The effects of torture and prolonged abduction often extend far beyond visible physical injuries, leaving survivors with profound psychological and neurological consequences that can persist long after their release.
According to clinical psychologist Arthur Gichuru, founder of Sereniminds Wellness, extreme trauma places the brain into a prolonged survival mode, triggering biological changes that affect how a person thinks, remembers, responds to danger and regulates emotions.
Gichuru explains that overwhelming stress causes a sustained release of hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, disrupting the normal functioning of key areas of the brain involved in fear, memory and decision-making.
One of the regions most affected is the amygdala, the brain's threat detection centre. When exposed to prolonged trauma, it can become persistently overactive, leaving survivors in a heightened state of alertness where ordinary sights, sounds or situations may be perceived as immediate danger.
The hippocampus, which helps organize memories and distinguish past experiences from the present, can also be impaired. As a result, survivors may struggle to recall events in sequence, experience fragmented memories or suffer recurring flashbacks that make traumatic experiences feel as though they are happening again.
At the same time, activity in the prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, speech, emotional regulation and decision-making—may be significantly reduced during and after extreme trauma. This can contribute to difficulties communicating, emotional numbness, impaired concentration and challenges processing complex information.
Mental health professionals emphasize that these responses are not signs of personal weakness but recognized effects of severe psychological trauma. Recovery often requires specialised mental health care, supportive relationships and time, with treatment tailored to each survivor's needs.