I taught at University for decades, including community mental health. Here are some facts about homeless in the US that most of us (including me, before that!) don’t know.
Most homeless people are seriously mentally ill (psychotic, incapable of understanding basic reality, believing they are living in a hostile planet, or are an alien, etc.). They are most often very frightened and vulnerable, and soothe themselves by unconsciously creating a person they can talk to in their mind whom them believe is real, and/or abusing a substance. Most homeless people were badly abused or neglected (think left alone in the home for days at age 4, beaten to hospitalization, etc). Many of those turned to alcohol or other drugs very early (prior to age 12) because they had no other way to survive emotionally. The vast majority of homeless live within a few miles of where they grew up. They are disoriented and have trouble functioning. They are not plotting how to abuse services, etc.; that takes high level cognitive functioning, which they just don’t have.
Quite a small % are on the streets by choice. Who would choose to live under a bridge? Very paranoid people, yes. Vets w severe PTSD who are also psychotic, yes. They fear 4 walls.
This is heartbreaking and very sad in America. Services for the severely mentally ill are not what they were 40 years ago. The coasts have more homeless because their winters are survivable.
And… the incidence rate of violence from the homeless is LOWER than non-homeless. A lot lower. You’re actually more likely to be accosted or assaulted on your own street. The very rare instances make the news because they are so rare. I’ve been coming to
Disneyland for years. I’ve never had a problem with anyone in Anaheim.
When I see a homeless person raving or not, I imagine offering a white flower to them (relaxes body language) and then go home and contribute to my local homeless shelter and child abuse prevention charities.
We had a homeless man, Stan, on our street for years. He was a Vietnam vet with bad PTSD who was terrified by helicopters. He loved Disneyland as a child, and loved to listen to our stories about it. He knew a lot of the songs, and would sing them. It was a memory that sustained him. The neighborhood helped him as we could. (He was scared to be inside.) He died of natural causes in 2020. These are fragile people.
I know everyone here is a good-hearted person; we just don’t hear much about who the people are who don’t have a home.
For reading.