What really happens to you when your car is stolen or hijacked?

SADAG claims that victims of hijackings and car thefts suffer the same symptoms and go through the same level of trauma as people who are exposed to a war zone or natural disaster.

Often people with PTSD suffer panic attacks, resulting from the extreme fear they felt during the traumatic event. During an attack their throats tighten, while their breathing and heart rate increase, making them feel nauseous and dizzy.

If untreated, PTSD is often the gateway to depression, substance abuse and even suicide. Yet many who go through hijackings question the severity of their symptoms.

The emotional damage is subtle but undeniably traumatic in nature. De Wet Mouton from Tracker deals with victims of vehicle crime every day. “Emotions play a huge role after an unfortunate hijacking or vehicle theft. One of our popular products is an insurance product, called Theft Rescue, that is designed to address the emotion and inconvenience immediately after an auto theft.“

Mr. T Steele, a Katlehong resident who was hijacked last month, attests to the shock factor. “I vividly remember the incident and for a while afterwards I thought I was going crazy as I struggled to deal with the flashbacks. Receiving counseling, a courtesy car, emergency cash and a cell phone with preloaded air time from my car tracking company alleviated the stress and inconvenience.”

Scientific studies show that our brains are traumatically rewired during and after trauma. PTSD sufferers’ thoughts and experiences are processed vastly differently to those without. The slightest trigger can cause a ‘fight or flight’ response that cannot be controlled. Adrenaline surges through the body at inappropriate times, such as someone accidently dropping a box, what would normally cause a simple startle reaction instead causes a person to react in a much more visceral way. This is known as hyper-arousal and is a major symptom.

Thato Ntai’s husband was shot in a hijacking earlier this year and although his vehicle was recovered in 15 minutes, he did not want to continue driving it.

Mouton continues, “Most times it is the smell that makes it traumatic for the victim to move beyond. In some cases the perpetrator has died in the car.”

This is a common byproduct of a traumatic incident. SADAG’s Cassey Chambers confirms, “When victims are exposed to places, smells, sounds, or people that remind them of the trauma, or when they have memories or flashbacks of the incident, they often have panic attacks.”

While not every crime will lead to PTSD, it is essential not to brush off the seriousness of potential consequences. Getting appropriate counseling and giving the trauma time to heal is essential, as well as having plans in place that cater for those things that we might not always think of or want to deal with.