I want to leave my family but don't know how

[Guest]

I'm sixteen years old. I've dealt with severe emotional abuse from my mom and my brothers.

My brothers constantly point out my flaws, even when it's just over sweeping or walking into the kitchen. The one who lives with me constantly ridicules, mocks, and demeans me. Whenever I stand up to him he just mocks me even more. He also occasionally physically abuses me, hitting me with various objects, then telling me that I'm a p***y for feeling pain because of it.

My mom emotionally abuses me to the point where I'm constantly walking on tip toes around her. Nothing can be her fault ever. I'm homeschooled but she hardly ever teaches me anything. Once she gave me an algebra sheet and when I struggled with it, she yelled at me, threw the sheet away, and told me to read a book instead.

I have a job and can't trust her around my money. She's confronted me in public, with 30 minutes until the bank closed, about taking money out of my savings account because even though I had already loaned her 25 dollars she still managed to burn through it even though she hadn't bought anything for the house. I'm so paranoid about her trying to steal from me, I made a secret bank account with a friend as the signee instead.

My father died back in March, and she despite knowing about child survivor benefits, she didn't apply until November. During that time we were constantly on the verge of homelessness.

They're all everything phobic, and claim to not be while constantly uttering obvious racist/homophobic/transphobic/ableist things.

Everything has gotten to the point where it feels like I should just kill myself to get away from them. I've deeply considered going to a Safe Place, as my work is one. But I'm not sure if I would qualify enough for the state to care about me.

I just really really do not know what to do, my original plan when I was younger was to just stick it out. But their behavior keeps getting worse and I can't stick it out anymore.

[ccsmod5]

Hey there,

It sounds like things are really rough at home. We're so sorry to hear that, and we want you to know that you don't deserve to be emotionally abused by your mom and brothers.

It sounds like you want out of the house. Is it possible to move in with a relative, such as a grandparent or an aunt/uncle? You could even more away from your current area, since you are currently homeschooled by your mom and could start school somewhere else instead. It could be good for you to go to a traditional school with teachers and a classroom structure, especially since it seems like your education isn't your mom's top priority.

Otherwise, would your mom be willing to let you live with a friend for a few days each week? That way, you could at least get a frequent break from home.

If you aren't sure whether your situation constitutes abuse, you can always give us a call at 1-800-786-2929. You can also call Child Help, a national child abuse hotline, at 1-800-422-4453. That way, you can discuss your situation in more detail and ask any questions that you have.

You mentioned that sometimes you wonder whether you should kill yourself to get away from everything. Do you have a friend you trust and can talk to about those feelings? It can help a lot just to have someone to vent to. If you find yourself in a crisis and need someone to talk to right away, you can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or us at 1-800-786-2929. It may also help to see a mental health counselor. We can help you look for free or sliding scale mental health resources in your area. Just give us a call if you're interested.


Hopefully this helps. You seem like a responsible and overall wonderful kid, and you deserve all the best.

Please don't hesitate to call us at 1-800-786-2929 if you'd like to chat with us further about anything. We are 24/7, toll-free, and anonymous.


Best of luck,
NRS