Homelessness and fears of harm: exploring the experiences of persecutory fears and safety behaviors in unstable housing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose Fears of being harmed (persecutory worries) may contribute to, perpetuate, and result from homelessness. We aimed to explore the content of such fears in people who experienced homelessness, the use of safety behaviors, and the impact on housing. We further aimed to investigate whether individuals wanted to be asked about and supported with fears of being harmed. Method Twenty-three people with experience of homelessness and at least moderate-severe persecutory worries completed a mixed-methods questionnaire. Results Fears of being harmed explicitly related to previous stable living situations for eleven participants, with seven fearing harm from landlords or neighbors. An additional six participants reported fears related to living situations while homeless. All participants used avoidance strategies and at least six safety behaviors. Fifteen participants stated that there were links between fears, safety behaviors and unstable housing. Most participants reported that they would have wanted support with their fears. Conclusion This study provides evidence that for some individuals the content of persecutory fears specifically relates to their living situation. Such fears, understandably, prompt avoidance and safety behaviors. Most participants wanted support with fears. These findings have clinical implications for improving the support available for people experiencing fears of being harmed and housing difficulties.