There's a common, yet misguided belief that homelessness is some sort of "careless camping," that people somehow choose this life. Maybe it's easier to believe that people prefer living in tents, under bridges, or in makeshift shelters, rather than confront the uncomfortable truth: homelessness is not a choice, but a consequence. Economic struggles, mental health challenges, substance abuse, ethnicity, and even immigration—these are the real factors driving people into homelessness.
It's not a matter of personal preference. Very few would choose to endure the freezing cold, the scorching heat, the daily uncertainty of finding food or safety. Homelessness is not a solution to mental illness or substance abuse; in fact, it exacerbates them. What could be a manageable issue in stable housing turns into a battle for survival when someone is forced onto the streets. Instead of getting better, people’s conditions worsen. Depression deepens, addiction becomes harder to shake, and illnesses go untreated, often with deadly consequences. The mortality rate among the homeless is far higher than among those with stable housing.
But instead of facing these realities, there’s a convenient myth that "they want to be there." This myth gives the wealthy an excuse not to care, not to help. It allows society to turn a blind eye and say, "Well, they chose this life." But who chooses this kind of suffering? Who chooses to live without basic human dignity?
It's time to start refocusing on what our economic and social morals are. How did we get to a place where homelessness, poverty, and suffering are seen as a personal failure rather than a systemic issue? We must begin to ask ourselves: Are we okay with a world where people are left to rot on the streets, where mental illness is punished instead of treated, where our empathy has been replaced by judgment?
The truth is, homelessness can happen to anyone. It’s a societal issue, not an individual choice. Until we start addressing the root causes—economic disparity, lack of affordable housing, inadequate mental health and addiction services—we’ll never break the cycle. We need to take a hard look at the systems we’ve built and decide whether they reflect the kind of society we want to live in. Because a society that ignores its most vulnerable is one that has lost its way.
The time has come to change our perspective and our priorities. The homeless are not careless campers. They are our fellow human beings, deserving of compassion, dignity, and a real chance at life.
by Dan and Bonkers
SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS NOW!!!
