The guards shut the door behind you.
This freezing cell,
a maximum of 2.1 x 3.6 m (7 x 12 ft),
could be your home
for the rest of your life.
The only natural light is slivers
that come through a small, thin window.
And the only people you’ll talk to
will be in your dreams,
or should I say nightmares.
United States Prison Florence ADMAX,
sometimes called ADX,
is one of the most impenetrable prisons
in the world.
Also known as
"the Alcatraz of the Rockies,"
this prison is near the Rocky Mountains
in Colorado.
Its dreaded H-Unit,
or Special Security Unit,
is one of the most restrictive
and the hardest to survive.
Since ADX opened in 1994,
at least six prisoners
have committed suicide.
No one has successfully escaped
this prison.
In this unique administrative
maximum security prison,
you’d stay in your cell for almost 23 hours
each day.
The only hour that you'd be allowed outside
would be in a recreation cage.
Supermax prisons are known
for putting inmates
in borderline torturous
solitary confinement.
Researchers state that the stress
caused by confinement
can shrink parts of the brain
that are responsible for memory
and controlling emotions.
If you develop spiritual strength,
it may help give you a sense of purpose.
Finding religious faith,
becoming more devout
or taking strength from other
belief systems could help you cope
with your life in prison.
Remember, "snitches get stitches".
And in ADX,
you’ll be within feet of some of the most
notorious and dangerous criminals alive.
That includes Barry Mills,
the leader of the Aryan Brotherhood,
and notorious Mexican cartel leader
“El Chapo”.
Maybe solitary confinement
doesn’t sound so bad with these
despicable neighbors.
But whenever you’re allowed
any brief form of socialization,
it's best to mind your own business.
The one thing you should never,
ever do in prison
is give information on other inmates
to the guards and authorities.
One of the best things you can do
to stay sane in supermax
is to avoid stress.
I know it sounds impossible
given the conditions,
but you can develop strategies
to relieve your stress.
Building a routine and sticking to it
might do the trick.
Shujaa Graham was
wrongfully convicted
and found solace in routine
while on Death Row in San Quentin Prison.
He woke up at 5 a.m. every day
and exercised.
Then Graham sponged himself clean.
Later in the day, he meditated.
That kept him going
until he was exonerated
and released in 1981.
Life in a supermax prison
will not be the life you dreamed about,
but that doesn’t mean
you should quit dreaming.
Michael Jewell served 40 years in prison,
including seven years
in solitary confinement.
He used to kill time for hours
by working out detailed visualizations
of himself in a vivid alternate reality
where he can enjoy being in open spaces
and talking with people.
Creating mental images can stimulate
certain parts of the brain
that help with mental activities,
abstract thoughts and motor control.
You might even imagine things
that feel real.
Mental illness is common
among incarcerated people.
Around 55% of male
and 73% of female inmates in the U.S.
suffer from some form of it.
Adding solitary confinement to the mix
only worsens these conditions.
Three-quarters of all isolated prisoners
report symptoms of psychosis,
such as hallucinations.
Some inmates pass the time
by eating junk food.
But don’t do that.
While comfort food might provide
momentary relief from your reality,
those sugar-driven endorphins
will only worsen any symptoms
of mental illness that you have.
Your vitamin and mineral levels
could get low,
since they come from whole foods.
Experienced inmates recommend
that you do your best to stay healthy.
You survived a Supermax prison.
As you behaved so well,
you were transferred to
a less restrictive facility.
But it is crowded.
And it's easy to run afoul
of the wrong people.
Some people say that
surviving might depend on the things
you do in your first 24 hours in prison.
Luckily for you,
we have just the video to help you
here.