it gets too much
• Ease into groups slowly
• Tell people you trust that you need time

After long silence, talking may feel awkward or tiring. That is normal. Start with short conversations with people you feel safe with.

Research from North Carolina found higher risks of suicide and overdose in the first year after release for people who had been in restrictive housing. Lining up support before and after release matters.

Your loved one may seem quiet, jumpy or easily overwhelmed. Keep visits and calls calm and simple, let them set the pace, and remind them you are there. Letters during solitary can mean a great deal.