Winter a time of risk.

The last remaining leaves have started to drop, a coating of frost is changing the grass from green to white and the start of the winter solstice has begun to chisel away at our daylight hours. Yep the winter blues are starting to creep in. 

Although for many of us, some vitamin D fortified foods, regular exercise and good sleep routines might be all we need to get us out of a seasonal funk, for others it is a very real time of risk. 

For many of the people we work with, winter can be particularly challenging. With people venturing out less during the chilly winter months, it can be an isolating and lonely time for people who have just come out of a prison environment, where they’re surrounded by others at all times. 

These challenges are then layered with the additional costs of heating, warm clothing and bedding at this time of year. 

“For people with addiction problems, being hungry, lonely, angry, tired, all of these can be triggers,” Pathway Reintegration Team Leader Geoff Howard says. 

“At this time of the year, they’re certainly faced with more of those triggers.” 

For people struggling with isolation, drugs and alcohol can help them get a sense of belonging and being able to connect with people, finding common ground with other users. 

“A lot of people coming from prison are already starting from a deficit when it comes to finding a place of belonging because of the stigma, the shame and the sense that they won’t fit back into society,” Geoff explains.

“You automatically have that common ground with other users; that can be hard to walk away from when you’re seeking connection and it can be particularly hard to walk away from when you’re having a down moment.” 

But Pathway’s reintegration team are all over it! Between our touch team, indoor netball team, mentors, social gatherings, support groups and employment support, there’s plenty of opportunities for meaningful connection and we’ll always be there, even when the going gets tough. 

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