I'm 12 and I want to run Away.

[Guest]

I’m 11 and I want to runaway.

Im 11 years old and I want to runaway. I’ve planned it out, thought about it. My parents have been so against me lately. I just want to be free, free from rules and feeling like I’m always being nagged on. I have 0 privacy and my mom used to be on my side but now I feel like they’re are closing me into a corner. I also feel my life is boring and I feel useless. I am constantly getting grounded for expressing my feelings. I understand that when I do I get emotional and start to raise my voice and I feel my parents just don’t understand. I feel trapped in and I want to runaway. But, I’m scared of doing it by myself. I don’t want to face robbers and criminals. I want to do it with more people. Having another person with me would be great, but I can’t talk to my best friend about it because I’m grounded so I have no source of reaching her. What I would dream of is more that just another person, more like a group of people. Like a “gang.” I just want to be free and want to find myself, and I can’t do that when I’m just constantly being put in a cage like a bird and the owner will never let it out anymore. I’m ready to just leave, be free..

[ccsmod15]

Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out to NRS, it seems like you are going through a tough time at home and feeling as if you aren’t getting the support from your family that you want and feel trapped because of it. It’s understandable to feel like leaving is an option, we just want to make sure that you can stay safe and have all your options presented before you come to a decision.
If you were to leave now before turning 18 in most states, your parents would probably file a runaway report. This is a status offence and the police would try to find you and bring you back home. Those you stay with could potentially also be charged with harboring a runaway.
It is understandable as well that you feel like a group would be helpful, often times shelters have case management resources to help you keep going to school or to get a job etc. We generally don’t recommend finding strangers on the internet to go with/to as this has high potential for human trafficking and you could end up in a much worse situation than before. If you want help finding a safe place to go for support we have a national list of shelters and street outreach to help you find somewhere safe.
There may be other options to look into at home as well. If you feel like your parents are starting to neglect or abuse you there is childhelp.org. It seems like with that much oppression of yourself that depression could come up as well. For more information on mental health there is nami.org to learn more about mental health and ways to cope.
Hopefully this information is useful for you, it seems like a really hard situation to be in and we want you to know that we are here to support you and find resources for you. If you have more questions please reach out to our hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat with us through our website.

[Guest]

I’m 12, and I’m considering running away from home.

I’ve had this thought for some time now, and I don’t know if I should really do it. Im overwhelmed by the amount of homework I get (especially during the pandemic) and my mom is just pressuring me. I have serious anxiety. I try to say stuff to her and she just won’t even try to understand what I’m talking about. Sometimes at night I lay in my bed and think, “ Why am I here? I don’t deserve this.” I don’t know what I would do or where I would go. I would miss my dog and my brother. I’m just so terrified about what could happen. I’m scared about asking my friends because I’m too shy. I just really want to leave. It would be especially hard for me because I’m a type 1 diabetic. I would have to stay with someone who understands. Most of my friends parents are divorced so it would be hard for me to stay with them. And others I know would just tell my parents right away. And if that happens, I will get beat up about it. I really need someone who will understand where I’m coming from.

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. It sounds like you are under a lot of stress from homework, your anxiety, your mom putting pressure on you, and even the pandemic. It is a lot for you to deal with and it is understandable that you would like to be away from it.

Running away is a really big step, especially with your age and your health concerns, so maybe there are other ways to find help. We understand that right now the usual avenues aren’t available, like sleepovers with friend and simply going to school. Maybe you can talk to your teacher and let them know how you are feeling. Everything you are experiencing is real and valid, and letting your teacher know that your homework is overwhelming will allow them to help you.
You can also ask your teacher and google search for homework strategies which might offer help in organizing and managing homework.



