My husband was diagnosed as Bi-polar with paranoid tendencies prior to being placed in prison. He has been placed on a variety of medications during this past year in prison, but he said he felt like they are experimenting on him with different medications and stopped taking them altogether. Last week he had a new pych. eval and was told that he is NOT bi-polar and that he had just been through a lot of trama in his life - that his reactions were normal.
So, now he is on NOTHING.
I have been with him for 5 years. I believe that his drug addiction is a direct result of his attempt to self-medicate for his disorder. I went with him to the pych. eval that placed him as bi-polar and agreed with that diagnosis. In addtion, his mother is bi-polar and as you may, or may not know, it is usually hereditary.
I want to know if anyone knows what the educational requirements for prison pychologists are, what the limitations are for medicating patients, and if anyone has any experiences in dealing with this issue (especially in Arizona).
I am really afraid that my husband is going to think that his behavior (rapid mood swings, irritability, anger issues, etc.) are normal and that when he is released, he will go back to the same self-medicating/using behavior to feel "normal".
I would like to get him help BEFORE he gets out.

OMgosh!!! No one knows (sob).

Yvonne, I'm bi-polar2 (a milder form a full blown bi-polar)so I can relate to all your husband is going through, unfortunately I don't know what you can do about his condition while he is in prison. I guess if it were me I would start writing letters to anyone in position to help. I did find that the lady I have spoken to a couple of times at Buckley in the admin office has been very helpful. I called one day because I wanted to know the qualifications of a "counselor" - if they were real counselors with college degrees or just COs (they were COs that had been promoted.) Maybe start there? I'm sorry I'm not much help, but I absolutely feel you should pursue this and fight for him to be properly medicated. I can tell you the mood swings and everything else you are describing are not going to improve unless he gets the help he needs. Fight for him! Call, write letters, do what you have to do. I hope this helps. Zoe

Thank you for your suggestion, Zoe. My husband is actually Bi-polar 2 also, or at least that's what he was told BEFORE prison. My concern with pursuing it, is I think that my husband likes what they decided. I think he likes being off medication and believes that his behavior is normal. It's like he doesn't know what "normal" emotions are. He listens when I try to talk to him about my feelings and my opinions on it, but I can tell he doesn't fully believe me.
I am planning on talking to someone at the prison about my concerns, but want to know if anyone has any other information for me to use before I start talking to them.

You know, I'm not sure how old your husband is...but I think you have a valid concern.

I am in contact with my ex-husband (currently in prison), and he had been diagnosed as being bi-polar YEARS ago (at the age of 21) when we were still married. He was then incarcerated, and the prison "psychiatrist" had then disagreed with the diagnosos, and he was taken off all medication. He really started to detioriate, and as far as I'm concerned, as a direct result from lack of treatment became very violent, and had severe mood swings. I'm sure some of it was just from being in there (it must be so hard on them), but none the less, when he was released, he had been untreated for so many years, that he just couldn't function. He began to use drugs to try and self medicate, and eventually was arrested again. We were divorced in 1997.

I still love him very much, but I blame the system 100% for his "fall". He's 36 years old now, and I just see this whole thing as such a sad story/life. Every time he was arrested, it was somehow due to some sort of violent behavior/outburst/drug usage. I used to talk with so many CO's
about his situation (years ago), and they too, agreed that he needed psychiatric care as opposed to prison. (not trying to defend what he did...we are all responsible for our actions), but I have always partially blamed the system for him getting worse, and not being able to function.

He is now back on medication and doing well (although still currently incarcerated). I went through the "Inmate Family & Friends Liason" to get the answers I needed (I think you can find them online...I'll look for the phone # and post to you again). He was eventually allowed to see a doctor, and was put back on medication. I know it was a psychiatrist he saw, not sure what qualifications he had/didn't have. I know that was your original question...sorry I swayed so far from it...lol! Just wanted to share my story...it's just so sad, and I definitely think you should pursue it.