The Product of Ego in Society: Homelessness

Homeless people are everywhere, in every nation and in every corner of the globe. Whether it is a third world country or a first world country, homeless people exist. Whether people like it or not, there is no way to simply “get rid” of homeless people. I believe that homelessness will always exist by the way our society is set up and how we are as humans. It is only in a utopian society where homelessness would be extinct. As human beings, we were made not to be perfect, we have flaws, we make mistakes, and we want too much and give too little. It is with these traits where homelessness simply will always exist.

             The hard truth that most people do not understand is the paradox of homelessness. In civilizations, the rule of economy has always come with an exchange of goods and services. People would in a way trade goods or services for something in return. As history has gone, usually a type of currency would establish for the exchange. For example, if I would want to buy some food, I would pay for it using money, or if I worked for a whole day I would be paid for my time. In a perfect world everyone would be receiving money and spending money. Everyone would have money and everyone would be happy. Sadly, that is what a utopian society looks like and life does not work like that. Although there have been ways to make a civilization similar to a utopian society, one such example is communism. Taking away all the negative attitude towards the idea, the overall concept is the closest to a utopian society as we will get. The down side to the concept is majorly focused on our characteristics as being human. Humans are not perfect and when presented with a certain amount of power or money, it is difficult to turn away. With most people developing greed towards money is another point to why homelessness cannot be removed from societies. If there is an unequal distribution of money then it can be assumed that people do not get money or even have money. In a society where money is the key to survival, if a person doesn’t have money what happens? One answer would be that they fall back onto homelessness. In a simple stance, homelessness can be described as simply not having money due to many many reasons. Most people that are homeless have never thought that they would become homeless, it just happened.

            Life as a whole is generally unfair and not easy. Some people get hit with obstacles more than others and some cannot recover from those hits. What most people fail to realize about homeless people is that they were once like you. They had a job, hopes, dreams, a house and a life, unforeseen circumstances just moved them from that path. Of course there are some organizations that help with the growing population of homeless people but what use is there to help them if they will not get a job? That may come off as a bit negative but think about it for a second. Homeless people do not have a job, but jobs today don’t hire a person that is homeless to be the face of their company. It’s a never ending cycle that plays a role to the economy. As jobs will begin to become scarce more and more people would fall into the classification as homeless, and if jobs focus on their egos then a halt in manufacturing would occur. The point behind all this is if companies focus more on giving out jobs rather than on ego, lots of people would not be homeless as they would have a job.

            Consequently it is not a specific persons fault to why there is homelessness; it is our fault as humans not to care for each other. In life we look down unto those that beg for money or food, and we do not identify them as one of us. There is a quote I heard from somewhere that states, The moment we stop helping each other, that is when we lose our humanity.” If humans put aside their egos and thing not materialistically just to help others, positive outcomes will lead to a brighter future. 

Deinstitutionalization and Homelessness

The deinstitutionalization of the Reagan era is notorious for its failure to one of society’s most vulnerable people: the mentally ill. Psychiatrists and doctors saw some patients who were misdiagnosed receive lobotomies; around fifty-thousand lobotomies were performed by the end of the 1950s. Politicians abused this fact to oversell community health clinics and promise more funding than intended, in order to save money on state mental institutions. Drugs were used as an elixir, a crutch to ease the transition from in-house treatment to community treatment. The accelerated deinstitutionalization coupled with Congress’s lack of long-term financial support led to the homelessness problem we find in our communities today.

Richard D. Lyons of the New York Times wrote on the 1986 reflections of various politicians, civil libertarian lawyers, and psychiatrists on the transition from treating patients in-house. Some pointed to a dependency that state programs developed on tranquilizers to treat patients. Drugs like Thorazine were advertised as a means to end violent episodes, but doctors misrepresented them as a means of complete treatment. Critics and proponents of deinstitutionalization alike understood the enthusiasm for the tranquilizers. Prior to medication, disorders like schizophrenia and manic depression went un- or mistreated. It was at this point that the families and friends of the discharged patients (those lucky enough to have a home to go to) had the hope of communal help and sovereign remedies.

Mental illness, treated and untreated alike, can result in pushing away family, caregivers and friends, a safety net that often prevents homelessness. Today, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental disorders (DMS) has a drug for the most outlandish of disorders. One study by the SAMHSA Spending Estimates Project showed that in 1986, 7% of the $32-billion mental health budget was used for drugs, compared to the 27% of the $113-billion budget of 2005; in-patient spending plopped from 42% to 19%, respectively. According to S W Schondelmeyer in the journal Health Affairs, the cost of prescription drugs has increased by 25% since 1985. The caregivers of the mentally ill were left with the growing cost of medication with none of the promised local help. Safety nets tore, exposing the vulnerable to the streets and to their limitations as a functional member of society.

