Homelessness & Mental Illness

We are all vulnerable.

We’ve all seen homeless people living on the streets, in tent communities, while others seek refuge in shelters.  The rationale for homeless are varied: Some have fallen on hard times, other come from broken homes, or have a criminal history, while many struggle with mental illness and drug addiction.

The news and social media inform us how homelessness negatively affects our society, but how do we, as a society, affect the homeless?

Many of us don’t accept the homeless on our streets, as city officials force them to pick up their belonging to relocate, while the city struggles to provide low-cost housing for these individuals.

The government and taxpayers debate the effectiveness of safe drug injection sites for the homeless dealing with drug toxicity, while many residents protest these sites in their neighbourhood.

There is a harsh stigma attached to homelessness, making it difficult for them to gain confidence to intergrade into society. Many of us are guilty of judging them, looking the other way, and ignoring them when we pass by, either because we feel indifferent, uncomfortable, or helpless in making a difference.

We can all make a difference.

It can be as simple as smiling at them, wishing them a good day, offering to buy a coffee, or pulling out some loose change. We can go further by volunteer our time at a food bank, soup kitchen or shelter, etc., providing us the opportunity to meet and interact with these individuals and listen to their stories. In turn, we may learn that we are just as vulnerable as they are and may even see ourselves in them.

Many of us feel entitled to our comfortable lifestyle, but the homeless remind us how grateful we should be, and how we should foster more compassion, acceptance, and respect for these persons, because at the end of the day, we are all one people with the same vulnerabilities, however, some less fortunate than others.