There are so many misconceptions around the houseless population here in Portland, Oregon and across the world. Unfortunately, we do not have as much empathy as we should have towards the situations these individuals find themselves in. Culturally they are not always looked at in the most positive light. I want to highlight the differences in the various types of homelessness, in the hope that you find a situation that is relatable. I want to share these because some of these people are in real need and others have been thrown off track by just one bad month. The most important thing to remember when speaking about those that are houseless is that it could be you.
According to https://artfromthestreets.org/blogs/news/the-types-of-homelessness their are 4 types of houseless individuals are chronic, episodic, transitional, and hidden. All 4 are in different stages of homelessness and are experiencing it the same, but for many varying reasons.
First we have chronic homelessness. This is probably the type of homelessness that we are conditioned to believe through society's influences. These individuals are homeless for at least a consecutive year. The reasons for this could vary from mental illness, physical disability, or addiction. This group tends to be older. This variant of homelessness needs the most professional help they can get. Something is causing a block for them to get back into the norm of society and they cannot overcome it alone.
The next is called episodic homelesness. Someone is labeled as episodic when they have been homeless three times within a year. These individuals are extremely likely to go into the chronic type if they do not make a turn around. These are usually younger people who are fighting health issues or addiction.
The third is called transitional homeless. These individuals are ones that find themselves in their given circumstance because of one unfortunate and significant event that altered their lives. Losing a job, a death of a family member, a significant injury, and many other reasons could cause this. These individuals are usually back on their feet quickly. This type of homelessness was important to point out because it is not far off from where most of us could end up. Many people are paycheck to paycheck or rely on others for support. This should highlight the fact that each and everyone of us could become houseless and that we should have empathy for those in need, because one day it could be you in need.
The final type is hidden homeless. Hidden homeless are those who do not have a residence that they can call their own, but instead use their support system to crash with and do their best to stay off the streets. I can think of many scenarios where some of us have had to do this. If you have ever been kicked out of your home, had a nasty breakup, or had to leave for another reason you meet the requirements, especially if you had to rely on friends and family for a place to stay.
I wanted to list all these off because it will help us all understand how people are homeless and that these different scenarios can be very relatable to many of us. These individuals are those who may have had the same problems as some of us, but unfortunately did not have the same support system. We need to take action and help these individuals get back on their feet or some never will. It is easy to separate yourself from their situation, but it is extremely important to remember these people are just like us. They have issues that they were not prepared to battle or did not have the resources to overcome hurdles in life. Understanding who they are and how their situation came to be is essential for coming up with solutions to help these individuals in need.
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