By Taofeek Ayangbemi, LASU
An Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Lagos , Olurotimi Coker, has urged the Federal Government to address incessant abduction of students in the country. He noted abducted students were at a risk of psychological trauma.
In an interview with CAMPUSLIFE, he noted the psychological trauma caused by the abduction would extend not only to the close and distant family members of the abductees but gradually to other citizens .
He noted that upon release, the students may experience repeated intrusive thoughts such as flashbacks about the abduction. He said some of the abductees may also relive the traumatic experience which may also make them to be tensed up and frightened.
He said: “The impact of being abducted or kidnapped and taken hostage is akin to that of being exposed to similar physical and psychological emotional trauma for children as well as adults. The psychological effects include impairment of some faculties of the brain such as reduced attention, concentration, memory and rapid judgment on difficult tasks. The affectation of the brain may lead to disorientation and confusion. There may be symptoms of acute stress disorder which may be followed by posttraumatic stress disorder weeks, months and sometimes years after experiencing the abduction.
“Some of the abductees may develop some signs and symptoms of anxiety disorder such as feeling numb, worrying excessively, sweating profusely and the general feeling as if one is losing sanity or going crazy. In the same vein, some may even experience signs and symptoms of depression such as repeated low moods, loss of interest in pleasurable activities and the constant experience of being fatigued. In the absence of psychological intervention, these signs of depression may become worse and some of the abductees may start to experience hallucinations and delusion which can lead to feelings of excessive guilt, helplessness and hopelessness which may make some of them to contemplate suicide, while some may even attempt suicide.”
Coker said some of them may experience denial about the abduction, believing that the whole incident was a joke or theatre; while some will experience anger emotions against the authorities of the school, the state and Federal Government for not giving them adequate protection.
He continued:” All the above-mentioned signs and symptoms may affect the social health and lives of victims.
“The victims may withdraw into themselves by trying to avoid social events, especially those that may remind them of the incident. The period of the captivity may make some of them to develop learned helplessness. They do not have hope of surviving the period of abduction which would make them to behave like walking corpses.”
Apart from experiencing some psychological distress, some of the victims will also develop certain physical ailments such as bruises, lacerations, malaria and typhoid fever, diarrhea and constipation.
