uploaded Jan. 16, 2023.
Original (PDF)
Transcription
Never Be Ashamed To Ask For Help!!
12-27-22
Most of us in prison are here because we did not ask for help. Alot of us come from broken homes and environments where drugs, violence, abuse, and criminality were normalized. growing up in these types of environments, we are often abused and experience many traumatic events. But due to a false perception that people who ask for help are weak, many people are reluctant to ask for help out of a fear of being perceived as weak. Consequently, we learn to deal with our traumatic experiences by developing destructive coping tools such as: Anger, yelling, violence, substance abuse, looking for acceptance in the wrong places, and committing crimes, just to name a few. These destructive coping tools lead us to an early brutal death, or a prison cell. ALL BECAUSE WE DID NOT ASK FOR HELP!! We must accept we are all humans who are dealing with struggles, trauma, feeling, and issues we are trying to figure out on a daily basis. In order to figure out and resolve our issues, we must reach out to out many supporters in this world who are eager to help us. No matter what you are struggling with, whether it's drugs, suicidal thoughts, and form of abuse, or you just want to talk to someone, there are plenty of great people and organizations who are waiting and eager to help you!
So never be ashamed to ask for help, because people who ask for help are certainly not weak, THEY ARE BRAVE, SMART, STRONG, HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL, and on their way to PROSPERITY!!
Respects,
PERRIE THOMPSON JR.
✖
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Replies (3)
Thanks for writing! I enjoyed transcribing your post, and everything you've said here is so true. Very encouraging and inspiring. Hope to hear more from you soon!
-Lisa
I'm doing well, thank you—and I'm so sorry for taking this long to reply. Your note really brightened my day when I finally saw it, and I'm grateful you took the time to reach out again.
A little about me: I'm in Indiana, and I spend a lot of my time advocating for the rights of incarcerated people, pushing for meaningful prison reform, and supporting the wrongfully convicted. I'm also an abolitionist when it comes to solitary confinement—I believe it's cruel, counterproductive, and should be ended entirely.
That's what originally drew me to Between the Bars: hearing directly from people inside, in their own words, about what the system is really like. It cuts through all the noise and statistics and reminds me (and hopefully others) why change is so urgent.
I'd love to hear more from you whenever you're able. One subject I'd genuinely enjoy reading about is how people inside maintain small acts of humanity and connection—things like the little rituals, kindnesses, friendships, or even quiet moments of dignity that help you hold onto who you are despite everything the system tries to strip away—those stories feel powerful and hopeful to me. They show that even in the hardest places, people still find ways to be human, and I sincerely hope this applies to you. If that resonates or if you have your own angle on it, I'd be honored to read whatever you feel like sharing.
Thank you again for your patience and your openness. Take good care of yourself, and I hope to hear from you when you have the chance.
With respect and solidarity,
Lisa