Homelessness and Mental Health (Part 2)

There are many myths, misconceptions, and negative attitudes about the homeless that contribute to homelessness and prevent society from making progress in helping this population. Many of them are defenses we use to not feel emotional distress about homelessness or the fact that we do very little to help the problem. Here are a few of them.

-They don’t want help. People often tell stories of a time they took leftovers to a homeless individual only to be rejected and told angrily that he or she didn't want the food. Or you might hear someone say that most homeless people want to be homeless and do not want to be part of society. These statements are used to justify not getting involved and "letting them be." However, the truth is that the majority of homeless individuals desperately want the help and assistance they need, especially access to medications and mental health services.

-They somehow brought it upon themselves or They are to blame for being homeless. The reality is that many Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and are thus one paycheck away from being homeless. Sure, many people who become homeless have made bad choices and mistakes, but that is usually not why they are homeless. They are homeless because they didn't have the resources and support that prevent most of us from becoming homeless after we make mistakes or bad choices. Additionally, many homeless individuals are victims or byproducts of our society: children born and raised in a homeless family, mentally ill individuals not receiving adequate care, victims of abuse/domestic violence, and children who have outgrown the foster care system (up to 30% of the homeless population in the U.S. were former foster children). When you hear more and more of the stories of individuals who are homeless, you come to realize that no one is homeless just because they are "lazy" or don't have a "good work ethic."

-Having poor/homeless people is unavoidable. It is a natural part of every society and cannot be eliminated. There have always been poor people in every society and there always will be. This is not true. Yes, it might make sense that not everyone will have exactly the same amount of material wealth. However, this does not mean that the extremes of wealth and poverty are to be tolerated and must exist. Furthermore, some people having less than others does not mean that some people should suffer and die due to lack of means. Extreme poverty is not a necessity of any society and can, and hopefully will, be eliminated.

-Dehumanization. This is probably the most negative and costly of this list. Unfortunately, society tends to view the homeless as somehow less than human. This almost justifies their suffering and makes their struggles appear as less painful, and more acceptable to society. It also allows us as a society to be okay with continuing to do nothing to help change the problem. We justify our inaction and continue on with our lives. Until we recognize the homeless as equal members of society, we will not take the necessary steps to reduce the suffering of this population in need.