Psychology question - why does my neighbour behave like this?

Thank you, Muddy. Although I will never speak to this woman again, I have been a decent person throughout this whole situation. I never told her husband, or anyone other than one neighbor, the sexual things she sexted my husband. I only told this neighbor because they confronted me and asked why I was stealing from this sweet woman. Lol. She told the neighbors her side of the story that we are no longer friendly neighbors because I am a thief. Lol. She neglected to say we are no longer friends because she likes to sext married men. Iā€™ve never stolen a thing in my life, so to slander me as a thief is a horrible thing to do. she lined the property line with sirens so I had to endure a siren whenever I accessed my driveway. I couldā€™ve pressed harassment charges because I ignored it for a couple of months and then I ended up in the emergency room on a heart monitor over the stress, but I never did file. I asked the city detective to please tell her to shut them off, and he did. When she vandalized our property on our side of the property line, again, I could have reported that. The fact that she has three cameras aimed at us and our property after the city detectives told her not to be an irritant and aim the cameras on her own property, I have just ignored it. I also have evidence of her gathering weeds and throwing them on our grass. To me, I am killing her with kindness by ignoring all of these things, because I could easily file for harassment, but I have chosen not to. So I am a kind person demonstrating empathy to a mentally ill person. I donā€™t have to be her friend.

it sounds as though everyone else on your road is very friendly with her.

It seems to me , that your neighbour had a problem , a nasty evil vindictive problem , that needs her to be taken from society ā€¦

It could be possible to move without selling the property.
Depends on circumstances, but letting to someone else, and finding another property to either rent or buy might be the answer.

As am I friendly with everyone.

She has a reputation as being a drama queen, however. I think now she is really showing her true colors with all of her security cameras aimed at us, and all of the signage aimed at us to be respectful with our dog and signs warning us of her home security system. The neighbor on the other side of me even said this woman is a little bit off. She retired from her job early, claiming a back disability So she has been collecting disability for decades, but sheā€™s out mowing her own lawn and lifting her lawnmower over her fence so other neighbors know her to be a scammer. Other than that, it is a civil neighborhood everybody is civil to each other. I actually thought this woman was my friend for years until she started Sexting my husband

What does your husband have to say about the situation ?

We have both been ignoring her. He thinks she is insane. It is so ironic that she tried to file a restraining order against me for ā€œharassment and fear for her life and safety of her and her children ā€œ when that is exactly what she is doing to me. How do I know when she is not away on vacation and she is watching and listening to us from her security cameras that she isnā€™t plotting someone to attack us? She can see and eavesdrop on our conversations, no matter where she is in the world. It is illegal to audio record someone Where I live, but those cameras do pick up audio so you know sheā€™s listening to us. Sheā€™s proven sheā€™s listening to us because she will do things to annoy me that she explicitly heard me discuss. For example, in order to maintain the peace ,We lined the property line with planters with tall bushes because we cannot put a fence in the front yard due to zoning. When a passerby commented on the beautiful planters, she lined plastic paint buckets full of weeds next to my gorgeous planters.

It doesnā€™t seem you can change your situation for the reasons you have previously given, so you can only control how you feel about it.

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I would be reporting any illegal activity such as vandalism or cameras into your property, ignoring that isnt sensible or kind ( are those things still going on or things she did in the past?) - and ignoring ( use headphones) any silly annoying but not illegal things like talking loudly to dogs or slamming her own door.
Likewise just ignore any silly signs about respecting dogs or anything else not illegal, these only affect you if you let them.

If what she is doing now is not illegal you really dont have any options other than ignoring or moving.
Ignoring includes not engaging to anyone else so dont defend yourself against any false allegations she makes to neighbours, have a standard ā€˜cut off lineā€™ like not true, not discussing further - and then dont.

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How do you suggest she gets taken from society and taken to where??

Thank you - yes, I have spoken to NO ONE about her - the one and only time was 4 years ago when another neighbor confronted me about being a trespassing thiefā€¦ Thatā€™s when I defended myself and told them the true story. I havenā€™t told anyone else because a.) they will assume the worst about my husband and marriage and b.) I do not want anything getting back to her because sheā€™s a dangerous woman. Sheā€™d get me for slander or escalate things to another legal battle or more cameras/retaliation. I also donā€™t want to give her the satisfaction that sheā€™s irritating me, and I want to prove the point I am and will always be the bigger person. Thatā€™s why I come on here to vent - I tell no in-person people. :slight_smile: She can keep talking about the situation, but she is only making herself look obsessed and crazed. I donā€™t have ANY cameras - just a ring doorbell camera for packages. She looks like a paranoid psycho. I teach school and have an excellent reputation in town. Sheā€™s been arrested for shoplifting. Anyone searching her name sees that as the first thing that pops upā€¦ Sheā€™s quite the woman.

Reported and taken to court !

, Cosmos, yes, as I said before - anything illegal like vandalisms or illegal cameras should be reported and police or council action taken
But unlikely to result in jail sentence or any form of ā€˜taken from societyā€™

Iā€™m not quite sure from OP whether those things are in the past or still happening - things that are annoying but not illegal - like talking loudly to dogs or slamming her own front door - there is no alternative really but to learn to cope them /ignore them or move.

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But why should we !!
Because of no hopers !! Grrrr
Sorry those people bring the worse out in me ā€¦ā€¦

No one should have to move house in order to distance themselves from a troublesome neighbour.
But if their behaviour is having a negative impact on mental or physical health, then it has to be the best solution, if the other person isnā€™t going anywhere, and they continue to be a pain in the neck.

In the same situation, i would move if possible to do so.

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Well, no, we shouldnt have to.

However reality remains that, unless her actions are illegal, the only option is to cope with them, ignore them or move away.

Or discreetly lob a brick through her window occasionally.

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I suspect that this neighbour has a mental health/personality disorder. Perhaps thatā€™s the real reason she is on disability benefits but she doesnā€™t want to admit it. I would treat her as someone who is not well rather than take any of this behaviour personally. She is taking her frustrations out on you because you are the nearest punchbag.

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Exactly LOL

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Tempting but not worth getting a criminal conviction.

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