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Heather Best

SPCH 3320

Prof McIntyre

February 25, 2017

Untreated Mental Illness and Homelessness

Introduction
I. Attention Getter: There are roughly 25 people in this room tonight.
According to Dr. Joel Young in 2015 from Psychology
Today, about a quarter of the population will
face a mental health issue in any given year. With more
than half of all mental illnesses left totally untreated. That means that
around 6 of us could face a mental health issue
this year and less than 3 of us would seek treatment
for it.

II. Audience Connection: Whether it is a family member, friend, co-

worker, or ourselves, we have all met and
interacted with people who suffer with mental illness.

III. Speaker Credibility: Ive spent the last 2 decades of my life reading
about depression and bipolar disorder. My family has a
history of it and Ive seen the consequences
of untreated mental illness firsthand

IV. Thesis Statement: Today, I want to talk to you about how untreated
mental illness is a root cause of homelessness.

V. Preview: I want to tell you about why mental illness goes untreated and
then Id like to share the reasons it causes homelessness.

Transition: First, why does mental illness go untreated.

I. Main Point (Cause): There are 3 main reasons for untreated mental

illness: stigma, poverty, and lack of support.

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A. Supporting Claim 1: People who face a mental health issue often

feel stigmatized by the way their mental disorders are portrayed in this

country.

1. Evidence: (Oral Citation) in 2014, Patrick Corrigan, writing for

Psychological Science said, From a public standpoint, stereotypes

depicting people with mental illness as being dangerous,

unpredictable, responsible for their illness, or generally incompetent

can lead to active discrimination, such as excluding people with these

conditions from employment and social or educational opportunities

(PATRICK W. CORRIGAN B. G., 2014).

B. Supporting Claim 2: A second reason that keeps people from

receiving treatment is poverty.

1. Evidence: (Oral Citation) Daniel Freeman wrote in 2014

about what he called the scandal that is the lack of

importance our society places on mental health. He ask,

would we tolerate a situation in which the majority of those suffering

from diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis were left to fend

for themselves, or asked to make do with inferior

therapies? (Freeman, 2014)

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2. Interpretation of evidence: When it comes to mental

health, the costs are prohibitive and only those with

suitable income or insurance are able to access the kinds of

treatments that are effective and long-term.

C. Supporting Claim 3: Lack of support systems are a third reason

that mental illness goes untreated.

1. Evidence: (Oral Citation): According to the book, Health

Problems of Homeless People from 1988, As mentally ill

people's disabilities worsen, their ability to cope with their

surroundingsor the ability of those around them to cope with

their behaviorbecomes severely strained (Health Problems of

Homeless People, 1988).

2. Interpretation of evidence: Family members may ask

questions like why are you feeling depressed. Sometimes

the person cannot articulate the change in their moods or

cant find the willpower to want to do things they used to enjoy.

Often, this can lead to a break-down in a relationship as the

family member feels like the person they love is

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withdrawing or changing and the person facing the mental

health crisis feels misunderstood and isolated.

Transition: Having told you about why mental illness goes untreated, next I

want to talk to you about how it leads to homelessness.

II. Main Point (effect): Dr. Young cites in 2015 that one out of every three
who find themselves homeless do so because of an untreated mental illness
that makes it difficult to meet the demands of daily life. (M.D. J. L., 2015)

A. Supporting Claim 1: When people cant meet their everyday

demands, this makes small, resolvable issues seem insurmountable until
they find themselves spiraling down without the treatment that
would help them gain their footing again.

1. Evidence: (Oral Citation): According to Esther Entin in The

Atlantic in 2011, When people are mentally ill, they are at
increased risk of becoming and/or staying poor. They have
higher health costs, difficulty getting and retaining jobs, are
less productive at work, and suffer the social stigma and isolation of mental
illness (Entin, 2011).

B. Supporting Claim 2: Untreated mental illness causes job

instability and stunts career growth.

1. Evidence: (Oral Citation): Quoting Dr. Young again from

2015 Mental illness makes it difficult to cope with the
demands of daily life. Whether it's struggling to get out of bed
for work because of depression, or experiencing
communication difficulties, the longer mental illness is left untreated,
the more likely it is to interfere with your ability to do your job
and effectively interact with others. This can lead to financial
troubles, job loss, and potentially even homelessness (M.D. J.
L., 2015).

C. Supporting Claim 3: People with untreated mental illness are

often victimized, deal with substance abuse problems, or may make risky
decisions because they arent thinking clearly.

1. Evidence: (Oral Citation): Because of untreated mental

illness, many people put themselves in risky and dangerous
situations that lead to victimization. This can further the mental
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illness as it may bring on PTSD, depression , and anxiety.

Also, risky behavior brought on by untreated mental illness can cause
people to have marks against them such as prior convictions or
drug charges. This makes getting a job or an education
harder.

Transition: I have discussed why mental illness goes untreated and how it
leads to homelessness.

Conclusion

I. Thesis Restatement: In conclusion, untreated mental illness is the cause

behind one-third of those who find themselves
homeless.
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References
Bebout, R. R. (2016, May 20). Solve Homelessness by Addressing Its Root Causes.

Retrieved from Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/solve-homelessness-by-

addressing-its-root-causes/2016/05/20/748d097e-1137-11e6-81b4-

581a5c4c42df_story.html?utm_term=.d399db539af6

Entin, E. (2011, October 26). Poverty and Mental Health: Can the 2 Way Connection

be Broken. Retrieved from The Atlantic:

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/10/poverty-and-mental-

health-can-the-2-way-connection-be-broken/247275/

Freeman, D. F. (2014, July 1). The scandal of common mental illnesses left

untreated. Retrieved from The Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/jul/01/mental-illnesses-

untreated-thrive-psychological-therapies

Health Problems of Homeless People. (1988). In C. o. People, Homelessness, Health,

and Human Needs (pp. 39-75). Washington D.C.: National Academies Press.

How Many People With Serious Mental Illness are Homeless. (2014, July 25).

Retrieved from Treatment Advocacy Center:

http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/fixing-the-system/features-and-

news/2596-how-many-people-with-serious-mental-illness-are-homeless

Jervis, R. (n.d.). Mental Disorders Keep Thousands of Homeless on the Streets.

Retrieved from USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/27/mental-health-

homeless-series/14255283/
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M.D., J. L. (2015, December 30). Untreated Mental Illness. Retrieved from

Psychology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/when-your-adult-

child-breaks-your-heart/201512/untreated-mental-illness

Mental Illness and the Family: Recognizing Warning Signs and How to Cope. (n.d.).

Retrieved from Mental Health America:

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/recognizing-warning-signs

Must End Stigma To Control Spiraling Costs Of Mental Illness. (2016, October 12).

Retrieved from Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/opinion/editorials/hc-ed-mental-illness-costliest-

disease-in-world-20161011-story.html

PATRICK W. CORRIGAN, B. G. (2014, August 1). The Impact of Mental Illness Stigma

on Seeking and Participating in Mental Health Care. Retrieved from

Association for Psychological Science:

http://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/mental-illness-

stigma.html#.WKJdNfkrLIV