Some folks do not need much social contact, and that's fine. But, most people are social creatures and being on the street can lead to extreme social isolation. Most folks on the street do not have jobs to give them regular contact with others, both in sense of frequent contact and in the sense of normal contact. Homeless individuals tend to lack the resources and social contacts necessary for other avenues to get social contact, like hobbies, and homelessness is stigmatizing such that many people simply do not want contact with homeless individuals.
So how do you get some your need for social contact met in spite of all those obstacles? One way is by participating in online forums. You can get online via a public computer at a library, or a tablet, smart phone, or laptop.
Because I am medically handicapped, I have long used online forums as a means to meet a lot of my social needs. After I went homeless, I was open about that online in a forum I already to which I already belonged and was an active participant. There were benefits to doing that, but there have also been downsides. There is a lot of classicism and plenty of people are clearly dismissive of my ideas simply because I currently am on the street, never mind what relevant past experiences and education I bring to the table.
So I will suggest that you consider trying out anonymous handles, not associated with your real world identity or general online presence and maybe test which method works for you. See whether being open about your situation feels like a good thing or a bad thing and see whether trying to appear "normal" works better for you.
I have one foot in the camp of "people can't really understand me if they don't know where I am coming from" and one foot in the camp of "Maybe I was dumb to be open about my situation. I get a helluva lot of flack for it from judgy, classist, unhelpful people. Maybe my life would be better if I had managed to sidestep that crap." I think it is kind of too late for me to do it differently. I have multiple websites, including this one, and I don't see how I could put the cat back in the bag. But presumably most homeless individuals have some leeway and can test the waters out to see which method works best for them.
Regardless of which method you use, it can be a real sanity saver to be able to talk with people online. I am on the street with my two adult sons and I still need more of a social network than that. A lot of people are on the street alone and are even more isolated. Don't let your isolation drive you nuts. Find ways to get some of your needs for social contact met. It can help you maintain your sanity and help you start resolving your problems so you can eventually create a future of your choosing.
So how do you get some your need for social contact met in spite of all those obstacles? One way is by participating in online forums. You can get online via a public computer at a library, or a tablet, smart phone, or laptop.
Because I am medically handicapped, I have long used online forums as a means to meet a lot of my social needs. After I went homeless, I was open about that online in a forum I already to which I already belonged and was an active participant. There were benefits to doing that, but there have also been downsides. There is a lot of classicism and plenty of people are clearly dismissive of my ideas simply because I currently am on the street, never mind what relevant past experiences and education I bring to the table.
So I will suggest that you consider trying out anonymous handles, not associated with your real world identity or general online presence and maybe test which method works for you. See whether being open about your situation feels like a good thing or a bad thing and see whether trying to appear "normal" works better for you.
I have one foot in the camp of "people can't really understand me if they don't know where I am coming from" and one foot in the camp of "Maybe I was dumb to be open about my situation. I get a helluva lot of flack for it from judgy, classist, unhelpful people. Maybe my life would be better if I had managed to sidestep that crap." I think it is kind of too late for me to do it differently. I have multiple websites, including this one, and I don't see how I could put the cat back in the bag. But presumably most homeless individuals have some leeway and can test the waters out to see which method works best for them.
Regardless of which method you use, it can be a real sanity saver to be able to talk with people online. I am on the street with my two adult sons and I still need more of a social network than that. A lot of people are on the street alone and are even more isolated. Don't let your isolation drive you nuts. Find ways to get some of your needs for social contact met. It can help you maintain your sanity and help you start resolving your problems so you can eventually create a future of your choosing.