February 2000
Return to UFO Folklore !

From
Rose Hargrove

Source: http://www.sightings.com/ufo6/pas.htm

Post Abduction Syndrome (PAS)

Description of an Emerging Syndrome

Proposed by Rose Hargrove, RN

2-14-2000

This proposal of a new and emerging syndrome will attempt to
define the cluster of symptoms and behaviors that develop in
some individuals in response to the alien abduction phenomenon.

Post Abduction Syndrome (PAS) (Westrum, 1986) is an anxiety
disorder that is closely related to Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder (APA, 1994). It is characterized by the reexperiencing
of abduction related memories, fragments, or distortions of
those memories and is accompanied by symptoms of increased
anxiety and by avoidance of stimuli related to abduction
memories or abduction related events. The affected person may
experience levels of anxiety that interfere with functioning in
personal, occupational, or social areas.

Diagnostic Features

The requisite feature of Post Abduction Syndrome is the
development of distinctive symptomatology in relation to the
experience of the alien abduction phenomenon which is often
ongoing in contrast to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or Acute
Stress Disorder (APA, 1994) where the stressor is usually a
discrete and time limited occurrence that is not repeated in the
individual's lifetime. PAS in most instances is the result of
the sense or memory of being taken away by force or without
consent by extraterrestrial or inter-dimensional entities and
the associated physically intrusive or invasive procedures by
these alleged entities. The Abductee will have a perceived fear
of actual or threatened death, serious injury (APA, 1994),
threat to their physical integrity. They may witness the
abduction of another person, may learn about or have close
association with the abduction experiences of a family member or
other closely associated person. The person's response to the
events must involve intense fear, helplessness, or horror (APA,
1994). In a child or adult with underdeveloped personality
structure, the response may manifest as disorganized or agitated
behaviors.

Characteristic Symptoms

Persistent reexperiencing of the traumatic event characterized
by flashbacks (APA, 1994)

Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma (APA,
1994)

Denial of the event

Labeling the event something else-"blackout", being lost, etc.

Phobic avoidance of areas or situations where contact occurred.

Refraining from sleep at the time contact occurred-sleeping in
the daytime

Emotional reaction to literature, pictures, or videos about
alien entities e.g. turning over books with a picture of an
alien or UFO which may include avoiding them. (Bryant, 1991)

Numbing of emotions and responsiveness characterized by
inability to feel intimacy, pleasure, or to express
emotions-emotional anesthesia. (APA, 1994, Bryant,1991)

Diminished interest or less participation in previously enjoyed
activities. (APA, 1994)

May have a sense of foreshortened future -no expectation of
normal life events or normal life span. (APA, 1994)

May fear abduction with no return or lengthy abduction.

Anxiety symptoms that persist-hypervigilance, exaggerated
startle response, irritability, and panic attacks (APA, 1994)

Note: PAS differs from PTSD in that as the abductions may have
occurred since early childhood it is difficult to determine
precisely when the trauma began as in PTSD where [in which]?
there is a discrete and identifiable traumatic event.

 
Anxiety symptoms include but are not limited to:(APA, 1994)

Sleep disturbances -- difficulty falling or staying asleep Hyper
vigilance Exaggerated startle response Sleepwalking Vivid
nightmares Panic attacks Alien phobia Restlessness Worry and
rumination Difficulty concentrating

Duration of the symptoms is longer than one month

 
Specifiers-The specifiers may be used to specify the onset and
duration(APA, 1994).

Acute: This specifier should be used when the symptoms are
present for less than three months.

Chronic: This specifier should be used when the symptoms last
three months or longer.

Delayed Onset: This specifier would indicate thatat least six
months have passed between the traumatic event and the onset of
remembered symptoms.

 
Associated Features and Disorders

In contrast to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder where survivor
guilt may be present, there may be guilt at being different, or
of contributing to the factors that cause the abductions to
occur either to the subject or to family members.

 
The following manifestations of PAS may present:

Reluctance to enter into relationships

Phobic avoidance of situations that remind the person of
abduction such as: elevators, escalators, doctor's offices,
physician's procedures (many women avoid gynecological exams or
become extremely anxious when gynecological procedures are
performed), dentist's chairs and procedures. (Jacobs, 1992)

Persons with PAS may engage in avoidance of medical care to the
detriment of their health.

Avoidance of pictures and or books about UFOs and aliens

Marital or relationship problems such as: guilt at the possible
involvement of their partner feelings of anger and resentment by
partner regarding the sexual/gynecological aspects of abduction
and/or feelings of guilt by partner related to inability to
protect the abductee. (Jacobs, 1992)

Parents may experience guilt and anger at the possible
involvement of their children or grandchildren.

Occupational difficulties-may have loss of job due to constant
obsession with remembered abductions activity and level of PAS
symptomatology. (conversation, Jacobs, 1999)

Self destructive and impulsive behaviors Social withdrawal
Personality changes Panic disorders Agoraphobia
Obsessive-compulsive Disorder or repetitive behaviors or rituals
Depression Somatization Disorder Substance Abuse/Dependence-in
an effort to self medicate to reduce anxiety or sleep which may
start at an early age Constant searching for answers to
questions they may not be able to voice(conversation, Jacobs,
1999) Abductees may feel some part of their psyche is alienated
from itself due to inaccessibility of memory of abduction
experiences or partial or distorted memory of abduction.

