Homelessness and alcoholism

[vivacian]

There's a man sleeping rough at the top of our street, refusing assistance from any services because he wants to drink. When he's fairly sober he's fairly civil (I chat to him). When he's in his cups he's aggressive.

My approach with beggars is to give them my time, but nothing else such as money or clothes that will prolong their time on the streets. With this guy, I struggle. I am tempted to buy him socks and gloves despite knowing that anything he is given that he can sell, he sells.

But it got me thinking. Some homeless people just want to drink. Would it better to house and feed them, give them access to showers, toilets and health care and accept that they are going to drink themselves to their deaths?

We've all got to die sometime. He's been offered help but he doesn't want it. End of.

He's been offered help but he doesn't want it. End of.

But it's not the end is it? He's sat there, drinking, freezing, sometimes harassing and slowly but surely dying. It's not the mark of a civilised, compassionate society to accept that.

Children are walking around him on their way to primary school.

I agree with you op. I'd get the socks and gloves.

Nobody in their right mind would choose this existence. It's not a choice.

It would be better to house them, but I think it’s the attendant problems that come with alcohol, such as the aggression, that means services draw that line. Plus the effect on other service users who may be trying to escape alcoholism.
I do know what you mean though.

Get him the warm stuff. Karma and all that.

I would carry on giving him socks, gloves, food etc btw.

Why would giving clothes prolong their time on the streets? Also beggars? What a horrible expression.

If you've spent so long talking to him presumably he has a back story for why he has an alcohol addiction and has ended up in this awful situation?

OP you’re right it would be kinder to treat it as an illness instead of a moral failing. Why make the help he gets dependant on him stopping drinking? It’s cruel.

Don’t some services allow people to drink?

He could still go to soup kitchens for food and homeless day centres.

Do you really think he would resell socks and gloves?

Yes he should have somewhere to live. And socks and gloves. I don't believe people should be punished for being alcoholics. I think the tax revenue from alcohol sales should be spent directly supporting its victims. Proper out reach support for homeless people, supported 'wet' housing, access to 'dry' housing if they want it, and proper support for mental health and addiction. I have met people who are turned their lives around miraculously despite the minimal support available, I would love to see what could happen with a fully funded and robust system of support for the most vulnerable in our society. I imagine there would be very few who genuinely wanted to drink themselves to death on the streets id we had a society that told people that they are worth housing, clothing, feeding, caring about in every way, instead of a system that kicks people when they are down and leaves the rest to philanthropy and charities.

Alcoholism is a mental health issue. He can’t just stop. He needs help

Alcoholism is a disease. Its a physical and psychological craving that doesn't go away. He doesn't want to want to get better IYSWIM. I stopped drinking 15 years ago, but I still get the thirst. I was fortunate enough to be in a stable environment when I realised I was an alcoholic.

Another one who doubts he chose this as a lifestyle.

Would it better to house and feed them, give them access to showers, toilets and health care and accept that they are going to drink themselves to their deaths?

Problem is where can he be housed and fed etc? He cant stay in a hostel or similar because he is an aggressive drunk and will put other residents at risk. He is highly unlikely to be able to maintain a tenancy which is possibly why he is homeless.

Have you asked him what items he needs or would be useful when you chat to him (apart from alcohol)?

In our City there are places where people can go for a shower, health care and food on a daily basis.

Whatthewhatnow I agree totally with your statement, alcoholism is not a choice and I get fed up of people thinking that alcoholics have made this as a lifestyle choice.
I speak from personal experience of losing a very loved son to alcoholism and know how he struggled and eventually lost.
Vivacian I would be tempted to give the man warm socks, gloves and hat, if you can afford it, and if he sells them then that is his decision.

I think you may be asking society to work a miracle, OP.

In our local market town we have one homeless person, but he is well known for being violent. The whole reason he is on the streets is because he beats his mother up.
She's now in her 90s and had to move to a home. He got kicked out and of course can't cope as never had a job/home of his own.
But you try and help and he gets nasty.
No helping some people

I agree with @Saucery, the help available is in short supply and I would imagine competition for places quite fierce, so I guess they direct the resources to those who are less likely to cause problems and get better, move on etc. Though I don't think it's right that anyone live in this way, people are allowed to make bad decisions and he's made a decision to refuse the help and continue to live the way he does. With such a deep addiction, any home would need to be maintained because I doubt he'd be capable of doing that from what you describe, so even if rent were paid, what about amenities etc? Any money would be spent on alcohol and anything worth selling, even food would probably be sold or swapped for alcohol - you said yourself he sells anything he can at the moment.
Maybe if mental health services hadn't been cut to the bone, earlier and better intervention into cases like these would at least reduce them. It's sad and I wish there were better safeguards in place to prevent people falling through the cracks and ending up like this. I don't know what the answer is though.

Well said @AmazingGreats

But it's not the end is it? He's sat there, drinking, freezing, sometimes harassing and slowly but surely dying. It's not the mark of a civilised, compassionate society to accept that.

Children are walking around him on their way to primary school.

There are lots of homeless hostels in my area and non of them ban drinking.

What they do ban is people who harass others, whether that's other hostel users, members of the public or children on their way to school.

I think this man's behaviour when he's drunk is the problem, not that he'll be forced to give up his addiction if he's given a place in a hostel.

Hang on, the services offered only help if the person doesn't drink alcohol?

Wtf?

And yes, nip to the pound shop and buy him a hat and gloves.

Who is honestly going to want to buy them off him?

Even if he could sell them, he's not going to make more than a quid is he?

Ah that makes more sense Worra

@DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou

In my area (not sure how it is everywhere else) alcoholics are not eligible for mental health support until they have stopped drinking.

In my area (not sure how it is everywhere else) alcoholics are not eligible for mental health support until they have stopped drinking.

They'll be eligible for a place in a homeless hostel though if there's one free.

I don't know where the OP has got the idea from that they're not.