Thanks for your research. I get so tired of people telling me it's NOT mental illness. For someone to be willing to live on the street and not get the help when offered has to have some sort of mental illness. I also agree that the people in Congress also exhibit mental health issues. Is there a mental hospital big enough to hold them? 🤣
I'm pretty sure the people would find a place big enough! Thanks for the read.
I think you have to first define mental illness. Obviously, with enough meth or other drugs smoked over the years, that's going to have an effect on one's sanity. Depression and loneliness--are those mental illnesses or just psychological issues? PTSD--that's a disorder. Do we call that mental illness? From what I've read, about 15% of the general population suffers from mental illness, whereas something like 25% of the homeless population does. Is that extra 10% garnered from years or decades of drug use? Hell, just living on the street, perfectly sober, will eat at you over time. It just depends on the definition. So, I don't know if we can really say mental illness is the culprit despite is prevalence. Rather, metal illness, in probably most cases, is more likely a symptom of one or more of the other causes, and even a side effect of homelessness itself.
Monday, I'll attempt to go into detail regarding what really needs to be done to solve the problem. I'm no social sciences guru, so I won't go into HOW things can be accomplished--I can only set the stage for what the solution should look like. I'll leave it to the institutions and governments to provide the machinery to make it happen.
Sounds like Portland. It's human nature to use yourself as "the norm," so it doesn't surprise me that politicians question the motives behind people's generosity.
Thanks for your research. I get so tired of people telling me it's NOT mental illness. For someone to be willing to live on the street and not get the help when offered has to have some sort of mental illness. I also agree that the people in Congress also exhibit mental health issues. Is there a mental hospital big enough to hold them? 🤣
I'm pretty sure the people would find a place big enough! Thanks for the read.
I think you have to first define mental illness. Obviously, with enough meth or other drugs smoked over the years, that's going to have an effect on one's sanity. Depression and loneliness--are those mental illnesses or just psychological issues? PTSD--that's a disorder. Do we call that mental illness? From what I've read, about 15% of the general population suffers from mental illness, whereas something like 25% of the homeless population does. Is that extra 10% garnered from years or decades of drug use? Hell, just living on the street, perfectly sober, will eat at you over time. It just depends on the definition. So, I don't know if we can really say mental illness is the culprit despite is prevalence. Rather, metal illness, in probably most cases, is more likely a symptom of one or more of the other causes, and even a side effect of homelessness itself.
Monday, I'll attempt to go into detail regarding what really needs to be done to solve the problem. I'm no social sciences guru, so I won't go into HOW things can be accomplished--I can only set the stage for what the solution should look like. I'll leave it to the institutions and governments to provide the machinery to make it happen.
Wasn't sure if you caught this article in Willy Week. Look like the County doesn't wish to provide services for mental health or drug addiction to me.
https://www.wweek.com/news/2024/09/11/renovated-gear-factory-wont-become-crisis-center-and-housing-for-homeless-portlanders/?utm_source=Master+Audience&utm_campaign=3a48648180-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_09_11_04_37&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-3a48648180-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D&mc_cid=3a48648180&mc_eid=a84d37191a&fbclid=IwY2xjawFQL3NleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcV3gj7v8kVVC_rFUTOuj5mViLI9kBg-Hoe3y4pHDhN90wJj92mq-yx5tw_aem_aBgA5MZ-kQLBGgygiWm1UA
Sounds like Portland. It's human nature to use yourself as "the norm," so it doesn't surprise me that politicians question the motives behind people's generosity.