Posted: September 26th, 2024

Homelessness: Unraveling Causes and Grim Consequences Essay

Homelessness: Unraveling Causes and Grim Consequences.

Homelessness, a pervasive and distressing issue, remains a pressing concern in contemporary society. The issue of homelessness is complex and multifaceted, requiring a comprehensive approach to address its root causes. It refers to the condition of individuals or households lacking a stable, safe, and adequate place to call home. This lack of stability can have far-reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. The causes of homelessness are multifaceted and encompass systemic or societal barriers, a shortage of affordable and suitable housing, as well as the financial, mental, cognitive, behavioral, or physical challenges faced by individuals and families. Additionally, these challenges can be exacerbated by factors such as poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to healthcare. Furthermore, racism and discrimination are factors that can exacerbate this crisis. The impact of these factors can be seen in the disproportionate representation of marginalized groups among the homeless population. In the United States, the statistics are stark: as of my last knowledge update in January 2022, an estimated 580,466 people experienced homelessness on any given night, with a significant portion of them being families with children. This number highlights the urgent need for effective solutions to address the issue of homelessness.

Homelessness: Unraveling Causes and Grim Consequences
These sobering figures underscore the urgency of exploring the root causes of homelessness and developing effective strategies to address this complex issue. A comprehensive understanding of the causes of homelessness is essential to developing effective solutions. Therefore this essay will focus on two causes of homelessness, financial problems and family issues and illustrate some effects. By examining these two causes, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities of homelessness.

In the first place, one of the main reasons that people become homeless is financial problems. Financial difficulties can arise from a variety of sources, including job loss, medical expenses, and debt. As a result their physical condition will be very vulnerable. This vulnerability can lead to a range of health problems, including malnutrition, illness, and injury. The personal bankruptcy causes their house to be repossessed, forcing them leave home and sleep anywhere they can find. This can lead to a loss of dignity and a sense of hopelessness. No permanent house to live, no shelter, no bed, leaving them with a poor and unpredictable life. This unpredictability can make it difficult for individuals to access basic necessities like food and healthcare. It will be a great danger especially in winter when many homeless people can sometimes freeze to death. Another thing that can affect homeless people’s health is lack of food. Their financial problems mean that they only have little money to live on. This limited budget can make it difficult for individuals to access nutritious food, leading to a range of health problems.

They do not even have enough money to buy basic food, not to mention high quality nutritious food. This can lead to malnutrition and related health problems. Only the cheapest food can be afforded which usually has very low nutrition and is bad quality. This can have long-term consequences for individuals’ health and wellbeing. According to the scientific research we know long term insufficient intake of nutritious food can cause people to have a low immune system which makes them vulnerable to disease and that can lead them to another serious problem which is they do not have enough money to see doctor. This can create a cycle of illness and poverty that is difficult to escape. Due to the financial problem they have to ignore the disease no matter how badly they are suffering. This can lead to serious consequences, including long-term health damage and even death. This kind behavior can cause many serious consequences because without medical care even a disease like a cold can be deadly. Although financial difficulty is a common reason for homelessness and has a serious influence on their physical health, family issues, like divorce or domestic violence, is also a significant factor that can lead to homelessness, especially among adolescents. Family issues can have a profound impact on individuals, particularly children and adolescents.

Because teenagers have not developed maturity, in this period they need their parents’ company and guidance to develop psychological health like self-esteem, but homelessness forces them to go out into society when their mental state is still very fragile. This can lead to a range of emotional and psychological problems, including anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Since human beings have evolved into intelligent and emotional beings, self-esteem has always played a very important role in sustaining people’s mental health. Self-esteem is essential for individuals to develop a positive sense of self and to interact with others in a healthy way. Because homeless people’s living condition is very poor, they always look sloppy and that causes other people to be unwilling to talk to them. This social isolation can exacerbate feelings of low self-esteem and worthlessness. As a result the homeless people feel alienated by other people and feel no one cares about them anymore. This can lead to a sense of hopelessness and despair. At first they may become very angry, then they fell frustrated, and finally they quit on themselves and cannot feel their value to this society hence they start to see themselves as a burden to the society. This can lead to a range of negative emotions and behaviors, including self-blame and self-destructive behaviors. In this process their self-esteem becomes lower and lower and finally they may suffer severe mental damage.