It should be noted that homeless men and women have to face various obstacles related to almost all aspects of their life. Many people with mental illnesses and disorders become homeless because they have to cope with hardships by themselves being excluded from society, abandoned by the state, and the healthcare industry. However, more importantly, many homeless experiencing mental disorders are being discriminated against. In this respect, it is crucial to mention that the presence of a mental disorder or diagnosis cannot be the basis for the formation of a negative attitude or violation of an individual’s rights by either the society or legal bodies and by medical institutions (Hwang & Burns, 2014).
Nevertheless, many people wrongly have psychophobia because of their intolerance instead of helping to resolve such manifestations. Therefore, it is interesting from the research point of view to analyze the stereotypes about the homeless with chronic mental conditions.
Social justice theory suggests that a psychiatric diagnosis should not be a stigma. Moreover, it should not complicate the social adaptation of individuals suffering from such conditions. The World Psychiatric Association protects the freedoms of people with these diseases from civil, political, social, and any other violations related to their condition. Nevertheless, it is crucial to analyze the roots of this issue (Hwang & Burns, 2014). From the point of view of epistemology, it is necessary to understand the ways of acquiring knowledge, which cause wrong associations in society. From the point of view of ontology, it is essential to understand the person’s value system that reflects his or her interpretation of facts.
These assumptions provoke interest in conducting qualitative research related to the behavioral patterns of people facing homeless individuals suffering from mental illnesses (Burkholder, Cox, & Crawford, 2016). Also, it will be possible to specify the most common stereotypes to comprehend their roots and dispel wrongful representations about such people. Overall, such a study will enable the researcher to influence the representations of people and contribute to the improvement in the quality of life of society.
References
Burkholder, G. J., Cox, K. A., & Crawford, L. M. (2016). The scholar-practitioner’s guide to research design. Baltimore, MD: Laureate Publishing.
Hwang, S., & Burns, T. (2014). Health interventions for people who are homeless. The Lancet, 384(9953), 1541-1547.