How to Recover After a Kidnapping

A kidnapping is a huge invasion of personal freedom and trust, so it is almost always a difficult experience to recover from. Whether you or someone you loved experienced a kidnapping, it is important to reach out to others for help. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, kidnappings are most often performed by family members, which can be confusing for a child or young adult. Adjusting to life again after this happens requires persistent effort and the overcoming of negative beliefs about the world.

Instructions

• 1

  Undergo professional psychiatric testing to determine the extent of the psychological damages. Contact a local facility in your area that provides testing and explain the situation to them. Due to the seriousness of kidnapping, they will likely fit you in even if they are highly booked.

• 2

  Talk with a professional counselor about the experience. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, this step is vital to recovery. If it happened to your child, take her to see a counselor that specializes in children's issues. You can sit in on some of the sessions with her or do family therapy as well as individual therapy. Allow the child to set the pace of the therapy.

• 3

  Allow the individual who experienced the kidnapping to set the pace of recovery. He should not be forced to do things that he is uncomfortable doing. Structure is important, as is returning to normal activities, but these things should not be forced.

• 4

  Discuss the experience with other people that you trust, as long as you are comfortable doing so. The more you talk about it, the easier it will be to move forward and recover. If the kidnapping happened to your child, do not force him to talk about it when he does not want to do so. It is important to be particularly kind to children who have experienced such a traumatic event.

• 5

  Learn self-defense to provide a sense of safety in your life, even if the kidnapping did not happen to you. If the kidnapping happened to your child, take her to karate or taekwondo classes. According to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, activities such as sports can help a child readjust to her prior life.

• 6

  Practice relaxation and stress management techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and meditation. There are opportunities for this type of activity for children as well as adults. This can help in stressful situations or if panic attacks occur.