Mental Health Problems and Disorders

A significant number of people experiencing homelessness suffer from a range of mental health disorders and problems. These conditions range in severity between those who experience depression, to those recovering from trauma, and those with serious psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and mood disorders. 

The causes of such mental health challenges for people experiencing homelessness can often be traced back to events and circumstances prior to experiencing homelessness as well as current situations and issues. They are likely to have experienced a wide range of hardships, substance use, victimization and trauma. Even when mental health problems are not a direct cause of homelessness, they can reinforce and lengthen the experience of homelessness.