Victims of a burglary may feel anxiety, depression, fatigue, loss of sleep or appetite, and an inability to feel safe in their home again. There are also emotional responses similar to those of grief as well as similar to those of severe trauma such as physical violation.
“A burglary is a loss – a loss of privacy”
Reports from the Office of National Statistics show that almost nine in 10 victims of burglary report being emotionally affected by it, with anger, annoyance and shock the most common responses.
You may be afraid that burglar will return to cause further harm. Each time you return home, you may wonder if your house is safe or has been burglarized again. Loss of Control You may experience an acute sense of helplessness and loss of control. Your home may feel unsafe and changed.
Common reactions include panic, trembling, severe shock and uncontrolled weeping, with the most persistent effects being feelings of unease or insecurity. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their home, and experiencing a burglary is likely to threaten to that.
The depth of distress and PTSD symptoms created by a burglary can be so bad that a Churchill Home Insurance survey estimates more than a million people in the UK move away after burglars have broken into their homes.
The most severe type of burglary is first-degree residential burglary, which is defined as entering a residential structure with the intent to commit a crime inside.
Common Characteristics
Your average burglar is generally non-violent, unemployed or retired and a repeat offender. He probably works alone, lives not too far away and may just be doing it for the thrill. He also selects his targets ahead of time, including visiting his victim.
Burglars have different motivations for their crimes, but the primary one is the need for money. Generally, due to its rapid nature, burglary is one of the most difficult crimes to solve, making it a great means by which to get quick, easy money.
Symptoms of PTSD following a robbery or assault
Some victims of a violent assault appear to recover well, and no longer have contact with the police, justice system or victim support. However, they can gradually start to experience poor sleep, nightmares, lack of focus and a continuous 'replaying' of the incident.
The Immediate Aftermath
After the robbers have fled, the most immediate reaction is one of relief that the crisis is over, you survived it and were not severely hurt. This may be followed by feelings of shock, anger, denial, fear, helplessness and anxiety.
From the Latin scelero, which means 'crime' or 'wickedness', scelerophobia is the fear of burglars, robbers and criminals. Someone who has scelerophobia might worry irrationally about being burgled in their own home and might struggle with sleep and feeling safe.
PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.
Psychological Concerns: Anxiety and panic attacks, fear, anger, irritability, obsessions and compulsions, shock and disbelief, emotional numbing and detachment, depression, shame and guilt (especially if the person dealing with the trauma survived while others didn't)
Remember that the vast majority of home invaders are chasing easy-to-sell valuables and aren't there with the intent of harming residents. According to the FBI, most burglars don't intentionally choose targets when residents are home, so they're surprised to discover people in the house.
Burglary risks - people types
Notice that disadvantaged people seem also to suffer more burglary, with the unemployed standing almost twice the chance and single parents almost three times the chance. Age too makes a difference, with risks reducing as the householder gets older.
These are the most common points of entry for home break-ins: Front door: 34% of burglars twist the doorknob and walk right in. First-floor windows: 23% use a first-floor open window to break into your home. Back door: 22% come in through the back door.
The two main motivating factors are money and drug use. A burglar may be a professional criminal, an amateur, or somewhere in between. Professional burglars—those who support themselves entirely by selling what they steal—tend to look at a target home and the people who live there closely before committing the crime.
Make sure to pay for monitoring so police are called as soon as the alarm sounds. Affix security labels on windows and doors and install a sign at the front entry so burglars will bypass your home when scouting for their next victim. Most important of all, make sure you arm the system every time you leave the house.
Causes. While the exact causes of specific phobias are not known, it is believed that past negative experiences often play a role. 1 For example, if you have been robbed in the past, you may be at a higher risk of developing a fear of being robbed. News coverage of robberies and thefts may also contribute to this fear.