Coping with the effects of crime Being a victim of any type of crime is upsetting. Most of us do not often directly experience crime and when we do, it can be a shocking experience. Many people feel a sense of disbelief that such an incident could happen to them. There is often a feeling of unreality, as if you might wake up and find it has all been a bad dream. When other feelings arise they can be experienced as overwhelming – feelings of sadness, grief, anger, fear, anxiety, confusion, and many others. Whether you were directly involved in the event or not, your reaction will be personal and individual to you. You may immediately feel strongly affected by what has happened. Or you may feel initially that you are coping fine, and it may be some time before you notice any of these effects. Everyone is different and there are no rules about what you ‘should’ feel and how you ‘should’ cope. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Remember you have experienced a stressful, or traumatic, event. It is important to recognise that painful feelings and emotions are a normal consequence of being a victim of crime. Be patient with yourself, and allow yourself to feel upset. Usually these feelings do not last. People are very resilient, and can cope with and recover from the effects of even the most serious crimes. • Give yourself time to recover and be good to yourself. • Spend time with friends/family, and to do things that you enjoy. 65 Senior Times l May - June 2020 l www.seniortimes.ie
• Take time out to relax, to slow down, to bring a sense of calm to your life. • Talk about your feelings with someone you can trust. • Sometimes it may be helpful to talk to someone who is completely outside the situation. • Find out what supports and services are there for you. • Avoid doing anything that places more stress on you at this time. • Avoid making any major life decisions immediately after the crime. • If you are feeling very upset and unable to concentrate or sleep, it may be helpful to talk to a GP. • Take some exercise. It can help to bring down stress levels. • Consider safety measures that you can take to minimise the risk of something like this happening again. If you, or a friend or family member, have been a victim of crime, you can ring the Crime Victims Helpline for support and information. The Crime Victims Helpline 116 006 is a free and confidential service that provides emotional support and information to victims of crime. Our hours are:
Monday, Wednesday and Friday: 10.00 am to 17.00 Tuesday and Thursday: 9.30 to 18.30 Saturday and Bank Holidays: 14.00 to 16.00 Sunday: Closed
Further information can also be found on our website at www.crimevictimshelpline.ie
