RE: I see homeless people...
There is a huge reason for many people being on the streets absolutely and it's not always because they have nowhere else to go. A well known guy who acted like a tramp in one area down from where I used to live had the biggest house in the area! Another man I saw who obviously did have a mental condition and who used to just walk from one end of the shopping centre to the other end and back and forth all day long, never hurt anyone but one time pulled out a fist full of cash. A university lecturer ended up on the streets in my town too, he died under pretty strange circumstances, I actually had a drink with him one time before he was on the streets. Family is very often a reason some are on the street, they just neglect them when they don't know how to support them, just pretend they don't exist.
I have heard of people acting like tramps as undercover operatives for the police, or other, more secret entity, government; and otherwise.
Often families blame the individual for their situation; especially if they have a slow onset mental issue that causes them to become unreasonable or even violent. Sometimes families feel victimized by the person; from incidents caused by the illness or not. I knew one person who was found walking the street had hit a family member over the head with a cane while he was slowly developing dementia. A lot of people just do not know how to properly deal with such situations; it is sad really.
True, followed and upvoted. I have heard of people who live like that to write a story about it. Also here in South Africa there is this one night when CEOs sleep on the street as a sign of sympathy or whatever.
But it could just be a way of pretending to care. I mean if you really care do something about it, you know? Not necessarily by giving them money, but at least an opportunity of some kind. This sleep out thing may make things worse maybe.
I agree with you, mental illnesses are not understood by most people. And why call it mental? Is your brain not physical? You know what I mean?