Afraid of change even though it’s beneficial to me.

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SMW83

Hi all,

I suffer from PTSD, Agoraphobia, Depression and Anxiety which are attributed to formally being in a very violent and controlling relationship.

I was helped to leave said relationship by police and my local authority who assisted me in obtaining social housing (which I am extremely thankful for). However, soon after taking up residency in the property, it soon became prevalent that the area I was housed in was beset with issues such as anti social behaviour, drug dealing, domestic violence etc. During my tenure in the property there have been many major incidents such as a rape, a stabbing, aggravated robbery, altercations between drug gangs where a machete was produced, amongst many other incidents. I have also personally been subjected to homophobic and disablist abuse and even physically assaulted. Recently my home was caught up between an altercation between two gangs where my home was damaged, windows broken etc. These incidents have had a tremendous effect on my mental health and had worsened certain aspects of my illnesses.

I have now been offered to be rehoused away from the area. However I am really apprehensive of doing so. This is mainly owing to the fact I have made the interior of my home a kind of sanctuary, where even when the worse is going on outside, I feel safe and secure. I am also of the adage that it is ‘better the devil you know’ and am concerned that I could end up going from bad to worse. I will also struggle to afford the cost incurred with moving (and have been told no financial help will be given as the move is my own choice) and would not be able to afford to make any new home as safe and secure as I have made my present home. 

I guess it’s mostly the fear of the unknown so any advice or if anyone has been in a similar situation, It would be great to hear your experiences.

Thanks in advance.

Tori_Scope

Hi @SMW83 It's good to hear from you.

I'm sorry to see that the problems with your housing situation are ongoing. I remember from last time that you'd said you'd reported the issues to the police, and that action had been taken in some cases but not others. Are the police aware of the latest problems you've been having? I'd definitely encourage you to keep them updated.

If you feel as though you're unsafe, and that this is having an effect on your mental health, then it does seem as though rehousing would be the best option. That being said, I can completely appreciate your concerns over this. 

You should have the option to accept or refuse the new accommodation offered to you, so you might want to speak to the housing association or local authority about this to share your concerns over moving, and over being worried that you might end up somewhere worse.

Who told you that the move would be your choice? This may not be the case if the police are involved. Your local authority's housing team should be able to help you understand what, if any, financial help there may be in this scenario.

Have you had a look to see if there are any other grants you could apply for to help you with the cost of moving? You can take a look at Scope's grants checker here.

In terms of your depression, anxiety, PTSD, and agoraphobia, are you receiving any support at the moment? I'd encourage you to start off by speaking to your GP about how your current living situation has been affecting your mental health. They should be able to point you towards some avenues of support, and may also be able to help with the rehousing situation.