This left me open mouthed

This_Year

I've bought a mcdonalds meal for someone I saw that was sleeping in a shop doorway (he wasn't asleep when I spoke to him! lol) and also sandwiches but I don't give money.

Own_My_Own

cakeforbrains wrote: »

What professional experience? Can you point me in the direction of any research about this?

It may be that drug users are more likely to become homeless.

http://homeless.org.uk/drugs#.Uf7D_Mu9KSM

barbarawright

jaqs_back wrote: »

I've posted you a link, see my post above. google the sentence I've posted and you'll see a document produced by a interest group.

Anyway, it makes sense. Substance misusers usually lead chaotic lifestyles, so it stands to reason they're more likely to end up homeless or stay homeless. Homeless people are also more likely to have mental health issues, which also goes hand-in-hand with addiction.

Interesting but please tell us more about your professional experience.

Own_My_Own

barbarawright wrote: »

Interesting but please tell us more about your professional experience.

What difference does jaqs backs profession make. You asked for a link and you got one.

Some people just don't like being proved wrong.

Rom_london

Well... if he'd had a bad nights sleep (high possibility thereof) then a coffee could have been the start he needed to get about his normal begging route.

On a more serious note, trying to prove to each other that the homeless are all addicts is rather like the Henry Thoreax quote from Walden:

"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root"

Trauma and unlucky rearing can lead to a lot of people going homeless. You can always say, "oh they should be able to pull themselves out of it," but at the end of the day the statistical realities of psychology suggest this is a hard task for a certain % of the population.

Give 'em an apple and perhaps a date, and move on with your life

Own_My_Own

Rom_london wrote: »

Well... if he'd had a bad nights sleep (high possibility thereof) then a coffee could have been the start he needed to get about his normal begging route.

On a more serious note, trying to prove to each other that the homeless are all addicts is rather like the Henry Thoreax quote from Walden:

"There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root"

Trauma and unlucky rearing can lead to a lot of people going homeless. You can always say, "oh they should be able to pull themselves out of it," but at the end of the day the statistical realities of psychology suggest this is a hard task for a certain % of the population.

Give 'em an apple and perhaps a date, and move on with your life

I don't think anyone was saying the homeless are all addicts
Just that addicts are more likely to be homeless.

southcoastrgi

one guy asked me for 50p for a coffee so i gave him £1 & told him to get me one too

southcoastrgi

but seriously i always buy a big issue even if i have already got one, those people are trying to help themselves & make the best of their bad situation, but i never ever give to beggars or people in shop doorways

barbarawright

Own_My_Own wrote: »

What difference does jaqs backs profession make. You asked for a link and you got one.

Some people just don't like being proved wrong.

I didn't ask for a link. Jaqs back claimed superior knowledge on the basis of professional experience. Not unreasonable to ask what that might be.

Beetlemama

southcoastrgi wrote: »

but seriously i always buy a big issue even if i have already got one, those people are trying to help themselves & make the best of their bad situation, but i never ever give to beggars or people in shop doorways

Why take the second big issue though? Just give him the £1.30 and let him sell the copy you paid for to another person, then he gets paid twice for it. I just give them the pound and say I don't want one.