Colombia: Scars of Captivity Mark Freed Colombian Hostages

An excellent, if very sad, article from AP about the psychological consequences for freed Colombian hostages - well worth a read.

"At times, one thinks it would have been better to have stayed in the jungle than to leave it and encounter the series of very difficult problems one faces," he said, his voice shaking.

Santiago Rojas, a doctor who has written about stress and mental health, said being held hostage affects a captive's "entire perception of life. It is an open wound that can be healed or can remain open."

Scars of Captivity Mark Freed Colombian Hostages (AP, via ABC)