What is the Connection Between Mental Illness and Homelessness?

Mental illness and homelessness are commonly related in an unfortunate way. It has been found that, in many cities around the globe, a large number of people living on the streets are those with psychological problems. To make matters worse, it is not uncommon to find that many live in these circumstances with their families. Issues such as a lack of acknowledgment for the vastness of the problem and the inability to receive social services create obstacles to reaching solutions.

People around the globe are homeless for a long list of reasons. One reason, which is more prevalent than many individuals realize, is due to psychological problems. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that 20 to 25 percent of the homeless people in the United States have some type of severe mental illness. The association between mental illness and homelessness is not limited to the U.S. This connection has also been found to exist in places such as Europe and Australia.

The fact that it has been found that mentally ill people are often homeless may not clarify for many why this is the case. Normally functioning individuals may fail to realize how severe the adverse effects of mental illness can be. People with these problems often lack the ability to process information rationally. They commonly lack sufficient problem-solving skills. In many cases, they cannot adequately apply life skills such as maintaining relationships, holding a job, or managing a household. As a result, many end up living on the streets, and they sometimes have families who are forced to bear these conditions with them.

There are several issues that arise when considering how mental illness and homelessness should be addressed. To begin with, as a report published by PLoS Medicine revealed, reliable estimates of the prevalence of major mental disorders among the homeless population are lacking. When the vastness of an issue is not widely documented, it is often difficult to incite individuals to take action that can improve the situation. The lack of government policies is therefore a major hindrance to solving the problem.

If the prevalence of mental illness and homelessness were brought into the mainstream consciousness, still more would be required. It has been noted that another obstacle to solving the problem is the lack of adequate representation. Considering their conditions, mentally ill people are generally incapable of lobbying for policies on their own that will benefit them, and a significant amount of political interest on this topic has not been displayed in the past.

Another major obstacle to solving the problem of mental illness and homelessness is the lack of availability of services for these individuals. Many are subject to policies that prevent them from receiving beneficial social services. This often includes the mental health services that they desperately need.