How to Recover After a Hijacking: A Complete Guide

You were stopped at a red light. Or pulling into your driveway. Or parked at the shops. Suddenly, someone was at your window with a gun. They forced you out of your car. Maybe they threatened you. Maybe they hurt you. Maybe they took your phone, your wallet, your sense of safety.

And then it was over. They drove away in your car. You were left standing there, shaking, trying to process what just happened.

If you've been hijacked, you know that the trauma doesn't end when the hijackers drive away. The real struggle often begins in the days, weeks, and months that follow.

The Reality of Hijacking Trauma

In South Africa, hijackings are alarmingly common. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), there were over 16,000 hijackings in 2023. That's 44 hijackings every single day. Survivors often develop PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

Being hijacked is a life-threatening experience. Even if you weren't physically harmed, your brain registered the event as a threat to your survival. And that creates trauma.

Trauma isn't weakness. It's not being dramatic. It's a normal response to an abnormal, dangerous situation.

Common Reactions After a Hijacking

Everyone responds to trauma differently, but here are some common reactions after a hijacking:

Emotional Reactions

Fear and anxiety: You feel unsafe, even in familiar places. You're constantly on edge.
Anger: You're furious at the hijackers, at the police, at the government, at yourself.
Guilt and shame: You blame yourself. "Why didn't I see them coming?" "Why didn't I fight back?"
Numbness: You feel emotionally flat, disconnected from yourself and others.

Physical Reactions

Sleep problems: You can't fall asleep, or you wake up from nightmares.
Hypervigilance: You're always scanning for danger. Your body is in constant fight-or-flight mode.
Startle response: Loud noises or sudden movements make you jump.
Physical tension: Your muscles are tight. You have headaches or stomach problems.

Behavioral Changes

Avoidance: You avoid driving, or you avoid the area where it happened.
Flashbacks: You replay the hijacking in your mind. Sometimes it feels like it's happening again.
Withdrawal: You pull away from friends and family. You don't want to talk about it.
Substance use: You drink more or use drugs to numb the feelings.

If you're experiencing any of these reactions, you're not broken. You're not weak. You're having a normal response to trauma. This is what psychologists call Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Why Traditional Treatments Often Aren't Enough

Medication

Doctors often prescribe antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication for PTSD. These drugs can reduce your symptoms temporarily, but they don't help you process the trauma. The traumatic memory is still there, just buried under medication. And when you stop taking the drugs, the symptoms often come back.

Talk Therapy

Traditional talk therapy can help you understand your reactions and learn coping strategies. But it often takes months or years of weekly sessions. And for many people, talking about the trauma over and over again doesn't actually resolve it. It just keeps the wound open.

"Just Get Over It"

Some people will tell you to "move on" or "be grateful you're alive." This advice, while well-meaning, is unhelpful. You can't just decide to get over trauma. Your brain doesn't work that way.

Dianetics: Processing the Trauma at Its Source

Dianetics offers a different approach to recovering from hijacking trauma. Instead of managing symptoms with medication or talking about the event endlessly, Dianetics helps you locate and process the traumatic memory itself.

According to Dianetics, traumatic memories are stored in what's called the reactive mind. When something in your present environment reminds you of the hijacking (like seeing a similar car, or hearing a loud noise), the reactive mind activates and makes you feel like you're back in that moment of danger.

Through a process called auditing, you can examine the traumatic memory in a safe, controlled way. As you look at it clearly and completely, the charge on the memory dissipates. The flashbacks stop. The hypervigilance fades. You can remember what happened without reliving it.

How Dianetics Helps with Hijacking Trauma

• It addresses the traumatic memory directly, not just the symptoms
• It's a finite process with a clear endpoint—you're not in therapy forever
• No medication, no side effects, no dependency
• You don't have to relive the trauma over and over—you examine it once, thoroughly, and release it
• You regain your sense of control and safety

Immediate Steps After a Hijacking

While you're considering longer-term treatment options, here are some immediate steps that can help:

Report the crime. Go to the police station and file a report. This is important for insurance and for your own sense of taking action.
Reach out for support. Talk to friends or family. Don't isolate yourself.
Give yourself time. Don't expect to "be fine" immediately. Healing takes time.
Avoid numbing behaviors. Try not to rely on alcohol or drugs to cope. They'll make things worse in the long run.
Consider professional help. If symptoms persist beyond a few weeks, seek treatment. Don't wait for it to get worse.

You Can Recover

Being hijacked is traumatic. It changes you. But it doesn't have to define you. You don't have to live with flashbacks, hypervigilance, and fear for the rest of your life.

With the right approach, you can process the trauma and move forward. You can drive again without constant fear. You can sleep without nightmares. You can feel safe again.

Dianetics offers a way to address the traumatic memory at its source, so you can truly recover—not just manage symptoms.

Next Steps

If you're ready to address your hijacking trauma and reclaim your sense of safety, learn more about Dianetics.

Learn More About Dianetics Read Our Complete PTSD Guide

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