Causes of youth homelessness – mental health

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There are many causes of youth homelessness including family breakdown and bereavement. The top three causes of youth homelessness are generally considered to be:

  • Family and domestic violence
  • Housing crisis
  • Relationship/family breakdown

There are multiple others causes which are often correlative. They happen together or one causes the other or they’re bi-directional.

  • Exiting out-of-home care
  • Mental illness
  • Trauma – such as abuse, addiction or neglect
  • Addiction
  • Lack of housing
  • Unemployment

In the case of mental health, there are strong links between homelessness and the exacerbation of mental health issues, additionally mental illness can also increase the risk of homelessness.

The Mission Australia Youth Survey 2022 found:

  • 27.7% said mental health challenges including: low mental health, stress, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or self-harm.
  • 19.7% said relationship challenges, death, abuse, challenging relationships with family, friends or significant others.
  • 28.8% had high psychological distress, 23.5% felt lonely all or most of the time, 44.0% were extremely or very concerned about coping with stress. Males had higher levels of self-reported wellbeing, followed by females with gender diverse young people having the lowest at just 12.5%.
  • 53.4% have needed help with mental health challenges, with the top barrier to seeking help being feeling stigma or shame. Read more.

I could talk to my parents about it but I am afraid of how they will react. Female, 15 VIC

Youth support services Inner West Sydney

Youth homelessness and mental health

Young people who experience homelessness are more likely to experience mental ill-health than those in stable housing.

It has been estimated that the prevalence of mental ill-health is at least 300 to 400 per cent higher among people experiencing homelessness when compared to people in stable housing.

Oyrgen’s Youth Homelessness and Mental Health report

In addition to the increased prevalence of mental ill-health among young people experiencing homelessness, it has also been shown that homelessness can increase the severity of mental ill-health. Research has found elevated levels of psychosis, anxiety, depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and alcohol and other drug use among people who are homeless.(31) As many as 90 per cent of young people experiencing homelessness have been estimated to meet criteria for diagnosis of at least one mental disorder.(32) Young people experiencing homelessness are also at elevated risk for suicidal ideation (40 to 80 per cent) and suicide attempts (23 to 67 per cent).

Oyrgen’s Youth Homelessness and Mental Health report

What is needed?

We understand far more than we ever did before about mental health and illness. Help is available but we still have a way to go to address both youth homelessness and youth mental health.

We need:

  • Low cost housing
  • Prevention and early intervention
  • Outreach and support
  • Effective programs

Further help:

In an emergency, call 000

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