Transitions through homelessness, substance use, and the effect of material marginalization and psychological trauma

Abstract

Twenty-eight people who were or recently had been homeless took part in a longitudinal qualitative study of their transitions through homelessness. Substance use (both alcohol and drugs) was a key factor precipitating and exacerbating the informant's homelessness and marginality. The reason given for this substance use could be identified as (1) a form of escape from the material reality of marginalization and isolation they were experiencing; (2) as a form of assimilation to the environment and social networks they had; or (3) as a means to cope with prior trauma in their lives, psychologically. The informants were being assisted to manage substance use through dedicated welfare services, and nineteen were housed at the end of the research. However, the key finding was that, even once housed, problematic substance use usually continued. They remained marginalized, isolated, and unable to reconcile the trauma they had previously experienced, with their lives now. Fundamental political and social change that act to address this isolation, marginalization and psychological disaffection have to occur if the individually experienced problems that underpin problematic substance use and lead to outcomes such as homelessness in the lives of those with few material resources is ever to be tackled.

Notes

Notes

[1]  The APA (2000) definition of ‘trauma’ (that a person has experienced, witnessed or been confronted with an event involving actual or threatened death or serious injury, or threat to physical integrity of self or others) is how trauma is understood here.