Why stalk people

Catharsis is vastly overvalued. Most of the time, [the idea of] 'getting it out of your system' is not true. Most of the time what you're likely to find is a practice effect rather than a catharsis effect," she says. To you, it's like, 'This is a thrill seeker. Who would violate social norms? It's amazing that this person can do that," North says when I reveal my own tendency to pore over an acquaintance's self-absorbed style blog. Why do people watch reality TV?

It's the same reason. Because people are living on the fringe of social norms. Many of our stalking survivor clients have the same question: Why did this happen to me? Stalking is a behaviour that resides in the stalker, not the victim, and there is very little you can do to avoid becoming a target of a dedicated stalker. However, understanding why stalkers stalk—what motivates their dangerous and intimidating behaviour—may help you make wise relationship decisions, and could even empower you to recognise stalking early, before it becomes a life-threatening emergency.

Not all stalkers are mentally ill, and most mentally ill people are more likely to be the victims of violence than the perpetrators of violence. However, some people have a mental illness that interferes with their ability to have normal relationships, or that causes them to have delusional beliefs about their relationships. These stalkers can be especially dangerous, since they will ignore even the police, so if you believe someone is stalking you due to their mental illness, seek immediate legal assistance.

Most stalkers know their victims, and either had or wanted to have a romantic relationship with them at some point. For these stalkers, stalking is about retaining control over the victim. If you noticed these traits in someone pursuing a relationship with you, you might want to think twice. Trust it. Dealing with a stalker can be uncomfortable, but there are ways to protect yourself early on:. As scary as it may seem, we can put stalking to an end. The key is to be alert, educate yourself, and to find help.

Never forget: no one can take your power away from you. Disclaimer: Please note, this is not an exhaustive list of the characteristics of a stalker. If someone you know makes you feel uncomfortable in any way, it is better to be safe than sorry. Case reports in psychiatry. DOI: Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind.

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