Why Care?
People like Darla need our help, but they are often stigmatized, neglected, and blamed by society. It’s imperative that we change the societal narrative of homelessness and its intersection with addiction and mental illness, but we can only foster an environment of care after we understand the statistics, research, and studies.
Homelessness Statistics
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In 2023, around 650,000 Americans lacked permanent housing
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2/3 of the homeless population has a lifetime history of drug or alcohol use disorders.
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“Many homeless people suffer from addiction as well as other co-occurring psychiatric disorders, which can further complicate their living situations.”
Perceptions of the Homeless
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Societal narratives of the homeless population incorrectly assign blame and character deficits to those affected.
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“Portrayals of the homeless in American popular culture have long stressed laziness, immorality, wanderlust, heavy drinking, and other character deficits as reasons for one's descent to the lowest rung of the stratification ladder.”
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The existing societal stigmatization of mental illness causes even greater neglect for those who suffer from homelessness and mental illness as interdependent issues.
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“Mental disability carries a shameful stigma, and partly for that reason, relatively little is done to address the plight of those who are homeless as a result of their illness.”
Homelessness Risk Factors
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Common risk factors of homelessness include mental symptoms, impoverished support networks, childhood abuse or neglect, and substance abuse.
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Substance abuse is the leading cause of individual micro-level factors that contribute to homelessness
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There exists a clear, two-way relationship between homelessness and substance use, among other risk factors.
