in canada, in 2021, there were 235,000 homeless people . drug overdose deaths from that population averaged between 2.7 and 4.7 deaths per day. no one knows how many died among the homeless population in total. what concerns me the most is that approximately 85 per cent of homeless people are either on the verge of, or full-on suffering from, mental illness. the drug use and addictions we see are in many cases due to people going through the hell of untreated mental illness and traumas in their past few can comprehend.
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several studies have shown the most prevalent mental illness among the homeless are psychosis-related disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar . the “schism” or “split” in schizophrenia is a split from reality due to psychosis, not a split personality. when someone experiences psychosis, they have delusional thoughts that can be religious, persecutory or grandiose. they often experience hallucinations, which are false sensory inputs affecting any of the five senses, which reinforce the false beliefs. people experiencing psychosis may act out and appear dangerous, but it is much more common that they are victims of violence than perpetrators.
though treatment and understanding are improving, the fact remains that in part due to suicide and drug use, people with schizophrenia are estimated to lose 15 to 20 years of life expectancy due to the illness. consider volunteering or donating to an agency that makes a difference. the people you would help are among our most vulnerable .
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to get help, donate, volunteer, or to learn more about schizophrenia and psychosis, call the schizophrenia society of ontario at: 1-800-449-6367 during regular business hours, or email: asktheexpert@schizophrenia.on.ca
visit: https://www.connexontario.ca/search for a complete list of programs and services provided by the canadian mental health association branches in ontario. or call 1-866-531-2600 during working hours.