I just read an article in The Observer in the UK, by Amelia Hill. It was titled How does a hostage’s mental health hold up? She wrote about hostages in wartime but I see a great similarity to women who are held hostage by their husbands in a marriage. What are the effects on a person’s mental health of being held for so long? The key, according to consultant forensic clinical psychologist Ged Bailes, is accepting that life will never be the same again. ‘Just as hostages have to adjust to captivity, so former hostages have to adjust to the new person they have become,’ said Bailes, author of The Psychologist’s Role in Hostage Situations
During the early stage of captivity, Bailes said, hostages go through a range of emotions including fear, chaos, confusion and deep depression. Once those feelings have ebbed, however, those in traumatic situations often surprise themselves by their resilience.
‘Former hostages describe trying to create their own world in the midst of the awful reality,’ he said. ‘They reclaim a degree of power and control by creating routines or engaging in acts of slight defiance.’
If the hostage and their captors are living in close contact and are able to converse, added Bailes, there is a strong likelihood of developing Stockholm syndrome, an intense bonding with one’s captors. ‘This can be a lifesaver for two reasons,’ he said. ‘It gives hostages back a sense of self and, by personalizing them in their captors’ eyes, making it making it less likely they will be killed.’
‘It is vital that Betancourt (the hostage) is given the opportunity to talk as much as possible about her experience,’ he said. ‘But the only way to come to terms with having been held hostage is to accept that it has changed you for ever, and that you will never be the person you once were.’ ”
Ladies, is it the same for abused wives? I think it is!
