ISSUE NO. 25
August 2026
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Letters

How Do You Cope With Lockdowns?

By
Darren

Darren writes from a prison in TAS.

Ike Curtis

Dear About Time readers,

First up, I really enjoy reading all your letters, so keep sending them in. I’ve been thinking about writing a letter myself about a wide variety of topics, but I’d like to ask in this letter, how do you deal with lockdowns?

I’ve been in prison for 14 years now, and lockdowns have always been a feature of prison life, but I have also noticed that over the years they have gotten worse and worse.

To be frank, I don’t cope with them well at all. I just haven’t gotten used to them. I write letters, read and use the PlayStation, but by day three of lockdowns, I’m usually badly depressed to the point of absolute despair and live out the remaining days of lockdown in abject hopelessness. It’s pretty miserable.

When we do get out, we get to walk in an undercover area the size of a double carport, just thankful we are out of our damned cells.

So, how do you cope?

Dear About Time readers,

First up, I really enjoy reading all your letters, so keep sending them in. I’ve been thinking about writing a letter myself about a wide variety of topics, but I’d like to ask in this letter, how do you deal with lockdowns?

I’ve been in prison for 14 years now, and lockdowns have always been a feature of prison life, but I have also noticed that over the years they have gotten worse and worse.

To be frank, I don’t cope with them well at all. I just haven’t gotten used to them. I write letters, read and use the PlayStation, but by day three of lockdowns, I’m usually badly depressed to the point of absolute despair and live out the remaining days of lockdown in abject hopelessness. It’s pretty miserable.

When we do get out, we get to walk in an undercover area the size of a double carport, just thankful we are out of our damned cells.

So, how do you cope?

This
letter
was originally printed in the
August 2026
edition of About Time.

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