Mental Health & Wellness
PICS - POST INCARCERATION SYNDROME
PICS offers support groups, therapeutic activities and events designed to give men and women a safe and supportive environment. We focus on educating individuals on post incarceration syndrome, while also emphasizing self-care, responsibility, and self-confidence.
What is PICS?
PICS represents a collection of psychological and social challenges that many formerly incarcerated individuals face upon release. Understanding these signs helps both returning citizens and those supporting them recognize that these struggles are normal responses to incarceration rather than personal failings.
Institutionalized
Institutionalized Personality Traits What it means: Difficulty making decisions independently, rigid thinking patterns, and resistance to change. Many returning citizens struggle with adapting to environments where they need to make their own choices after years of having routines dictated to them.
Post- Traumatic Stress
Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms What it means: Experiencing flashbacks, hyper-vigilance, and heightened startle responses. The prison environment often exposes individuals to traumatic events, leading to symptoms similar to PTSD that persist after release.
Social Disconnection
Social Disconnection and Alienation What it means: Feeling out of place in everyday social situations, struggling to relate to others, and withdrawal from social interaction. This often manifests as difficulty reconnecting with family members and forming new relationships.
Disorientation
Temporal Disorientation What it means: Challenges adapting to the pace of life outside prison, difficulty planning for the future, and feeling overwhelmed by technology and social changes that occurred during incarceration.
Substance Use Vulnerability
Substance Use Vulnerability What it means: Increased susceptibility to substance misuse as a coping mechanism for the stress and anxiety of reentry. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous given the high rates of substance use disorders among formerly incarcerated individuals.
Identity Struggles
Complex Identity Struggles What it means: Confusion about personal identity and role in society, including internalized stigma and challenges with developing a non-criminal self-image. Many returning citizens struggle with the "ex-offender" label and finding meaningful ways to redefine themselves.
Finding Your Voice again
Karaoke Night
Post Incarceration Syndrome (PICS) represents the unique set of challenges many individuals face after release from incarceration - including adjustment difficulties, social reintegration hurdles, and the process of rebuilding one's identity and voice in society. The journey of recovery involves not just practical supports but also opportunities for self-expression, community connection, and rediscovering personal identity in a supportive environment.
"Finding Your Voice Again" karaoke night creates a powerful metaphor for the PICS recovery journey. Just as participants work to reclaim their place and voice in the community, this event provides a literal opportunity to find one's voice in a supportive, judgment-free environment. Karaoke offers a unique blend of vulnerability, courage, and celebration that mirrors the larger reentry process.
By creating this social space centered around music - something that transcends backgrounds and connects people on a fundamental level - we're fostering community bonds while acknowledging the courage it takes to step into new roles and express oneself authentically.
Whether someone chooses to sing or simply enjoy others' performances, the night celebrates each person's presence and journey toward rebuilding connection and identity.
