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Poverty In The United States

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Poverty has caused affliction for the individuals who can’t get a job or can’t pay for their needs on minimum wage. The adversity has made many people have to live on the streets, on someone's couch, or in an unspeakable apartment with no heat or electricity. Poverty is not the stereotype of drugs and alcohol abuse; it is an indescribable hardship that has taken over the lives of many people in America today. When some people think of poverty, they instantly think of drugs and alcohol. A lot of people who live in poverty do have a problem. They get ahold of whatever they can. They buy single cigarettes on the street and get whatever alcohol they can get their hands on. The drugs and alcohol can cause them to hurt themselves or cause them …show more content…

They may be addicted to substances, but it is what helps them get through the day. Smoking a cigarette helps them stay calm and prevent them from losing their temper and hurting someone. Smoking also helps there hunger fade away. They can not always afford to buy a whole meal, but they can buy singles that other people sell on the street cheaper than they can get food. To some who are not in a homeless person's situation, smoking or drinking is a bad thing, but for them it poses as a whole different reason. Children that grow up in poverty may fall behind in school. Living in poverty hurts their brain development and causes them to fall behind all of the other kids. According to research children who grow up in poverty have “less gray matter” in their brains. Gray matter is a type of brain tissue that helps them learn. Living in poverty makes it hard for the brain to “cope” causing less gray matter to be produced. Although some children who live in poverty try to succeed, some don’t try at all. Not trying makes the gray matter lessen. The less gray matter the harder academics gets for them. Most drop out and causes them to be in the same situation for the rest of their

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