Reminder: Don't mock panhandlers on the subway

[Bucky]

23. Having worked with the homeless, I think it's wrong to give them money

But that said, this is not a life lesson about not mocking panhandlers. It's a life lesson about not fucking with random strangers and not venting your personal anger on someone you don't know. Panhandlers, for whatever flaws they have, are human beings. As a rule of thumb, about nine in ten are dealing with mental disorders and/or substance abuse problems. In those cases, just handing them money simply pushes them a little further along into self destructive behavior. At the shelter I worked at, we advised people: Give them crackers, give them an apple, or give them a flyer to a homeless shelter program, but don't give them money.

A large number of those with mental disorders are under prescription for regulatory meds, like psychotropics, that have been misprescribed by an overwhelmed public mental health system that lacks to resources & personnel to really treat every patient the way they need it. Such people often fail to properly take their meds in the right routine and then end up self medicating with street drugs, cheaper the better, with the dollars and change they've been handed. It's heartbreaking to work with this population because there's just so much pain and misdirected efforts at dealing with it out on our streets.

If you're inclined to hand things to panhandlers, I recommend carrying a few health bars or granola bars in your pockets to hand over. They can't sell that for rock or a bottle of Mad Dog. For those really seeking daily sustenance, this is what they need.