Traumatised

[Stagnated]

Good evening

Three years ago whilst on holidays, my house was burgled.  Jewellery that was to be passed down to my children was stolen, along with other items. 
I have very little to give my children and I prided myself at being able to, over the years, work for and accumulate jewellery that held emotional value. 

I was hoping to start a tradition, to leave a legacy, that I myself was never afforded by my parents, even though my siblings were. 

I’ve never gotten over the emotional shock, violation, betrayal and the absolute pain and distressed caused by the theft.  So much so, I suffered a heart attack.

To this day even the slightest thought or anything about jewellery brings tears and the welling up of churning emotions.   I feel helpless, angry, outraged, shattered and have no closure.

Throughout my life, I’ve suffered both physical and psychological abuse.  Then I have this violation happen.  How does one get over trauma.

It was more than materialistic items to me, it was my love of wanting to leave a legacy my children can see, touch and enjoy.

I feel sick to the stomach.
I am not coping even after all these years.

[Sophie_M]

Dear Stagnated

It is great to know you feel safe to be able to share your experience here and we hope that you find the support you are looking for.

We are sorry for what you have had to endure, having your privacy invaded can be traumatic in general but to have your home burgled is much more impacting.  We can hear your distress and the time you have invested in trying to manage this so far; this takes a lot of strength and resilience.

There is a lot of emotional trauma that follows a home invasion of this kind, you might feel a sense of anger, disbelief, sadness and at times denial of what happened and it's important to find ways to vent those feelings as they pass.  It was completely unfair what happened and we acknowledge that it was not ok for you to have your sentiment taken away in jewelry however in saying that it’s often easy to become immersed in what has happened and what cannot be changed; don’t give in to it, remind yourself of the strength you hold, focus on your own self-care and surrounding yourself with people you love as you find ways to cope and recover from here.

In addition to the forums, you can also reach out to our team who answer the phones for a chat if ever you feel like you need to talk this through, we are here 24/7 on 1300 22 4636 or via our Webchat

It won’t be too long before you hear from some of our lovely community members here on your thread soon. As you already know, they’re a really amazing community, and will have understanding, advice and kind words for you.  Thanks again for sharing. It’s a powerful and brave first step towards feeling better.

 Regards
 
Sophie M

[Mark Z.]

Hi Stagnated,

Thanks for sharing your story. It must be so heartbreaking. I can't imagine how hard it is for you.

But as you say, it is more than materialistic, not only for you, but also for your children. May I ask if they know the entire story? If this is the case, I believe they must have felt your deep love. What you have tried to do for them, this story itself, is a priceless gift for their lifetime.

If you feel guilty, you don't have to because you did nothing wrong. You're a great parent and this unfortunate event will not change the fact at all.

Mark