When Amanda Berry called 911 on Monday, reporting that she was finally free after being held for 10 years in a house on the west side of Cleveland, she ended the ordeal that she and two other women, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, had been living with.
While that part of their saga is over, another one is just beginning — the ordeal of trying to return to a normal life after a decade of horror.
“Normal is relative, and while the girls will be physically free at this point, being emotionally free is much more complex and will take much longer,†said Celia Blumenthal, M.D., assistant clinical professor psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center in New York City. “To be reunited with friends and family will be very important.â€
While it is unclear what went on over the 10 years the women were trapped in the house, it’s likely that they will be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and depression, which will require psychiatric treatment, Blumenthal said.
“What happens is that over a long term, especially if the victims are young, they have not developed a fully formed personality by time the trauma occured and were not functioning as adults when abuse started, so the ramifications of abuse are ingrained in their personality,†she explained. “Many people become emotionally unstable.â€
And while resuming a normal life will be an uphill climb for Berry and the other women, doing so will be possible, Blumenthal said. “Treatment and medication will absolutely be necessary, but so will having a stable home environment and the strong support of friends and family.â€
“It helps them gradually feel less threatened and overcome the emotional trauma,†she added.
In the days to come, however, the women will probably recount the story numerous times to friends, families and law enforcement officials, which could force them to relive the situation and cause even more stress.
“Many times, they [kidnapping victims] have traumatic amnesia and have blocked out the effects,†Blumenthal said. “Bringing the events up again could cause them to have psychotic episodes.â€
Blumenthal stressed that is it still very early, and it is unclear what effects the women may have from their long ordeal. While it’s likely that they will need psychiatric help, the extent of the help they require will only become clear as more details unfold.
“Sometimes kids who have been through horrific circumstances block it out and go on with their life,†she said, “but other times kids are much less resilient and cannot get past it. We don’t know much about these girls, and it’s far too early to know how they will react.â€
These undated handout photos provided by the FBI show Amanda Berry, left, and Georgina “Gina†Dejesus. Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath said he thinks Berry, DeJesus and Michelle Knight were tied up at the house and held there since they were in their teens or early 20s. Berry and the two other women who went missing a decade ago were found on Monday, May 6, 2013 elating family members and friends who’d longed to see them again. (AP Photo/FBI)
In this undated photo released by the Cleveland Police Department shows Onil Castro. Three women who disappeared in Cleveland a decade ago were found safe Monday, and police arrested three brothers, including Castro, accused of holding the victims against their will. (AP Photo/Cleveland Police Department)
This undated photo released by the Cleveland Police Department shows Ariel Castro. Three women who disappeared in Cleveland a decade ago were found safe Monday, and police arrested three brothers, including Castro, accused of holding the victims against their will. (AP Photo/Cleveland Police Department)
This image provided by the FBI shows an undated photo of Amanda Berry. The voice of the long-missing woman was frantic and breathless, choking back tears. “Help me. I’m Amanda Berry,†she told a 911 dispatcher. “I’ve been kidnapped and I’ve been missing for 10 years and I’m, I’m here, I’m free now.†Those words led police to a house near downtown Cleveland where Berry and two other women who went missing a decade ago were found on Monday, elating family members and friends who’d longed to see them again. (AP Photo/FBI)
FBI show Amanda Berry, who went missing
These three photographs obtained on May 6, 2013 courtesy of the FBI show Amanda Berry, who went missing on April 21, 2003, after leaving the fast food restaurant at which she was employed a decade ago, and was found alive May 6, 2013 in a residential area of Cleveland, Ohio. Three women who had been missing for years — two of whom disappeared as teenagers — were found alive in a house in Cleveland, police in the US state of Ohio said Monday. “All three women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, seem to be in good health,†Cleveland police said in a statement. (Picture are right is a “photograph progressed to 17 years)
Georgina “Gina†DeJesus
These three photographs obtained on May 6, 2013 courtesy of the FBI show Georgina “Gina†DeJesus, who went missing as teenager about a decade ago and was found alive May 6, 2013 in a residential area of Cleveland, Ohio. Three women who had been missing for years — two of whom disappeared as teenagers — were found alive in a house in Cleveland, police in the US state of Ohio said Monday. “All three women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, seem to be in good health,†Cleveland police said in a statement. (Picture are right is a “photograph progressed to 17 years)
Amanda Berry, right, hugs her sister Beth Serrano after being reunited in a Cleveland hospital Monday May 6, 2013. Berry and two other women were found in a house near downtown Cleveland Monday after being missing for about a decade. (AP Photo/Family Handout courtesy WOIO-TV)
