Actually not all homeless people are drug addicts or drunks. Only some are, and this has made it into the books of modern stereotypes. Movies show bums being lazy, no gooders, who are always pedalling the public for money which they will spend on booze or alcohol or even drugs. This is an image which has made it into the mindset of the community. When a community members sees a homeless person asking the public for money, then they are seeing someone who has hit a low because of a drug and alcohol problem which will only be given rise if they are given money.

This is somewhat of a disadvantage to those who are desperately needing money in order too survive. A poor person may indeed be as clean as clean, and only looking scruffy because they are genuinely poor. This is often overlooked because of their scruffy image, which look like a poor drunkard's image. People often toss up the nose and walk on because such characters are considered self-made, and dangerous to some extent, and always swindling money from people's pockets.

In truth the typical homeless person may be from anywhere. Usually a person because homeless because of financial difficulties. Worst of all a person can become homeless from youth.

Such disadvantaged youths have normally been tossed out of rather welcoming homes who stood in with the rest of the pack. They may not even have been disadvantaged in their upbringing, they may have been given all the luxuries a child could have wanted. However for some reason, when the parents let their child go, the child was unable to make it to safe ground. They crashed from the nest of their parent's house, and was unable to pick themselves up from ground zero.

This makes a person homeless instantly. This homeless wanderer may indeed have let go of all worldly possessions in order to make their way to the street, on which had a welcome curb in order to sustain their backsides as they pondered what on earth they should do in order to get a roof over their heads.

Some youths go to the pub in order to try and pick a local friend. This can lead to trouble for a youth as the person who might be willing to give them a night's lodge may be of a shadowy character, and pose as more of a threat then a friend. However being desperate, the youth may not care about this, and get granted the assistance in order to keep themselves from the shadows of the street.

This might equal to one night's lodge or even on week. However in time the youth usually needs to move on. Some find a job, and are able to seek cheap shelter in a backpackers place, or even a cheap apartment. Others go straight for the street and start to beg or even prostitute their bodies for money. This may help a little or a lot it depends.

Whatever the outcome, there is no doubt, that not all homeless people are in fact drunks or drug addicts some are just ordinary people, young or old, who have just ran out of luck and are on their last penny to survival.

Learn more about this author, M Pereira.
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