There is a trustful dependence on drugs to treat the mentally-ill in American society, a job once believed to be that of the community. Homelessness is not limited to those diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder, but many homeless people suffer addictions (eg. alcoholism) and/or traumas (eg. veterans). The high cost of drugs and therapy often act as a barrier to accessible healthcare. There should be a greater emphasis for affordable housing on the part of the social worker and the community. The first step towards a solution is recognizing the limitations of drugs compounded with an effort to identify the care needed for each individual case. Congress should fulfill the promises made by decades past and finance the mental health programs necessary to work towards a solution.

A Person First, Homeless Second

I believe that there are always going to be homeless people in the United States for reasons such as poverty and unexpected disasters like hurricane Katrina. However, the current epidemic of homelessness can be attributed in part to the way our society is structured, particularly socioeconomically. In a capitalist environment, each person must tend to themselves and not rely on others. Thus, there is a tendency to flee altruism as a form of self-preservation (i.e. one will see to their own financial security and comfortability before another’s is considered). Another reason for the high homelessness rate in the U.S. is due to lack of information or misinformation regarding mental illness. Often I have heard the phrase, “he should have made better life choices; it’s his own fault,” regarding a homeless person asking for money. This outlook is fundamentally incorrect. Mental illness hijacks a person’s cognitive abilities, making their erratic life choices seem normal and shifting the blame from the victim to the disease.

Once properly educated, one can be a part of the solution to homelessness with patience, care, and friendship. I found a quote that was particularly enlightening. Steve Lopez is mid-discussion with Dr. Ragins, and is told the following:

Relationship is primary. It is possible to cause seemingly biochemical changes through human emotional involvement. You have literally changed his chemistry by being his friend (Lopez, 210).

Notice that Dr. Ragins did not mention forcible, more traditional therapy as the main factor of healing. It is a relationship that can set the mind at ease; it is a personal connection that refreshes the mind. Nathaniel is an archetype of the epidemic of homelessness caused by mental illness. Others like Nathaniel (and there are so many like him) can be significantly impacted for the better by people with a willingness to be caretakers. Neurobiologist Fabrizio Benedetti stated in an interview, “The attitudes we have and the words we say move a lot of molecules in the brain” (Brain Science with Ginger Campbell, MD; Podcast). Being a positive influence, an example of a good attitude and a supportive hand can work wonders towards lessening the rate of homelessness in America.

Recently, President Obama established an overarching Medicare plan known as Obamacare. In doing so, he was placing some of the responsibility of American citizen’s health on the U.S. government. I believe that the example of Obamacare should extend to mental illness as well. It is good and right to have government funded institutions and organizations put in place to be shelters and wellness centers for the homeless and mentally ill. The caveat to government institutions is that they should be run by a person with empathy comparable to that of Mr. Lopez. It is the government's duty to care for its citizens, even the ‘not-so-easy’ cases. However, the responsibility does not only fall on America’s infrastructure.

It is also the responsibility of American citizens to care for each other. Yes, this is easier said than done. But, maybe if we say it to each other enough times, some of us will actually do it. It is important that we volunteer and give, altruistically, to help those in need. It is not for us to judge, but to help. If monetary aid cannot be given, then like Benedetti mentioned, attitude and words are the next best thing. Spread the word to others that mental illness is not a choice, but a disease. A homeless person is a person first, and homeless second. 

Recovery

    Nathaniel Ayers does not care what conditions he finds himself in, so long as he is free to play his instruments as depicted in Steve Lopez’s The Soloist. Lopez struggles to understand why Nathaniel chooses to sleep amongst the degenerates he bad-mouths, all for the sake of playing music, only to be drowned out by cars and horns. Nathaniel just wants to make music, showing little interest in being heard. He has no desire in the stress of becoming a professional musician or in recovery. As a young child, I had a lot of anxieties and paranoia. My siblings offered to teach me many hobbies, my favorites by far being arts and crafts, reading, and swimming. Although these outlets were healthy and fun, I would still feel internally tangled by the end of the activities. As I got older and lazier, I developed a disorder called trichotillomania. It is defined as having an irresistible urge to pull at one’s hair. I was at a loss on how to manage it.

     My godparents wanted me to seek therapy, but I refused. I did not want to be diagnosed and medicated, like every other kid in high school who claims to be bipolar. Instead, I got busy, filling up my schedule with a part time job and a college class. If I was constantly using both of my hands, then I couldn’t possibly pull my hair. Much to my dismay, I found myself thinking about pulling, an experience much more treacherous than actually pulling. When I was a cashier at Green Arrow Nurseries, the girls I worked with would comment on my fidgeting. It took all my willpower to resist my abnormal urges. Once the desire overwhelmed me, I would escape into the greenhouse to have some privacy. One day, as I felt for my next victim, I noticed an Epipremnum aureum, commonly known as Devil’s Ivy, covered in brown leaves. I grabbed it to toss it, but saw that it had plenty of happy sprouts popping up in every direction. I sat down and started pinching away the dead leaves. Something in me clicked. I was no gardener, but I felt at peace trying my hand. By the time I was done, the Devil’s Ivy looked nurtured and refreshed.

