Pain and Dirt

Is there some sort of psychological disorder that these people have that make them want to stand out against the norm? Is it something inside of them that makes them become this way? In the text book Understanding Psychology it reads, “It is estimated that 25 percent of the homeless are mentally ill, overlapping partially with 33 percent of the homeless estimated to be severely addicted (Nation Coalition of the Homeless, 1999). This seems to be a direct result of deinstitutionalization.” (Kasschau, 508) Although I agree that some might have been in institutions, I find it hard to believe that more than half of the homeless population came out of mental institutes. However, I do believe from my observation (from videos, books and personal interviews) that more than 99 percent of all homeless are addicted to some sort of drug and/or alcohol. Making it impossible to hold steady jobs and keep personal relationships.

Is it possible that the drugs are the reason why a homeless man travels so much and stays away from a steady job, or is it because they are scared to keep relationships with one another?

“In 1989, at the peak of the last business cycle, 1.2 million work-age husbands reported personal income below $2500. Some of these men were physically or mentally disabled. Some had no jobs for other reasons. Whatever the cause of their poverty, most relied on their wife’s income to keep going. An even larger number of married women were probably one man away from homelessness.” (Jencks 77)

If a family breakdown occurs in this situation and one divorces the other it would be hard put your trust into anything, let alone a stranger. If a fire occurs and your children are lost one might think “What is the point of trying to get close to a person after such a tragic incident?”

Whatever the reason for this spreading problem, we have to help these people. We need to show them that it’s O.K. to trust again, O.K. to show their weaknesses, and make them realize that they can still do what they love without getting in trouble with the police every day and without living on the streets. We need to fix shelters so that the homeless can feel more comfortable and once again… feel human. We need to realize that the homeless have emotions as well. We need to promise them something and not abandon it. We need to recognize the homeless.