In my view no average thinking person would subject himself and family to such a life. Logically then circumstances mental health, drugs etc are barriers.
It is absolutely a national disgrace the manner in which we allow well meaning laws with unintentional consequences prevent more aggressive policies for assisting mentally ill people and their families.
Equally problematic are people's lack of knowledge, misplaced myths and attitudes toward people with neuro brain disorders. Indeed there are those individuals whose minds are so broken that they need to be institutionalized and perhaps for the remainder of their lives while so many others with proper treatment medicine therapies, etc can and do lead very normal lives
It is indeed a dilemma when confronted with a person that is pan handling. Should you ignore that person and be left with some guilt that you make his/her life that much worse? Or do you think that perhaps this person has a serious drug habit and any donation makes you culpable as an enabler?
One thing is very clear we need a national conversation on this issue or it will plague us for many years to come and while we may never eradicate it we can reduce and contain the number of people who are or will become the unforgotten
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