According to research by Housing Charity Shelter, “300,000 people are homeless in Britain” (that's 1 in 200). This number continues to increase year on year and, in many cases, it is not the fault of those sleeping rough that they find themselves without a place to live. Those who manage to break free from homelessness are left with the physical and mental scars of a situation of constant danger and continually remember the struggles they faced to escape from this situation. So why, as a nation, are we not providing enough support to the homeless? When living on the streets, homeless people often face mental health issues and the constant stress of trying to support themselves with what little they have; literally people's spare change. An alarming statistic shows that 72 out of 100 homeless people suffer from mental health problems. For example, anxiety, depression and fear can be a result of the stress of sleeping rough and loss of self-esteem/confidence is a consequence of feelings of alienation due to how others treat him. them. Additionally, being homeless amplifies mental illnesses or mental health may actually have caused them to become homeless, this may cause any previous/existing mental health issues to resurface or increase. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Sleeping rough would bring you face to face with many frightening and violent situations - the experiences can leave you traumatized - amplifying the stress and anxiety of a life on the streets, so depression rates are more than 10 times higher among the homeless population. Without adequate support, homeless people will never truly recover from their mental illness, which may have been manifested or worsened by the experiences they witnessed while sleeping rough. As well as suffering from mental illness, they also struggle with the physical health effects of sleeping on cold, rocky and uneven floors or being used as a punching bag by drunken lager thugs. They sleep wherever they can rest their heads; from the ground to a store entrance or a park bench, even on a night bus. Imagine, one door is a bedroom, one door is a kitchen, one door is a living room and one door is a bathroom. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live on the streets for a night? Cold, hungry, Painful. These are just three of the physical symptoms of rough sleeping, but the mental effects far outweigh the physical effects. Additionally, lack of sleep is a major problem. Try to fall asleep with the apprehension and constant threat of being attacked or robbed while you sleep. They are often attacked for no reason which makes the problem worse, they may end up in fights over where they sleep or people try to take what they have, a staggering 56 out of 100 people suffer from mental health problems. long-term physical health. Nighttime is the worst time for homeless people - dangerous, damp, sleepless, they literally fight to survive from dusk to dawn. Homeless people do not receive sufficient attention from doctors, as they cannot seek medical assistance without an address. Medical assistance should be made available to the homeless. If they had regular health screenings assessing their emotional and physical symptoms, many of them might not suffer as many illnesses that deteriorate their health.health later in life. Once homeless, you receive little outside help to get back on your feet, even if you seek advice from those who are supposed to help you, you may face discrimination and a lack of compassion. When family is not the reason for homelessness, family members should try to support them or even offer them a place to sleep until they get back on their feet. If relying on family is not an option, a social worker could be assigned to take over their care, helping them find housing and providing financial support. When looking for a job at the Jobcentre it is difficult to find a job without an address as you cannot claim unemployment benefit, but without a job how can we hope to eradicate homelessness? Living on the streets would not give you access to basic hygiene that we take for granted, like showering and washing our clothes. If you were (dirty and smelly) when you were looking for a job, do you think you would have gotten the job you are in right now? So why can't we see beyond appearances, rather than judge, shouldn't we sympathize with the predicament they themselves found themselves in? We should educate the country about the help the homeless need because you can become homeless with the slightest mistake, but once you are homeless it takes a huge struggle to get off the streets. Without help, it's impossible. Some would drop a coin and ask them questions about their day; others crossed the street so as not to have to look them in the eye. It is difficult for homeless people to get medical care because they do not receive enough attention from doctors, which obviously can worsen their physical condition. Additionally, the symptoms become more profound because the homes do not provide a safe, comfortable and relaxing environment with the support they need, leading to a worsening of their symptoms. If we were to provide homeless people with more opportunities, such as improving their education, taking university courses or gaining work experience, it could improve their self-confidence, mindset and mental health. Can we not offer them the key to opening opportunities and perspectives towards a better future? Sleeping rough can be very dangerous, you can experience many situations that could harm your well-being. The following statistics show how dangerous and deprived it is to live on the streets: “You are 15 times more likely to be attacked, more than one in three people have been deliberately attacked or suffered some form of violence. More than 7% were victims of sexual assault and moreover, in 55% of cases, the victim did not know the attacker.” Kicks, punches, hits - or worse. Some homeless people are even set on fire, this is obviously something that always concerns them, they are constantly looking over their shoulder for any danger that could compromise their safety. But why don't more homeless people seek shelter in shelters? Could it be that the perpetual complaints about poor facilities, lack of beds and privacy are true? All alone with a cigarette to warm up, a cigarette to soothe the hunger pangs, a cigarette to soothe the anxiety. Something they can find comfort in when no one is there to support and help them. Not forgetting the constant threat of the weather: during the hot summer months - risk of sunburn and heat stroke, during the long winter nights - risk of frostbite and pneumonia..