Some remedies abductees may employ are:

Joining fundamentalist religious groups (Bryant, 1991) New Age
spiritual groups Self-help programs Altered states therapies
Repeatedly returning to areas where abductions occurred (Bryant,
1991) The person may develop an obsessive interest in aliens and
UFOs. (Bryant, 1991) The person may seek help from the
psychotherapeutic community only to be labeled as mentally ill.
(Jacobs, 1992).

Evaluation of PAS

Suggested laboratory tests(APA, 1994) Serum glucose, calcium,
phosphate levels, thyroid studies and electrocardiogram Urinary
catecholamine levels may help exclude other disorders Urine drug
screen may be useful

Examination Findings

Insomnia, trembling, muscle aches and soreness, muscle twitches,
clammy hands, dry mouth, generalized tachycardia and subjective
sense of palpitations, dizziness, hyperventilation or difficulty
breathing, urinary frequency, dysphagia, abdominal pain,
diarrhea, possible hypertension, in females gynecological
problems, possible positive pregnancy tests with unexplainable
missing fetuses, unexplainable appearance of strange lesions,
scars, bruises, or burns (especially genital) (conversation,
Jacobs, 1999), abdominal tenderness, abdominal adhesions,
malposition of ovaries, joint or back pain without memory of
physical injury, sinus problems, and possible eye irritations.

 
Specific Culture and Age Features

 
Young children may vividly recall monsters who come into their
bedroom at night. Children, adolescents, and adults may develop
fear of going to bed at night and fear sleeping in their own
bedroom. (conversation, Jacobs, 1999).

Children might express their abduction experiences in their art
work or style of play. (Bryant, 1991). Children also might
express the fear that they might be taken away from their
parents by the aliens. There exists also the real possibility
the children could be taken from their parents by social service
agencies if parents openly divulge their own abduction
experiences. Often children report that they have been told by
the aliens that the aliens are their real parents. (This has
been frequently reported by children and adults reexperiencing
childhood memories and in fact may be a ploy to gain the child's
cooperation as children of a young age are more difficult for
the aliens to control.) (conversation, Jacobs, 1999). Children
might harbor the belief that they will not grow up to be adults.
Children might also be exposed to witnessing the abduction of
their parents generating feelings of shock, intense fear, and
anger that their parents are unable to protect them. They may
also harbor the belief that they in some way caused their
parents or siblings to be abducted. Children may grow up with a
strong sense that they do not belong there and that the earth is
not their "real" home, or that one or both of their parents are
not biologically related to them. (conversation, Jacobs, 1999).

 
It would be difficult to assess cultural variables as this
phenomenon has not been studied in mainstream psychology and in
the Western World persons who report their abduction activity
are usually regarded as having psychopathology (Jacobs, 1992).
[For] [In the case of omit?] indigenous peoples, abduction
reports are regarded as a sign of contact with the spirit world
or magical phenomena.

 
Course

PAS may occur at any age and the length of the disorder may vary
from three to six months to several years. The frequency of
abductions and the variable of conscious memory of abductions
may influence severity and resolution. The disorder can develop
and often does in the absence of other psychopathology.

Treatment

Reduction of anxiety and treatment of depression are primary
considerations. In those individuals for whom denial is not
essential for the maintenance of a functional lifestyle
restoration of memory may lead to normalization of their
lifestyle.

Hypnotic regression must be approached with great caution
utilizing appropriate screening and with an attempt to minimize
confabulation (Jacobs,1992). Currently hypnotic regression with
a competent hypnotist/therapist/researcher is the method of
choice (conversation, Jacobs, 1999).

A support system is an essential factor in the resolution of
PAS.

Individuals with frequent and intense abduction activity may
approach normalization, however when activity is intense
symptoms of PAS may increase (Jacobs, 1992).

An important factor is sleep. Sleep disorders are a common
occurrence in the abductee population caused by sleep phobia and
very active abduction activity. Sleep deprivation when prolonged
can result in decreased serotonin levels predisposing the person
to clinical depression and compromise of the immune system
(conversation, Jacobs, 1999).

Prevalence

Most abductees are unaware of their abductions and those with
partial awareness regard their experiences as spiritual or
occult phenomena. In the population of abductees that are aware
of or suspect that abductions are occurring, some will regard
their experiences as spiritual events and another portion of
abductees will view their experiences as traumatic and a portion
of those will develop clinical symptoms of PAS.

Bibliography

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders. Fourth Edition, Washington, D.C.:
American Psychiatric Association, 1994.

Posttraumatic Stress Disorders: A Handbook For Clinicians.
Edited by Tom Williams Psy.D. Cincinnati: Disabled American
Veterans, 1987.

Healing Shattered Reality: Understanding Contactee Trauma. Alice
Bryant and Linda Seebach, M.S.W. Tigard, OR: Wildflower Press,
1991.

Secret Life: Firsthand Accounts of UFO Abductions. David M.
Jacobs, Ph.D. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1992.

The Threat. David M. Jacobs Ph.D. New York: Simon & Schuster,
1998
 
 
 
 
 

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