More time needed to heal Trauma

Case Study 2: ‘Sam’ (names have been changed)

Trauma.. needs time and the right services in place to allow people to heal

Male, 20, on Community Payback Order.

Sam attended the conversation cafes and a number of the early sessions of the Join the Dots project, however he stopped attending once his Community Payback Order was complete. Sam was very quiet in the sessions and initially struggled with the group tasks, not volunteering or actively contributing to the activities. However, in time he became more vocal, confident and seemed to enjoy the sessions. He was particularly skilled at the visual art activities and spent time producing a number of well-considered pieces. His interview was short, as he said ‘he wasn’t good with words’ and was uncomfortable speaking into the tape recorder and with the researcher’s note taking. He spoke about his unknown future following his community payback order. Sam has been previously employed as a sign maker, but feared his criminal record would mean he would no longer be able to work in his chosen field:

‘I finish tomorrow. I’ll need help getting a job again. You get a criminal record doing a community payback order. So I’m not sure… No assistance will be offered tomorrow. They don’t really care they have to look at the bigger picture. Once you’re in the community service you’re not important. They look at you as a criminal… Yeah, that makes you feel a bit bad, kinda.’

Sam stated that now he had a criminal record he had ‘no hope’ of getting employment and knew of no other forms of support available to him. Sadly he was no longer with the project when the DWP came in and spoke to the young men, which may have been useful as many participants said in interview that this had really helped them understand what could be accessed. In interview, Sam spoke of the stigma, which would result from his receiving a Community Payback Order. He said he would like to have greater support and access to a mentor to advise him on other issues outside of employment, but did not know where to find any pastoral support. If he did get such a worker, he stressed it would be important to develop a trusting and respectful relationship:

‘It’s good to have someone close to you who you can trust. (They) need to always be honest… both ways, with respect, both ways.’

Sam alluded to his own struggles with drug taking and struggling with feelings of heightened anxiety. He spoke of mental ill health, alcohol abuse and ‘things he wished he hadn’t seen’ happening in his own family. He believes many people involved in the criminal justice system share these experiences and that these traumas affect their behaviours: 

‘A lot of people that have committed crimes have got trauma, and they’ve no one to speak to afterwards. I’m a bit traumatised; I’ve seen a lot of stuff I didn’t want to see… it imprints in your brain. It taints it.’

Sam spoke of his own experiences of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), with his mother being hospitalised for her mental poor health and alcoholism. He believes that in Glasgow there are many families who struggle with these issues, particularly when born into poverty:

‘My ma was an alcoholic. She was in mental hospitals a lot when I was growing up. That left an imprint.’

‘My Ma has manic depression and bi-polar so I’ve been brought up with mental health issues…. Glasgow is bad with poverty and (drug and alcohol) is the solution for most people. If you’re an alcoholic you’d spend your last penny on that. You go into a dark hole and that leads to mental health issues, and mental health issues and drink are a bad combination.’

Sam was encouraged to continue his involvement in the Join the Dots project once his community payback was complete, but elected not to do so. However, he did communicate the many positives he had during this time with the project, including having the opportunity to express himself and the positives that had on his mental health. 

‘They say doing art is a good way to take your mind off stuff, it’s like meditation, it puts you at ease. Like that drumming… Expression of yourself.’ 

Sam also praised the friendly and kind staff members he had worked with through the project. He believed if others got the opportunity to attend such a programme they would feel similar benefits:

‘I think you get revolving door criminals; it’s just what they’re used to. If people actually opened their eyes and went to this (Join the Dots) but they’re just in their wee bubble.’

When asked where such a project should be, for example in the East End of the city or in a more central location, Sam stressed the anonymity of a project like Join the Dots was integral to its success as some people do not like to be seen to need help:

‘Where would the centre be? I would say in town because people don’t want to be seen. It’s like a fat person goes to the gym, they’re trying to help themselves out, but you’d be on them. In the east end, people would be chatting behind their backs saying he needs help. That’s what people are like.’

Sam recognised the need for services like Join the Dots and stressed that many people had poor mental health in his own peer group. He had never sought help for his own mental health issues as he did not know where to go and he had not yet felt compelled to get help: 

‘I’ve never really reached out. It’s the first step (but) I need something to get me there. I need the urge to say I need to go for help.’ 

Finally, Sam argued that he would not have come to a project like Join the Dots if he hadn’t been on community service and brought to the building. Even though it had been a positive experience, it was not one he felt was ‘his scene’ and would not look for groups like this in the future:

‘I never would have come to Theatre Nemo, not my scene. I wouldn’t have come here unless I was forced to… but you’ze are doing good.’

Comment

Sam’s case study gave some insight into how an individual can feel a sense of loss and abandonment following their involvement with the criminal justice system. He understands that he and his immediate family members have experienced traumas in their lives and that this has impacted on their behaviours. His own parent’s mental ill health has made what he called ‘an imprint’ on him and influenced his own decisions. The Join the Dots project could make a real difference to people like Sam and in the short time he worked with the staff team he reported a lift in his mood and genuine enjoyment of the day’s activities. However, he also stressed he would never usually attend arts sessions or seek help for his problems. He is the kind of young person who may be invisible to services but in the greatest need of support and development.

#ACEAwareNation #poverty #mentalillness #art #support #addictions #trauma

#smart justice