    I no longer work at Green Arrow, and Green Arrow no longer exists. My days of being in the beautiful 1950’s green plank-paneled greenhouse are over. I have created a potted garden in my modest balcony, with 62 plants from many places (some were even propagated from neighbor’s yards). I can name most of them, but I am only interested in names for the sake of looking up ideal conditions, soil requirements, and potential pollinators. I enjoy nurturing them, because I understand that I need them and that my plants and all the ones I ever knew and may never see again are made up of A, T, G, and C, just like me. When I see a stagnant stem, I see wasted energy that could be better spent replacing it. So I grab my scissors, the ones that either encourage growth or end a life, and cut away. Like magic, I usually see signs of new growth the next day. When I remove hair from my scalp, I am left with embarrassing bald spots that grow into obvious patches of hair. I seek to escape my limitations and pains. When I remove dead leaves from vivacious plants, however, I leave them with room to grow. I accept that I am growing, too.

    Nathaniel has schizophrenia, sometimes unable to tell the difference between the present and past. The only link he has is his craft, it ties him to what he once worked for to his present freedom. Fortunately, I do have the tools to get better and am living in a time where mental health and how it’s treated is a hot topic. In fact, it is likely that Nathaniel’s story contributed to the discussion on mental health. After two years of self-treating my disorder and anxiety with gardening, I realized I had helped myself as far as I could without treatment. I seeked help at Open Paths Counseling Center, a mental health clinic that aims to provide treatment at a low-cost for low-income individuals. I still struggle, but take solace in the fact that I am getting better because I was brave enough to admit I needed help.

Maybe I’m in the Wrong Profession

Art is my first love. It’s romantic in the way it colors my life. It began with coloring books and tracing paper, but as I grew older I realized that I loved the arts. Audio, visual, you name it. I took up piano and guitar; I took up drawing and painting. Although I tend to avoid the term “talent,” through practice I have developed an aptitude for drawing. It is where I go to escape the noise of life. Don’t get me wrong, I think life is beautiful! But occasionally the clamor and stress of being an active dreamer clouds the beauty of living.

Nathaniel also dealt with a clouded existence. On page 4 of the book, The Soloist, when asked if he remembers Mr. Lopez, Nathaniel says, “I remember your voice.” To me, this quote sums up Nathaniel’s story. He knows his mind is slipping, he knows his experiential knowledge is cloudy and foggy, but he is clear in a sound. He remembers the music of a person’s voice.

Like Nathaniel, my clearest moments are my most artistic ones. I too have found clarity in my art as an escape. I have found myself able to fully immerse myself in an art piece. I am able to lose myself in my drawing to the point where it’s almost meditative. If I am troubled, I puzzle out my issues while therapeutically making lines on a page. I have used this method of clarity for as long as I can remember. Often when I was young, I missed out on playing outside for the sanctuary of my art studio (my dining room table at home). But I believe that escaping into my art has helped me far more than hindered me. I have been able to connect with others via my drawings, and I have been able to clarify my world.

Recently, I doubted whether or not chemistry was right for me. I had gone to office hours and sat down with my professor, going over my last test question by question. I was stunned at the mistakes I made. My heart began to beat fast and I started to get tunnel vision, a byproduct of insecurities and seeming failure. I was torn, worried, and confused. I thought I was good enough to handle the class. Did this test prove otherwise? As the blood pounded in my ears, it seemed to echo my own concern: “Maybe I’m in the wrong profession.” I left my professor’s office for a secluded place on campus. I turned to my source of clarity; I began to draw.

I drew a heart, to remind me of my love for science. I became one with the smooth muscle, the contouring for depth, the shadows. Each line was deliberate. Each stipple was meaningful. I poured myself into the piece and escaped. My escape did not let me down. The vignette cleared, my mind stabilized. The drawing was by no means perfect. The heart was flawed, but after all, it’s only human. In its flaws I realized something fundamentally important about myself:

 

I am a work in progress. Like an unfinished canvas, although I am lacking now, I will continue to have depth and dimensions added to me as I learn and grow. I am a student. And I have definitely chosen the right profession. 

Breakout

Sometimes stress and problems build up to a point that we can no longer manage. We feel like we are suffocating and that those things that are keeping us from being calm are going to kill us inside eventually. When we reach this point, the one where we do not know what to do or what to say anymore, we look for things that will distract us, things that can allow us to forget the reality of our lives.

