But OKC’s Point In Time Count this year showed that 23% of people surveyed were experiencing mental health issues or addiction, slightly lower than the national average of 26%. While homeless individuals face greatly increased risks of drug abuse and addiction, they face more barriers to treatment than nearly any other group. Initiatives like distributing Narcan (Naloxone), which can reverse opioid overdoses, and providing overdose education save lives and serve as entry points into treatment.
Exposure to traumatic events can significantly increase an individual’s risk of developing an addiction. A 2014 study published in Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation found that people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two to four times more likely to also have a substance use disorder. Homeless individuals, particularly those who have experienced physical or sexual assault, domestic violence, or military combat, are exposed to multiple risk factors for developing both PTSD and addiction. In a compassionate society, all members are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their economic condition or health status. Meeting the basic needs of the homeless—for shelter, food, and healthcare—helps these individuals get to a point where they can begin to access treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. Effective intervention strategies often emphasize harm reduction, such as providing safe consumption settings and accessible treatment options, along with person-centered care that builds trust.
- The CASPEH team administered 3,200 surveys and 365 in-depth interviews with people experiencing homelessness between October 2021 and November 2022 in eight regions of California representing urban, rural and suburban areas.
- When it comes to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), those rates are much higher.
- Additionally, they found that 68% of cities reported that substance abuse was the largest cause of homelessness among single adults.
- Homeless patients, in particular, need care plans that treat their condition holistically instead of only treating specific symptoms of addiction and mental health in isolation.
- Addiction is like an octopus, with many tentacles wrapping themselves around every facet of a substance abuser’s life.
Without the proper support, they are much more likely to end up on the street, which can worsen their substance abuse and other mental health conditions. Inpatient rehabilitation provides a structured and supportive environment where individuals can focus exclusively on recovery. These programs typically include 24/7 medical care, individual and group therapy sessions, and holistic activities designed to promote physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Inpatient rehab is particularly beneficial for those with severe addictions or co-occurring disorders who require an intensive level of care. The LGBTQ community also experiences higher rates of serious mental illness, such as depression and anxiety, which can co-occur with substance use disorders and increase the risk of homelessness.
How to Navigate Romantic Relationships in Sobriety
Stable housing combined with accessible, tailored treatment services creates a foundation for healthier, more stable lives. Community support services play a vital role in ongoing recovery by fostering connection and accountability. Peer support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) provide individuals with a sense of belonging and shared understanding.
What Percentage of Homeless People Are Drug Addicts?
Approaches like Housing First, which provides permanent housing without preconditions, have shown promising results in improving health and social outcomes. Despite these positive findings, barriers such as limited access to treatment, lack of insurance, transportation, and social support services hinder many homeless individuals from beginning or maintaining recovery. According to a demographic survey that was done as part of the UCI Cost Study, there were three top reasons why people became homeless. The top two causes were finding a job that paid a sustainable wage, and finding housing that’s affordable. The third reported cause of people’s homelessness was family issues, which encompassed events like death of a family member, divorce, or abuse. The findings from this study correlate with similar studies across the nation in finding that these are the top causes of people’s homelessness.
The Science Behind Addiction and Recovery
When it comes to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), those rates are much higher. Due to the many hardships those in the LGBTQ community face daily, they already suffer from high rates of drug and alcohol abuse. When we look at studies examining why people become homeless the data once again points to different causes than you might’ve read on NextDoor or Facebook.
Poverty and Lack of Affordable Housing
A panel of experts attempted to dispel these persistent myths about homelessness to an audience of 200 people during a recent Key to Home event in Oklahoma City’s northeast side. In addition to managing a successful family medical practice, Dr. Hoffman is board certified in addiction medicine by the American Osteopathic Academy of Addiction Medicine (AOAAM). Dr. Hoffman is the Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of AddictionHelp.com and ensures the website’s medical content and messaging quality.
Resources for Homeless Individuals and Their Families
There are a lot of assumptions surrounding the topic of “why people become homeless”, especially here in Orange County. While discussing this topic, I often hear people cite mental illness or substance use disorders as the primary cause of homelessness. However, the data from studies looking into these topics and the stories that I hear from clients that I work with do not support this narrative. Many homeless individuals lack health insurance, which is a significant barrier to accessing addiction treatment services. Even when treatment is available, the cost can be prohibitive for those without financial resources or stable income.
- Homeless individuals may live in a shelter, transitional housing, or a car or bounce around from place to place, staying with people they know.
- Organizations like Discover Recovery offer specialized treatment programs that include medical detox, therapy, and aftercare planning.
- Illness – Medical debt is a major cause of homelessness, but it also contributes to substance abuse.
- Homelessness and addiction require a multifaceted approach, including housing solutions, access to healthcare, and targeted addiction treatment.
Furthermore, some treatment programs require abstinence or passing drug tests for entry, which can deter those not yet ready to quit or who fear losing shelter and support. Jessica graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with an English degree and combines her writing expertise and passion for helping others to deliver reliable information to those impacted by addiction. Informed by her personal journey to recovery and support of loved ones in sobriety, Jessica’s empathetic and authentic approach resonates deeply with the Addiction Help community. According to the Treatment Advocacy Center, nearly one-third of the homeless suffer from a serious mental illness. Often, these people were released from mental institutions and found themselves back on the streets shortly after being discharged.
It’s also important that staff at a treatment center are flexible and experienced in caring for this part of the community. Around two-thirds of the homeless struggle with substance abuse disorder and a comorbid health condition. Mental health issues and addiction often precipitate an individual’s slide into homelessness. “Every year, between 80 to 90% of people experiencing homelessness tell us that they became homeless right here in Oklahoma City or in the state of Oklahoma,” Holt said. Together, these two problems combine into a lethal situation that leads to deeper problems. The connection between substance abuse and homelessness can be understood through various models that highlight different aspects of their complex relationship.
Research indicates that homelessness often increases the risk of relapse due to the ongoing environmental challenges how many homeless are drug addicts and lack of support. Conversely, addressing the root cause—homelessness—can significantly improve recovery outcomes. In 2023, there were an estimated 32,156 homeless people with chronic substance abuse problems living in emergency shelters in the United States. A further 65,828 homeless people with chronic substance abuse problems were unsheltered in that year.
It found that the first reported cause was either job loss or lack of affordable housing, and the second cause was domestic violence. When I look at that percentage, I see all the women who had to leave a life-threatening situation and are now having to sleep on our streets. Many of the clients we serve at WISEPlace have lived this percentage- over half of the clients we work with escaped domestic violence, which caused them to experience homelessness. While mental illness and substance use disorders are a component, they are not the number one reason why people become homeless and these conditions are certainly not present in the majority of the our homeless community.
Taylor-Hill agreed, adding that many of the people in the audience were probably only one paycheck away from experiencing homelessness themselves. Goodin also said $7.25 an hour was no longer a viable wage in the current economic environment, and called for more landlords to be willing to give “second chances” to people with past evictions. Over the past five years, the cost of a single-family home has gone up an average of $2,000 a year, pricing those homes out of the market for various demographics, Jones said. The current price point for a house in Oklahoma City is between $200,000 and $300,000, data shows, but one-third of the city’s population can’t qualify for a loan. The average homebuyer, Jones said, is no longer in their 20s, but in their late 30s, and because of economic pressures, many of them are delaying having children until later in life when compared with previous generations. “I have yet to meet a parent or a grandparent that walks through our doors that doesn’t love their children just as much as I would mine,” Goodin said.
