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The Impact of Crime |
How You Feel |
| Crime affects different people in different ways. The way a person feels can differ from day to day. Some days you may cope, others you may not be able to get on with your day-to-day activities. A memory, sight, sound, smell or event could start the bad feelings. It is important to remember that you are reacting normally to an abnormal situation. It may take time and support to get back to feeling settled. |
| You may be aware of what happened but feel numb. This is a common initial reaction. You may feel that what happened is remote and nothing to do with you. You may or may not feel the impact immediately, or later (for example, this may be during the events that follow the crime, when replacing stolen goods, or on an anniversary or other special day). |
| Over time you could suffer physical symptoms such as: lack of appetite, high blood pressure, fatigue and problems sleeping. Depending on your situation, you may experience a mix of emotions, and these will not occur in any particular order. Some emotions will go away and come back later. These emotions could include: • emptiness or numbness • fear or anxiety • sadness or depression • guilt, shame or dirtiness • anger or irritability • grief • loss of privacy and control • panic and confusion. |
| You may feel helpless and deserted, and that no-one understands what you are going through. |
| These symptoms or feelings usually go away after some time, but they do create problems for some people. They could affect your ongoing health or relationships. It is important to look after yourself, and to get any support and treatment that you need.
You can read and download information on panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues from:
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