What is poverty? First and foremost, poverty is the lack of resources or information that can promote a person's well-being. Due to the lack of such resources, poverty can diminish the value of a person's life. It is common in the world and indeed in most people's lives. It is estimated that nearly half the world's population – more than 3 billion people – live on less than $2.50 a day (“11 Facts about Global Poverty”). Poverty is one of the main causes of human regression in life. Poverty is also a silent killer in the modern world. “Up to two-thirds of people living with HIV/AIDS suffer from depression, while rates of mental disability among homeless people can be above 50%, yet their mental health needs are generally unaddressed.” (“Mental health, poverty and development”). Poverty can affect us at different levels in our daily lives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay There are three types of poverty in this world. There is mental poverty, spiritual poverty and physical poverty. Most people in the world today live in poverty. They lack the resources they need to progress mentally, spiritually and physically. Let's start by defining each type to better understand their prevalence in the world. First, mental poverty occurs when a person is not mentally equipped to handle the stresses of life. They are unable to function adequately in their daily lives because they have not adequately addressed their internal thoughts and emotions. Sometimes this happens due to poor upbringing in childhood or due to a significant event that occurred during a sensitive time in a person's life and had immense effects on their mental well-being. Sometimes the result is that the person experiences post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as post-traumatic stress disorder. Secondly, spiritual poverty is when the connection to a purpose greater than the person's self in life is lacking. This happens when the person is unaware of their purpose in life and the value of contributing to things greater than themselves. At this point the person is concentrated and believes only what he can perceive with his physical eyes. In this condition the person opens up to metaphysical ideas such as heaven and hell, reincarnation or past lives. They do not consider ideas that seem strange or alien to their normal way of thinking and perceiving the world. The Bible states: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (KJV, Matt. 1.4). We can translate this verse to mean that those who consider themselves poor in spirit are not very proud but are humble and desire to grow spiritually. Third, physical poverty is the lack of physical materials that provide a person with the resources to survive. For example, access to food, shelter, and water is necessary for the survival of humans. This can lead a person to starvation, dehydration and death/illness due to environmental circumstances. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay So, because poverty affects people on three levels, mental, spiritual, and physical, it can act as a barrier between people and their needs and desires. To prepare against poverty we must first educate ourselves on what it is and how it affects our planet every day. The future for most people in developing countries looks bland if the world continues to follow the same current trends. We have to start.