A very visible invisible: A case of a homeless person with Paranoid Psychosis

Abstract

The phenomenon of homelessness represents a complex challenge for mental health services. Life on the streets is often the outcome of trajectories that lead to a paradoxical condition where social invisibility becomes a tool for symptomatic visibility.
This paper presents the clinical case of A., a 60-year-old man who lived on the streets of Rome for years in a state of severe isolation and degradation, with a diagnosis of Paranoid Psychosis. The integrated, multidisciplinary intervention model implemented by the Presidio Psico Sociale Area 95 is described. This model is focused on establishing a strong network among third-sector services, Community Mental Health Centers (CSM), and informal resources (family, friends), highlighting how a synergistic network approach can promote a gradual recovery of healthy parts of the personality and reintegration into the social fabric, even in situations of severe mental illness and social marginality.