NATIONAL NEWS - According to a report by leading psychiatrist, Dr Eugene Allers, six million South Africans may suffer from post-traumatic stress as a result of having survived a hijacking.
Post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) may affect as many as 25 percent of South Africans – this is an estimate of undiagnosed patients.
PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault.
In the past, PTSD has been known by many names, such as “shell shock” during the First World War and post-World War Two, as “combat fatigue.”
People with PTSD have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings that have to do with their experience that last long after the traumatic event is over.
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) argues that victims of hijacking and car theft suffer the same symptoms and experience the same level of trauma as people who are exposed to a war zone or a natural disaster.
Individuals with PTSD also experience panic attacks as a result of the extreme fear that they experienced during the traumatic event.
Their throats tighten during an attack, while their breathing and heart rate rise, making them feel nauseous and dizzy.
When untreated, PTSD is often a path to depression, substance abuse and suicide.
Scientific studies indicate that during and after trauma, our brains are traumatically re-wired.
Symptoms usually begin within three months of the accident, but years later may still be present.
These symptoms need to continue for at least a month in order for a diagnosis of PTSD to be made.
Those with PTSD tend to be easy to startle/frighten, lose interest in life, may be violent, irritable, or aggressive, and may become emotionally numb.
Hijacking survivors sometimes ‘relive’ the incident in their minds and have hallucinations/flashbacks about it, and these flashbacks are typically caused by ordinary incidents reminiscent of the incident (for instance, a car backfiring can recreate the sound of gunfire).
Some people with PTSD may also attempt to self-medicate the painful emotions by abusing alcohol or other substances, which further damages every aspect of their lives.
What is important is that anyone diagnosed with PTSD symptoms (or anyone who suspects that they may be suffering from PTSD) seeks help. There is treatment available.
Symptoms of PTSD
1. Intrusive thoughts like repeated, involuntary memories; distressing dreams; or the traumatic event’s flashbacks. Flashbacks can be so intense that people feel that they are witnessing or seeing the traumatic experience in front of their eyes.
2. Avoiding reminders of the event. This may include avoiding people, places, activities, objects, and situations that cause distressing memories. People may try to avoid remembering the traumatic event or thinking about it. They may refuse to talk about what happened or how they feel about it.
3. You may suffer negative thoughts and feelings. Negative thoughts and feelings may include ongoing and skewed perceptions about oneself or others (e.g. “I’m evil” or “No one can be trusted”); ongoing fear, terror, rage, guilt or shame, far less involvement in previously enjoyed activities or feeling distant or isolated from others.
4. Arousal and behavioral symptoms may include being irritable and having angry outbursts, being careless or self-destructive, being easily shocked or having attention or sleeping problems.
Who is more likely to get PTSD
All PTSD sufferers have been through some type of trauma, whether it was a hijacking, a flood or the sudden death of a loved one.
There are however, some types of people who are more prone to developing PTSD than others.
While PTSD can happen to anyone, statistics show that there is a significant gender difference in the prevalence of PTSD.
Around 10% of women have PTSD sometime in their lives, compared to 4% of men.
Numerous research studies on post-traumatic disorder have shown that females are twice more likely to experience PTSD than males.
Apart from trauma type, culture and gender roles are also factors that contribute to the high prevalence of PTSD among women.
Studies found that the incidence of PTSD is more evident in communities that stress traditional gender roles (men having more social power than women) because women in this type of culture feel more emotionally vulnerable.
Where to find help
It is important to report your symptoms to your family doctor or local clinic.
If neither of these are viable options, please call the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) on 011 234 4837 or 0800 20 50 26 if you need a referral to a doctor, therapist or support group.
Calling SADAG also offers you access to speak to a professional counselor to help you further.