The best way for us to help you is to reach out to us by phone or chat so that we can talk this over with you. Either call 1800-786-2929 or chat via www.1800runaway.org We are here for you to listen and help.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

im 12 years old im trying to run away my mom punches me makes big brusies on my face makes my lips bleed im wanna be adopted by my friend alex he said he will talk to his mom about it my mom hit me in the head with her bald up fist now im feel dizzy she push me on the floor and i feel dizzy i have a head ache i really need a new family my dad and my mom abuses me i hope my friends parents will adopt me my friends mom is a teacher so i will be succesfull with better grade because my friend will be my brother and we can help each other with homework and i will love my new family it will make me happy my other friend brandon actually sent me his address and i can go there but i rather go to my best friends house alex he the best friend i had in the world

[ccsmod16]

Hi, thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. We want you to know that we believe you when you say that your mom punches you on your face leaving big bruises and making your lips bleed and leaving you feeling dizzy.
You do not deserve to be treated this way. You haven’t done anything wrong and you do not deserve to be abused by your mom and dad.

We are very glad that you have such a good friend and that you want to live with him. The best part of this relationship is Alex’s mom being a teacher. You can tell her and show her what has been happening to you and she can make an abuse report with your state’s child protective service. This is the important part about getting help to you. You deserve to be helped and you deserve to be safe. If you don’t want to talk to Alex’s mom, you can reach out to www.childhelp.org at 1-800-422-4453 and they can help you to make a report. Also, if you have those bruises right now, you can call 911 for immediate help.

You can also reach out to us by phone or chat so that we can talk this over. That is the best way that we can help. Either call 1800-786-2929 or chat via www.1800runaway.org We are here for you to listen and help.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I'm 12 and I want to run away.

I live in a foster care system and I want to leave the system they are not even trying to have me and my sisters go back with my mom thats why I want to leave I have a 2 year old sis and she is living with me. My other sis is in a group home she has been abuse by a lot of group homes but she is in a safer home I am planning to go to my grandma's.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you are unhappy living in foster care and thinking about running away. We are glad to hear that your sister is in a safer place.

It sounds like you would like to go stay with your grandmother and while we can try to understand it might help to talk more about your situation.

NRs is here to listen and here to help.
We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email or bulletin for assistance. If you would like to talk more in detail and share more about how we can help specifically, please call or chat soon.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to or seek emergency assistance immediately.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm a 12 yr. old girl who just wants to see her mom and maybe get a little bit of attention. I am living with my aunt and uncle, but it's not working out so well. Their children hit me, scold me, insult me, and so on and so on. plz, help me.

[ccsmod15]

Hey there,
Thanks for reaching out to NRS, it seems like you are being bullied by your aunt and uncle’s children while you are living with them. They shouldn’t be able to get away with hitting you and making your life miserable like that when you are living there.
Without knowing the full circumstances it’s hard to suggest options to be able to see your mom. As for getting attention and feeling supported there may be some suggestions we can make.
It may be worth talking to your aunt and uncle about how you feel picked on by their biological kids. It’s understandable to feel lonely in a new place where you don’t have your mom around, but your aunt and uncle may not even realize something is wrong.
Another option might be relying on friends or other things that you can do to feel less isolated and lonely there. There might be clubs or sports or school activities that could make you feel more at home and help you avoid being around your cousins that pick on you.
Hopefully these suggestions help. If you have more questions or want to share more of what is happening so we can try and provide more help please contact out hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY, or us our online chat feature.

[Guest]

Hi, I’m almost thirteen and currently living in Missouri. I don’t think what my parents are doing is abusive but I’m deadly scared of them. They almost only give me negative attention and I can’t stand my mother. I really don’t think people think I have a reason to be all upset but I’m really hating life right now. I have severe anxiety and have self diagnosed myself with depression. I have committed self harm and this has been going on for about 9 months now. I would like to live with my grandparents in Iowa but I don’t think that’s legal. Please help me.

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We’re sorry to hear that you feel scared in your current living situation. Everyone deserves to feel loved and safe in their own home and you are no exception. Handling that type of situation on top of the mental health issues that you’re struggling with must be extremely difficult and we would be happy to help in any way that we can.

If you have not reached out to your grandparents, it might be a good idea to talk to them about the potential idea of you staying with them. It might be easier for us to help you figure out what to do if we knew a little bit more about your situation. If you would like to talk more about what is going on and what options you might have, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I'm 12 and I want to run away from home, my dad kinda likes me but my brother's and my Mom mostly hate me, I don't have access to a phone and because of the virus I can't tell my dad to come get me, there's no physical issues at home just a lot of screaming and yelling everyday, I don't have any friends that would run with me, I don't have much money or a way to get any, I have discord and my friend on there lives like two hours from me but walking there would take at least 15 hours and I probably wouldn't survive plus he's 17 and will probably leave for college soon, what on earth do I do?

