Approximately 20% of those experiencing homelessness deal with a severe mental illness.13 Mental health care, often requiring regular visits and regular medication, can be difficult to administer to a transient, mobile, unstable population. Mental health care also includes, in this context, general emotional wellbeing – which can be challenging for those experiencng homelessness as well, even if they do not suffer from severe mental illness. Maintaining hope in the face of adversity, developing meaningful and healthy connections with people, and finding productive work to accomplish can all be hurdles for their sense of mental health. While health organizations exist to help professionally treat the mental health of those experiencing homelessness, as an individual you can remember simply that those experiencing homelessness are people too – and could often use an uplifting or compassionate moment.
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