Rough sleeping is the most visible form of homelessness, but even a person with a roof over his head can be homeless. There are other types of homelessness such as hidden homelessness and temporary accommodation. All these situations leave the homeless extremely vulnerable.
Homeless people often deal with situations that most of us can never imagine, and the side effects of living on the streets they experience might not be evident to the non-homeless. Here are some of the impacts of being homeless.
Very low life expectancy
An average human is expected to have a lifespan of 79 years. However, being homeless can reduce your life expectancy with a shocking difference of 30 years. The causes of death may range from drug or alcohol abuse, suicide or health issues. If you are a homeless person, chances are your life expectancy is lower than people living in North Korea.
Homelessness means horrible health issues
Being homeless means not having a safe place to live, and it's worse if you are exposing yourself to the elements 24/7. Not only are you prone to serious health issues, recovering from a simple cold may take months if you are sleeping rough. Other health issues associated with homelessness include frostbites, malnutrition, skin diseases and even physical trauma from attacks.
Being homeless can hurt your mental health
Homelessness is more than lacking physical necessities. When every day means a beginning of another struggle of surviving, it is no surprise it brings a heavy toll on a person's mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. A homeless person's mental illness may be the reason for being homeless or may acquire the disease from sleeping on the streets.
Conclusion
Homelessness is a problem that is growing in various regions in the world. In Turkey, there are over three million Syrian refugees who have fled away from the conflict in their country. With the recent precision air strikes against targets in Syria, many have lost their homes and are living in uncertainty every day.
AusRelief is committed to supporting Syrian refugees by providing assistance and comfort that will help their journey to a better life. You can help by donating here, and 100% of your donation goes to the program recipient as no administration or management fee is involved.