Choose to be Homeless?

[octopi]

With the spat of homeless-related threads on OOT lately, a question I had a few months ago springs to the forefront of my mind. After reading a statistic about how most homeless people suffer from some pretty extreme mental disorders, I wondered if it was a factor in their life choice. More so if it contributed to them going to the streets, or was a side effect of drinking, using drugs or living on the streets themselves. Chicken or the egg scenario.

Periodically I see some fairly well dressed men panhandling in my city (we have a lot of festivals, foot traffic is high, so there is money to be made in a short span of time if need be) and I wonder if they are really homeless or not, or just 'getting started'. I also know some people who fancy themselves 'social experimenters' and they will try to live on the streets for a bit, but they inevitably return to their bed and tv.

Then I stumbled upon some myspace page or something about kids who 'chose' homelessness and am curious to know if anyone knows someone who has chosen the way of the street and what drove them to it. Did anyone try to help them or persuade them otherwise? How long did they last?

[Evan]

I don't think most homeless people choose to be homeless.

[octopi]

No, I honestly think most are driven to it by low paying jobs and lack of health care when they start to have issues with mental health or the like. Or addiction eats up their money and they scrape by on the streets.

But it seems like most homeless people are in their mid 30s.. is it safe to guess that at one time they had a 'regular' life?

[Evan]

[ QUOTE ]
No, I honestly think most are driven to it by low paying jobs and lack of health care when they start to have issues with mental health or the like. Or addiction eats up their money and they scrape by on the streets.

But it seems like most homeless people are in their mid 30s.. is it safe to guess that at one time they had a 'regular' life?

[/ QUOTE ]
When I see homeless people I usually assume they fall into one of these groups:

1) Had a job that probably sucked but eventually got fired for whatever reason and couldn't pay their rent so they got evicted. These people are usually in their 30's or so, like the ones you mention.

2) Crazy kid that ran away from home and now has no money but has lots of other crazy kid friends that die each other's hair and hang out outside Duane Reade together. These ones are usually 16-20.

3) Old and insane, probably started out in group #1 but progressively got so much crazier that they now need their own distinction. The guy that puked in his cup that I posted about in the "most creative" thread falls into this group. These people are usually 50+ and I'm guessing they don't last long on the street, even by street people standards.

4) Woman that probably has a child without an active father who has some sort of addiction (drugs or alcohol) and lost her will to continue a "normal" life after the kid got taken away by social services. These people are typically 25-30, but can range younger and older.

[Evan]

[ QUOTE ]
No, I honestly think most are driven to it by low paying jobs and lack of health care when they start to have issues with mental health or the like. Or addiction eats up their money and they scrape by on the streets.

But it seems like most homeless people are in their mid 30s.. is it safe to guess that at one time they had a 'regular' life?

[/ QUOTE ]
One group that I didn't include in my other posts is people who are just 100% crazy and that's it. There was some guy who used to live in teh parking garage at my mom's office. Apparently the security would kick him out 3 or 4 times/week. He just lived there I think, I'm not sure if he ever panhandled. Anyway, he died like 2 years ago and when they found his closest relative or whatever to alert they found out he had something like $800,000 in the bank. I'm not sure what kind of group I'd put him in.

[[Phill]]

Everyone who is homeless (here in the uk certainly) are homeless for one of two reasons:

1, Mental illness

2, Choice

There are so many charities and other groups who will help, i dont accept that anyone is forced into homelessness.

[RayPowers]

I hear that there are these cool things called "friends" and even another group called "relatives" that are normally willing to help out in these kind of cases.

I would add "stupid pride" into the mix here, as that's the only reason any of my friends or relatives would end up homeless.

Ray

[Evan]

[ QUOTE ]
I hear that there are these cool things called "friends" and even another group called "relatives" that are normally willing to help out in these kind of cases.

I would add "stupid pride" into the mix here, as that's the only reason any of my friends or relatives would end up homeless.

Ray

[/ QUOTE ]
Mentally insane alcoholics probably don't have as many friends as you.

[RayPowers]

I said I was *ADDING* it to the mix. The Mental Illness and choice options still stand as well. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Ray

[Evan]

[ QUOTE ]
I said I was *ADDING* it to the mix. The Mental Illness and choice options still stand as well. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Ray

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh, I misread. Good point.