According to research conducted by Housing Charity Shelter, “300,000 people are homeless in Britain” (that's 1 in 200). The number continues to increase every year and in many cases it is not the fault of those sleeping on the streets that they have been left homeless. Those who manage to free themselves from homelessness still carry the physical and mental scars of being in constant danger and are continually reminded of the struggles they faced to get out of that situation. So why don't we as a nation offer the homeless enough support? While living on the streets, homeless people often face mental health issues with the ongoing stress of trying to support themselves with what little they have; literally people's pennies. An alarming statistic shows that 72 out of 100 homeless people suffer from mental health problems, for example anxiety, depression and fear can be a result of the stress of sleeping rough and loss of self-esteem/confidence, a consequence of feeling alienated due to the how others treat them. Additionally, being homeless amplifies mental illness or mental health may actually have led to them becoming homeless, it may bring back or increase any prior/existing mental health issues. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Sleeping rough would put you face to face with many frightening and violent situations - the experiences can leave you traumatized - amplifying the stress and anxiety of a street life, therefore, depression rates are over 10 times highest in the homeless population. With inadequate support, homeless people will never truly recover from their mental illness which may have been manifested or worsened by the experiences they witnessed while sleeping rough. As well as suffering from mental illness, they also struggle with physical health effects, from sleeping on cold, stony and uneven ground to being used as a punching bag by drunken louts. They sleep wherever they can lay their heads; from the ground to a shop door or park bench, even on a night bus. Imagine, one door is a bedroom, one door is a kitchen, one door is a living room, and one door is a bathroom. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live on the streets for a night? Cold, hungry, painful. These are just three of the physical symptoms of sleeping rough, but the mental effects far outweigh the physical ones. Also sleep deprivation is a big problem, try to fall asleep with apprehension and the constant threat of being attacked or robbed while you sleep. They are often attacked for no reason, which compounds the problem, they may find themselves fighting over where they sleep or people trying to take what they have, a staggering '56 in 100 suffer from long-term physical health problems'. Night is the worst for the homeless: dangerous, damp, sleepless, literally fighting for survival from dusk to dawn. Homeless people do not receive enough attention from doctors, since without an address they cannot seek medical attention. There should be medical care available to the homeless; if health checks for both emotional and physical symptoms were regularly provided, many of them might not suffer so severely from illnesses that deteriorate their health later in life. Once homeless, you receive little outside help to get back on your feet, even when you seek guidance from those who are supposed to help them, they may face discrimination and a lack of compassion. If family is not the reason for homelessness, family members should try to be supportive oreven offer a place to sleep until they get back on their feet. If relying on family is not an option, a social worker could be asked to take responsibility for their care, helping to find housing and offering financial support. When jobseeking at the Jobcentre it is difficult to find a job without an address as you cannot claim Jobseeker's Allowance, but without work how can we expect to eradicate homelessness? Living on the streets wouldn't give you access to basic hygiene that we take for granted like showering and washing clothes if you were (dirty and smelly) when you were looking for a job, do you think you would have gotten the job? are you here now? So why can't we see beyond the surface, instead of judging, if we don't sympathize with the plight they found themselves in? We should educate the country about the help that homeless people need, because you can become homeless from even the smallest mistake, but once you become homeless it takes an immense struggle to get off the streets. Without help it is impossible. Some would drop a coin and ask them how their day had gone; others would cross the street so as not to have to make eye contact with them. It is difficult for homeless people to get medical care as they do not receive enough attention from doctors, which can obviously worsen their physical condition. Furthermore, the symptoms become more profound as hostels do not offer a safe, comfortable and relaxing environment with the support they need, which results in a worsening of their symptoms. If we offered homeless people more opportunities, such as furthering their education, taking university courses or work experience, it could help their self-esteem, mood and mental health. Can't we offer them the key to unlock opportunities and prospects for a better future? Sleeping outdoors can be very dangerous, you can experience many situations that could be harmful to your well-being. The following statistics show how dangerous and destitute it is on the streets “You are 15 times more likely to be assaulted, more than 1 in 3 have been deliberately assaulted or experienced some form of violence. Over 7% were victims of sexual violence and above all in 55% of cases the victim did not know the attacker". Kicked, punched, beaten - or worse. Some homeless people are even set on fire, obviously this is something that is always on their mind, they are constantly looking over their shoulders for any dangers that could jeopardize their safety. But why don't more and more homeless people seek refuge in a hostel? Could it be that the constant complaints about inadequate facilities, lack of beds and privacy have merit? All alone with a cigarette to warm up, a cigarette to stop hunger pangs, a cigarette to relieve anxiety. Something they can find comfort in when no one is there to support and help them. Not to mention the constant threat of bad weather: during the hot summer months the risk of sunburn and heat stroke, during the long winter nights the risk of frostbite and pneumonia. There should be enough hostels and safe havens so that no one has to worry about falling asleep on the streets and waking up having lost everything they own. Not everyone on the streets is truly homeless. In fact, some believe that begging is an easy way to make money, taking advantage of the sympathy of others who assume they are homeless and down on their luck. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a custom essayOne New Year's Eve I saw a man a lot?.