In the Soloist, for instance, Nathaniel escapes the reality of his world through music. It appears as if music permits him to forget his medical condition. Playing and listening to music is his outlet. By playing and listening to music, Nathaniel travels from the real world into a world that calms and soothes him. In like manner, whenever I am having problems either because of family, school, or relationships, I like to take a break from the world that is troubling me, and I escape into a world where I am in control.

There are many ways in which escape from my reality. I escape by listening to music, going to the gym, and creating art. First of all, music has many genres for all different people with different tastes. In my case, I like to listen to different genres according to how I am feeling, and what my current mood is. To demonstrate, if one of my problems is making me sad, I choose to listen to sad songs. It alleviates me to know that other people are feeling what I am feeling and that there is someone out there who understands me. My second option, if listening to music is not working anymore, is going to the gym. Whenever I go to the gym, I forget about everything. There is no time for thinking about my problems. Working out helps me get rid of my stress and it relaxes me. The third way that I escape from reality, which is my favorite one out of the three, is art. I am an artist and I have always enjoyed showing my emotions through a drawing, a sketch, or a painting. Art is my outlet and it is my comfort zone. When I do art, I feel like I can express myself in any way without being judged by society.

Escaping from reality allows me to calm myself, to give me hope that things will be resolved. Not only does it pacify me but escaping also helps me get a clearer mind and get fresher thoughts. After I have escaped, I come back to the real world, and I am able to analyze things better. However, there are times when escaping also disarrays with my reality. Instead of coming back with a new mind and solutions, I try to ignore what is troubling me. I try to pretend that everything is perfect and that there is no reason to worry.

Although escaping has its pros and cons, it is needed in our lives because it relieves us temporarily. 

Physical Activity Could be Relaxing, Right?

With stress being an inevitable obstacle in the “game” of life, one must pause the game and take a break, let their mind rest from the constant worrying of upcoming tests or deadlines. This break varies from person to person as everyone experiences relaxation in different ways. In the novel, The Soloist, Nathaniel finds this break in music, whereas I take my break in the sport of gymnastics and in teaching gymnastics. Gymnastics is a sport that requires intense focus, determination and patience; these traits help me vanish from the world of stress.

In gymnastics there is no multi-tasking, if a gymnast multi-tasks there is risk of injury. Stress and the outside world do not have a place inside the gym. One uses their entire body to help perform skills, strengthening themselves physically and mentally. When I do gymnastics, everything that worried me for the day is gone. I focus on my breathing remembering to keep breathing and not hurt myself. When performing certain skills, I cannot afford to be thinking about an assignment that I haven’t done yet or else I would risk not landing correctly. Every time I enter my gym, my mood changes and all I want to do is work on a skill that I have not mastered, for example a back handspring. On a side note, a back handspring is where you jump back onto your hands and whip your legs back to land on your feet. Although I have yet to master this skill, as I have been working on it for a little more than 2 years, I am very determined to master this skill on the floor. Whenever I attempted a spotted back handspring, there is absolutely no way I can be thinking of anything else besides my body movements. Whenever I am distracted and think of something else, I would have a horrible form and would certainly mess up. Doing gymnastics is my way of escaping my responsibilities for an hour and a half and just focus on what my body can do and how I can improve my flexibility.

The benefits of gymnastics are numerous. In an overall concept it is the “total package” of exercising and getting fit. Performing any skill whether it is a handstand, cartwheel, bridge kick over, chin up pullover, back hip circle or front tuck, it requires you to work out your muscles. Dissecting one skill, the handstand, performing a hand stand would utilize your upper back muscles and your forearm muscles to keep you up. Your core muscles will be strengthened to keep you balanced while your heart will be pumping blood throughout your body to provide oxygen. Cardio is used a lot as each skill is the equivalent to going full sprint on a track field. Each skill requires body control that will be developed over time and practice. From this focus and body control, there are numerous applications. My health is better in both the short and long term a well as my body control. Balance is key in gymnastics and thus it has improved both my reflexes and hand-eye coordination.

During the practice is where I would be “missing out” on my day. As I would leave all my responsibilities at the door of my gym, they would pile onto me as I walk back out. My class would be on Mondays from 7:30-9 and when I would leave my gym, all the assignments I haven’t done would slowly appear to me. I have unpaused the game when I have paused it mid-attack from my responsibilities.  In a way I have used up an hour and a half on doing gymnastics rather than finishing up an assignment that I have procrastinated on. Most of the time, this hour off is worth every single minute as I have gone almost two hours without worrying about my schedule, assignments that need to be done, family problems that uninterested me or major events I forgot about. Everyone needs to let go of their responsibilities now and then so that tackling them again would not be as painful as before.