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Essays on homelessness and mental health
Sociological perspectives on mental illnesses among the homeless
Essays on homelessness and mental health
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The most common reasons for an individual to become homeless; poverty, drug addictions, alcohol, gambling, becoming divorced, losing a job, the inability to pay rent and bills (The passage, 2015). The homeless people are definitely victims of circumstances, they practice the act of pity,
However, especially in an expensive state like Hawaii, it is quite easy to become homeless in a short amount of time. There are similarities in the causes in all states when it comes to becoming homeless. Although there are many reasons for homelessness, the main causes include mental illness and loss of job (Axelrod-Contrada 78). Cocke states, “Hawaii has the highest rate of homelessness per capita of all states, with an estimated 7,620 people living on the streets and in shelters”. There are other and more unique reasons in Hawaii that cause a much higher growth rate of homeless people compared to the steady number in most states.
Also people leaving prison or mental health institutions with nowhere to go to on their release/discharge can end up homeless. Services need to ensure that when people are leaving institutional care that they have a place to go. Relationship Causes: This can include an abusive relationship or family breakdown. Either way, one or more people may need to leave the home and may have nowhere to go. Death in a family can also be a cause of homelessness as the person may not be able to afford accommodation on one income.
The purpose of their study was to establish a better understanding of the characteristics of the mentally-ill homeless adults. Upon the collection of data through a review of the archived shelter medical records of the 74 subjects included in the study, the researchers aggregated and analyzed the data, calculating the medication adherence rates for the previous 30days. Mental illness and substance use disorders in the study were identified in 67.6 percent and 44.6 percent of the participants respectively. These findings prompted the acknowledgement that homeless individuals suffering from mental illness that specialized transitional shelters serve constitutes of population whose psychiatric, social and mental needs are complex. Thus, the characteristics of homeless populations are complicated by the numerous needs that need systematic assessment and thoughtful addressing to enhance the likelihood of successful outcomes (Viron, Bello, Freudenreich, & Shtasel, 2014).
Some homeless individuals are so mentally ill that pedestrians assume this person must be on drugs. Yes, some do drugs, but most homeless individuals who use drugs started using them after they have lost their home. For most, drugs were not the leading cause of their loss of housing but can potentially give them trouble finding a spot within a homeless shelter since “Many shelters will not admit anyone who is drunk or high. Those who do not have shelter or enough income come join us here daily to eat or take a nap”(Gretchen, St. John’s Kitchen). Many of them suffer from mental illnesses, “25.6% were diagnosed with anger management problems, 19.1% with ADHD, 15.2% with hyperactivity, 4.5% with dyslexia”(Toronto Star Newspaper).
Research by Anakwenze and Zuberi (2013) supports the idea that poverty leads to mental illness, and mental illness tends to increase poverty. Additionally, minorities with mental illnesses are less likely to receive treatment and more likely to be involved in criminal activities (Corrigan, Pickett, Batia, & Michaels, 2014). To address the issue of why so many people are labeled mentally ill, researchers point out that police officers are usually the ones who determine if someone has a mental health problem, a determination that they are not trained to make (Vogel, Stephens, & Siebels, 2014). Furthermore, due to the lack of health care facilities in the U.S., individuals with mental illnesses are seldom treated and when coming in contact with law enforcement, they are
making Mental illness the third major cause of homelessness. C. Most people believe it 's their own fault or it is over drug and alcohol abuse or just being lazy period, but according to rock center by Jessica Hopper believe it or not 20% of people that have jobs who are not on any alcohol substance or drug abuse are also homeless, which leads us to the requirement wages in order to afford a place to stay in. Not just in TN but in every state more than minimum wage is needed, Families need to earn a housing wage of 15$ an hour in order to afford a two-bed room apartment. Transition: it is very clear to us that homelessness is a major problem in our society, and that we need to take action, let 's look at some ways we can help to aid these types of situations. II.
Homelessness is one the most ignored problems in the United States with citizen and politician. Homeless people are walked by and ignored. Nobody ever thinks that they will be homeless. Due to the economy, people live paycheck to paycheck making house payments very difficult. Most people will want to believe most homeless people are drug addicts or alcoholics, but most people will be surprise to know that it is no all true.
The current government is creating a situation where more families along with their children are experiencing homelessness. An individual may be considered homeless when they lack permanent housing and have to stay in shelters, abandoned buildings or vehicles, on the streets, or in other forms of unstable situations. Many homeless people start out with jobs and stable residences, but then social and economic factors intervene, causing a rapid change in their living situation causing them to leave, and live on the street. Even with the population of homeless keeps increasing, the government does not aid nor benefit the homeless because they only worsen the homeless problem by having laws that go against homelessness, not helping mentally ill homeless population, and having the lack of subsidized housing.
Kenney Morales Prof Peters English-101 “Homelessness” Imagine you are walking in a city, and amongst the crowded street, you notice a man. He isn’t walking, just sitting down out of sight. He doesn’t make a sound. However, he stands out the most out of everyone else.
The Minimum Wage Struggle Money is an essential object to acquire in the society we live in. Various places demand a high monthly rate in order to occupy a premise, along with the stress of utility bills that may not be included. Aside from living costs there are many other factors which must be calculated when budgeting on a day to day basis. Overall, the survival rate tends to increase due to so many responsibilities that need to be upheld, as well as costs being raised. This rise in both the cost of living as well as the need for higher wages proves that the standard of minimum wage needs a major increase.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 20 to 25% of the homeless population in United States suffers from a form of severe mental illness (National Institute of Mental Health, 2009). Mental illness is the third largest cause of homelessness for single adults. (National Coalition for the Homeless). People with mental illness who become homeless lack both proper medications for the illness and suffer from extreme psychological problems. It is often a challenge hosting and caring for individuals with mental illness because they suffer from mental issues such as delusions and bizarre conduct.
The issue of homelessness in America has been evident since the early 1600’s. Across the country men, women and children spend their nights on the streets not knowing when or if they will ever find a permanent home. States and federal officials or city councils have tried to alleviate or at least reduce the number of homeless over the last several decades at a city, state or national level but it continues to be an ongoing problem. There is a multitude of factors that account for the growing homeless population that affects each state in the country differently. Though there are many contributing factors that contribute to the amount of people living on the street at any given night in the U.S.
There are many causes for homelessness, but the biggest reasons include mental illness and incarceration, family and financial struggles, and substance abuse. Contributing factors to homelessness are mental illness and the flawed prison system. In 2010, California prison system
There are more people incarcerated who have a mental illness that there are in psychiatric hospitals. (Psychology Today). Mental Health America reports that “there are more than 1.2 million people currently residing in prisons and/or jails with a mental health condition and lack of access to mental health care”. (MHA). 40% of adults with a serious mental illness will be arrested at some point in their lifetime, usually for disturbing the peace or for a petty crime which are caused by their mental illness.
