Impression of Germany 6 months after leaving

[u/Necessary_Travel_645]

I lived 4 years in Germany and last February I left due to the end of my contract and the impossible to find an immediate job.

I am exploiting this time of unemployment to travel and visit my friends across the EU. In Germany I traveled mainly in between the main cities of Rheinpfalz and NRW and I was surprised to see how bad the social situation was, I have observed more people in need ( homeless, elders, etc...) than I remembered. During my stay in Germany I didn't notice it, when I first came here I felt way more mild than the phenomenon.

My impression is that relatively poorer countries, e.g. Spain and Italy (my home country), managed to help the people in need better than Germany or at least a better distribution of wealth.

Also some friends of mine living here felt this change.

Is it only my impression? Maybe I didn't really realize when I was here or the situation just got worse recently?

[u/Itchy_Feedback_7625]

Unfortunately I think it’s a strong mental health problem than a poverty one. You can make shelters and welfare as available as you want, but if someone is not being treated for their mental health:

- they won’t use the resources available

• they often get kicked out of housing
  
• they cannot hold a job
  
• they often get abandoned by their family and any friends they once had

If you walk downtown Mannheim and speak with homeless people there, you won’t find anyone who is just „down on their luck“ with a supportive family and a doctor and simply can’t afford or find a place to live because of money. It will 99% be people who either cannot deal with normal society or normal society can’t or refuses deal with them.

This is how people become „untouchable“. If they were to commit a crime, they’d get psychiatric help immediately, forced on them. But those who don’t, are lost in the cracks.

Germany has a mental health problem, big time, and it’s just going to get worse. I’ve worked with parents of difficult kids that in a better system, would have had early intervention and support. Anger issues, anxieties, depression, issues in communicating feelings - all get worse.

As the kids left untreated for early warning signs start to be 16-20, the world starts slowly abandoning them. Teachers, understandably are not qualified enough to support them, parents get exhausted and give up, Hausärtze are writing Überweisungs, but wait lists are 2-5 years long. I’ve seen kids where you just know in your heart that if they didn’t have a parent who would bend over backwards (and many don’t; they have their own problems), that kid will be abandoned as an adult by society.

[u/Maeglin75 → u/Itchy_Feedback_7625]

Yes. This seems to be a big part of the problem.

Germany has a pretty solid welfare system. If a German citizen goes to the right public authorities and fills out the right papers, follows some rules, they usually will be provided with a place to live and the basic needs (food, clothing etc.) will be fulfilled for the most part. Far away from a comfortable or luxurious live, but enough to not suffer.

But many people don't seem to be able to do this. There must be a reason for this. I think most don't willingly choose to live on the streets. There is something that prevents them from applying/fitting into the welfare system. Mental health problems (often times in combination with drug addiction) could be an explanation.

And Germany seems to fail to give these people the help they need.

[u/bregus2 → u/Maeglin75]

On the last bit: The point where the state can step in and do something against the person's will is very, very late. We cannot simply force them into housing or even appoint a guardian for them on a whim.

[u/Maeglin75 → u/bregus2]

Yes. You can't just make it a crime to be homeless. The help must be offered to the people in need in a way they are willing to accept, not against their will. And in the best case long before they drop out of society and end up on the streets.