[ccsmod16]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. We are very sorry to hear how stressful it is at home for you with feeling like your mom and brothers mostly hate you. It is understandable that running away sounds better.

We understand that now with the virus, you can’t see your dad, and that it is very stressful with everyone being at home together. We would like to help you with this problem, but in a way that we can talk with you. We hope that you will access our live chat at www.1800runaway.org We are here to listen and help and help you figure out your options.

You mention in this post that you don’t have anyone to run away with, and we saw the other post that you commented on about meeting someone that posted on our forum. We deleted that because we must keep you safe from meeting strangers on the internet. It sounds like you have a 17 year old friend you met on Discord and lives a 15 hour walk away. It is very dangerous for you to meet up with people that come from the internet. They may not be who they say they are and can be people that want to hurt you because of their own nasty reasons.

We hope that you might reach out to us by phone or chat so that we can help you figure out how you want to handle this situation. The best way for us to help you is by listening to you and helping you figure out your options. We are here for you 24/7 either by calling 1-800-786-2929 or via live chat through www.1800runaway.org

We really hope to hear from you so that we can talk this over. We are confidential and are here 24/7 to listen and help.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 12 yrs old.yes I have a good family but I got into trouble and major things but one time i got in to extreme trouble and its like after that , I feel like my family hates me. my mom told me on how she wish I wasn't born and I thought she was angry but she told me she dont f***ing regreat it at all.plus our step mom is like a demon . she picks on us whenever she feels like it. she calls us a**hole,sons of b***hes and more. and its not like I could say anything because she is protected by our mom . so she has the upper hand. nobody besides my brothers understands me.I need money and shelter because I was thinking about it. please tell me where to hide. i feel crazy with her watching me.

[ccsmod1]

Hey there,

Thanks so much for reaching out and sharing a little bit about what’s been going on, we know that it takes a lot of courage. It must be really hard to live in a home with so much tension. You and your brothers should not be treated like that. Everyone deserves to be respected and safe at home. Running away is a big decision and it can be very stressful to figure out what you want to do.

It’s important to consider all the possibilities that can occur if you leave home. You will need to plan out how you will cover basic necessities like travel, food, clothing, etc. If you have a place to go in mind, it’s good to see what the expectations of the living arrangement will be like; rules, the amount of time you’re allowed to stay, if you’re expected to contribute financially, etc. Living on your own can also bring about many safety risks. You will need to consider ways that you can protect yourself from physical harm as well as the possibility of sexual and labor exploitation. This can all influence your decision to leave.

It seems like your mom and stepmom don’t fully understand the impact of their words. It could be a good idea to work with a local family counselor or have a conversation mediated by a school counselor/social worker, trusted friend, or family member to help clear the air. If you'd like, you can also call us directly and we can conduct a conference call with your mom and stepmom so you have a safe environment where you can express yourself.

If you’d like to go over what’s going on in depth, or if you’d like to explore other options that you may have available to you, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat us by clicking on the “CHAT” button on top of our homepage. We’re open 24/7 and here to listen and support you in any way we can.

We'd love to hear from you about your experience using our crisis forum. Your feedback plays an important role in helping us improve our services to support youth and families. Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

Stay safe,
NRS

[Guest]

i'm 12 and i feel like running away because of my stepfather. I talk English and Spanish, but i am not really good at specking Spanish and because of that i get into lots of trouble with my stepfather. When i do something that i am not supposed to he calls me useless (in Spanish) and he calls me other things. I feel like that I can runaway from home and go with my dad, but i also can't because i love my mom and my siblings but everyday is the same and i will always get in trouble. What should I do? please help.

