Why are the homeless, homeless?

[upuntildown]

Why are the homeless, homeless?

My personal belief is that the homeless were abandoned by their families for whatever reason.

Does anyone know of any studies on this?

[NConly]

imo its not as many families that abandoned them as it is they chose to leave home to have their on rules or chose not to come back home because of things like war memories. I am sure  some are abandoned but you make it seem as all are.

[upuntildown]

There must be more to it than that.

Did the mother get pregnant because of rape, and she took it out on her child?

Again I ask, has anyone performed a study on this topic?

[Marathoner]

11 minutes ago, upuntildown said:

Why are the homeless, homeless?

My personal belief is that the homeless were abandoned by their families for whatever reason.

Does anyone know of any studies on this?

I do, and I'm familiar with some, but the causes behind homelessness are too broad to boil this down to a simple answer. Your belief is a valid cause but that's one contributing factor among many. Consider how more than factor is involved with most cases of homelessness. In truth, the only "valid" answer is that it's complicated.

You'll find different contributing factors which vary between cities, counties, and state (here in the U.S.). For example, homelessness swelled in the city where I live on account of how housing costs (rent) outstripped income, particularly for families with young children. So, we have working fathers and mothers living out of their cars with toddlers. 

It's a complicated subject, my friend.

[ayin jade]

Some are homeless by choice

Some because of mental illness

Some because of poverty

There is no "one size fits all" answer

[Mr. M]

28 minutes ago, upuntildown said:

Why are the homeless, homeless?

My personal belief is that the homeless were abandoned by their families for whatever reason.

Does anyone know of any studies on this?

Two major contributors are substance use and mental illness,

with dual diagnosis in many cases.

Mental health issues are a predictor of homelessness, and homelessness exacerbates and increases risk of mental health issues. Impairments in functioning often associated with mental health issues can lead to loss of employment and housing, and homelessness poses risks of increased stress, which is then associated with increased anxiety, depression, trauma, and traumatic brain injuries. Given all of the factors, it is not surprising that that two-thirds of surveyed homeless adults in the U.S. have a mental health and/or substance use disorder. One in nine Americans has an alcohol or drug problem (other than nicotine) compared to approximately one in three homeless persons. An estimated 20–25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from serious mental health issues, compared to only 4–6% of the general population. An equally important statistic is that 24% of Americans age 12 or older smoke cigarettes, compared to approximately 70% of surveyed homeless people. In addition, as many as 80% of homeless persons tested have marked deficits in cognitive functioning*, which would only serve to make mental health issues more severe or impairing. For more information on this topic see Adapting Your Practice: General Recommendations for the Care of Homeless Patients (National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC), 2010).

*in other words, education deficiencies/learning disorders

[FJK]

42 minutes ago, upuntildown said:

My personal belief is that the homeless were abandoned by their families for whatever reason.

My belief is that they are homeless because they were abandoned by society, there is no place for them, their kind of people, in the world and they end up on the streets because they have no other choice of a place to be, everyone has to be somewhere and that is where they are.

The mental illness, drugs, alcohol and so on are the result of ending up there, not the cause of it, as that is the only way they can cope with it.

There is just no longer any place for them in this world, the same thing that is driving alarmingly increasing rates of drug addiction, alcohol abuse, violence of all sorts, sexual confusions, mental illness and suicide.  Just people responding to an increasingly restrictive world with no worthwhile place for them.

That's my way of thinking, there will be others that think differently.

[AnOrangeCat]

33 minutes ago, Marathoner said:

I do, and I'm familiar with some, but the causes behind homelessness are too broad to boil this down to a simple answer. Your belief is a valid cause but that's one contributing factor among many. Consider how more than factor is involved with most cases of homelessness. In truth, the only "valid" answer is that it's complicated.

100% agreed. I had a brush with homelessness about a decade ago. Physical health issues, an abusive upbringing that continued well into adulthood, a bad back, my quirky personality, and high social isolation all contributed. So did my grandmother's mental decline and various people in the family being vultures who destroyed my inheritance before I ever got it. There's a unique blend of factors in every case.

[other one]

You need to split this question up as to why do the homeless become homeless and why do the homeless remain homeless.

Wh have a serious homeless problem where I live. You will find all kinds of reasons why they got to be homeless, but the vast majority of our homeless stay that way because we care for them.  8 out of 10 of the several hundred that were asked if they wanted to live with someone in their homes, they said no that they wanted to remain on the street. One gentleman I'm personally acquainted with lives under abridge over the river that runs close to our town. A couple of years ago we had a very cold spell where the temperatures dropped to 15 below 0.  We asked him if he wanted to come to our house and he said no that he was fine where he was. 

Most of our homeless have mental and drug problems, but are ok with where they are. That are a group and take care of each other.  Three years ago I was in a 7-11 type store when one of them asked me for a dollar to get something to eat.  I gave him a $50 bill and I heard him ask two other people if they wanted to go eat.

BTW, I'm not afraid of homeless folks.  Several years I worked nights in oklahoma city and had to be in the homeless part of OKC and walked among them. The mentally deficient ones were really ok people, and the druggie were ok unless they were high.  I have over the years to be a little afraid of people with homes when they are high.

[Marathoner]

2 hours ago, AnOrangeCat said:

100% agreed. I had a brush with homelessness about a decade ago. Physical health issues, an abusive upbringing that continued well into adulthood, a bad back, my quirky personality, and high social isolation all contributed. So did my grandmother's mental decline and various people in the family being vultures who destroyed my inheritance before I ever got it. There's a unique blend of factors in every case.

I was intermittently homeless for 20 years, and there were a number of causes which contributed to that. We share some background in common.

I lead an involuntarily transient lifestyle growing up. My family never remained in one place for long on account of my father's military career.

We suffered horrendous abuse from both parents, though my father repented by the time I was a teenager. He changed and became supportive, but my mother never did. I escaped that house when I enlisted in the U.S. Army. 

That transient lifestyle I was born into continued during my time in the military and after I was honorably discharged. I never remained in one place for long. I struggled with mental illness as well, and this has a drastic effect upon the life of the afflicted. Much too complex to delve into here. 

Homelessness and that transient lifestyle ended a little over a decade ago for me. This is the longest I've ever lived in one place during my life, and the longest I've ever worked for one employer. I've since learned that my history of concussions contributed greatly to the mental illness I suffered from. 2/3 of people who suffer any kind of brain injury develop major depressive disorder during recovery. Fortunately, MDD isn't permanent.