Balloons fly outside the home of Gina DeJesus Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland. DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found in a home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A “Welcome Home Gina †sign hangs on a fence outside the home of Gina DeJesus Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland. DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found in a home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A house where three women escaped is shown Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland, the day after the three women, who vanished a decade ago, were found there. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found in the home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Brittany Moore uses her cell phone to snap pictures of a house where three women escaped Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found Monday in the home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
A house where three women escaped is shown Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found Monday in the home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Sheriff deputies stand outside a house in Cleveland Tuesday, May 7, 2013, the day after three women who vanished a decade ago were found there. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found in the home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Sheriff deputies stand outside a house in Cleveland Tuesday, May 7, 2013, the day after three women who vanished a decade ago were found there. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found in the home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
The front door of a house where three women escaped is shown Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found in the home just south of downtown Cleveland Monday, May 6, and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
FBI agents remove evidence from the house where three women who had disappeared as teenagers approximately ten years ago, were found alive on Monday May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in
FBI agents remove evidence from the house where three women who had disappeared as teenagers approximately ten years ago, were found alive on Monday May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004, and Michelle Knight, who went missing in 2002, were all found alive in the same house. Three suspects, all brothers, have been taken into custody. (Photo by Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)
Cleveland Police stand outside a home where they say missing women, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight were found in the 2200 block of Seymour Avenue in Cleveland on Monday, May 6, 2013. The three women who went missing about a decade ago were found alive in a residential area just south of downtown, and a man was arrested. (AP Photo/Plain Dealer, Scott Shaw)
Tasheena Mitchell, cousin of Amanda Berry celebrates outside of MetroHealth Medical Center after Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight were found in a house on Seymour Avenue in Cleveland, Monday, May 6, 2013. The three women who went missing about a decade ago were found alive in a residential area just south of downtown, and a man was arrested. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Gus Chan)
Neighbor Charles Ramsey speaks to media near the home on the 2200 block of Seymour Avenue, where three missing women were rescued in Cleveland, on Monday, May 6, 2013. Cheering crowds gathered on the street where police said Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michele Knight, who went missing about a decade ago and were found earlier in the day. (AP Photo/The Plain Dealer, Scott Shaw)
Felix Dejesus
FILE – In this Friday, March 3, 2004 file photos shows Felix DeJesus, holding a banner showing his daughter’s photograph, standing by a memorial in his living room in Cleveland. Cleveland police say two women who went missing as teenagers about a decade ago have been found alive in a residential area about two miles south of downtown. Cheering crowds gathered Monday night on the street near the home where police say Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and a third woman were found earlier in the day. The identity of the third woman hasn’t been confirmed. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File)
A general view of the exterior of the house where, on Monday, three women who had disappeared as teenagers approximately ten years ago were found alive on May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004, and Michele Knight, who went missing in 2002, were all found alive in the same house. Three suspects, all brothers, have been taken into custody.
A general view of the exterior of the house where, on Monday, three women who had disappeared as teenagers approximately ten years ago were found alive on May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004, and Michele Knight, who went missing in 2002, were all found alive in the same house. Three suspects, all brothers, have been taken into custody.
A general view of the exterior of the house where, on Monday, three women who had disappeared as teenagers approximately ten years ago were found alive on May 7, 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio. Amanda Berry, who went missing in 2003, Gina DeJesus, who went missing in 2004, and Michele Knight, who went missing in 2002, were all found alive in the same house. Three suspects, all brothers, have been taken into custody.
A house where three women escaped is shown Tuesday, May 7, 2013, in Cleveland. Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, who went missing separately about a decade ago, were found Monday in the home just south of downtown Cleveland and likely had been tied up during years of captivity, said police, who arrested three brothers. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