[ccsmod15]

Thanks for reaching out to NRS,
That seems like a really frustrating situation to have to be on eggshells with our stepfather, then be called names in Spanish by him. It’s understandable to feel like getting into a more supportive situation if you can. It also makes sense to want to stay for the support from your mom and siblings whom you seem to really care about.
In the end the decision will be yours, we don’t know your situation as well as you do. Just because you go to your dads’ house wouldn’t mean you have to stop contact with your mom and other siblings. If your dad has at least partial custody of you then it shouldn’t be much of a legal problem with staying with him. Otherwise if your mom has full custody then she could file a runaway report even if you are with family. This would mean police would bring you back to her house.
The other option might be to talk to your family and explain how hurtful your stepfather is being. They might have ideas on how they can be more supportive, or help you and your stepdad work on how he treats you. It might be possible to try and involve a family counselor in the situation to help mitigate any shouting matches.
We hope these ideas are helpful. You deserve to have a safe and supporting household to stay in and feel comfortable at home. If you have more questions or just need someone to talk with please reach out to our hotline at 1-800-RUNAWAY or us our online chat.

[Guest]

Im 11 and going to be 12 may 23rd my sister is bullying me and i have been diagnosed with depression i want to run away and get away from all this stress ive ran away 4 other times and i have been in a police car they said next time i get the cops called on i have to go to jail im sad and i need you guys to help me i feel like no one loves me except my gf please help

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. It sounds like things have been very difficult and stressful for you having your sister bully you and now you have been diagnosed with depression. You don’t deserve to have been treated this way and we are sorry you’ve had to go through this. It isn’t right and it isn’t fair.

It is understandable that you feel like running away from this situation is the only way to handle it, but we hope you’ll reach out to us by phone or chat to talk this over and help you find some other options. Because you’ve runaway 4 times before, there may be consequences to doing so again. If your are considered a chronic runway, that can be serious. Running away at any age is very dangerous, and especially at your age, which is why the police bring you home. We want to help you find a different solution because running away doesn’t look like it’s worked before and might be making things worse.

The best way for us to help you is by listening to you and helping you to figure some options to help in your situation. We are here for you or the youth 24/7 either by calling 1-800-786-2929 or via live chat through www.1800runaway.org

We are confidential and are here 24/7 to listen and help.
Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 1 and want to runaway...
my parents dont support me in anything and if i get something wrong they start to scream and shout at me, it scares me. I also have depression and anxiety but they dont know about that cause every time i try to tell them they laugh and say to stop messing around.

what do i do???

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,
Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are going through a really difficult time right now, and we want you to know that you are not alone.
It must be hard to not have your parents support you in anything you do. Something to consider may be to find your support system in other ways. For example, talking to your other family members or friends for support. You can also reach out to us for support, we are here 24/7. Having depression and anxiety can be difficult to deal with alone and you do not have to. One option you can consider is talking with a school counselor about what is going on. Also you can contact NAMI (national alliance for mental illnesses). They can be reached at 1800-950-NAMI, they may be able to offer resources or referrals.
We know you mentioned wanting to runaway we are not legal experts but we do have some information. If you were to leave home without permission your legal guardian could file a runaway report. If the police were to find you they most likely would bring you back home. You could consider seeing if you could stay with a friend or a family member.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to explore options please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support. Best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Hi. My parents abuze me and hurt me andcall me names and think im ugly. Pls help.

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. You may also be able to report any mistreatment to CPS. Child Help USA 1-800-422-4453 www.childhelp.org is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation. If you ever need assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report please call is at 1-800-RUNAWAY.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. You are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
If you would like to talk more in detail please chat soon through our website www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in. We unfortunately cannot give advice as we are non-directive. You know your situation best
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

People tell me since I’m so young and stuff I shouldn’t think about this type of stuff but I’ve wanted to runaway for a long time. I’m in 6th and I’ve been having suicidal thoughts and have wanted to run away since 2nd grade. My dad can be really mean and he corners me and grabbed me by the neck, I mean it’s nothing compared to the stuff other people are dealing with and I know I should just be happy like everyone says. I also have anxiety and have had on and off depression over the years. I just need someone to tell me what to do and how to feel.

[ccsmod0]

Hi there,
Thank you for writing to us here at National Runaway Safeline (NRS). We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now. It sounds like you’re fearing that the situation may end in suicide if things don’t change. Your safety and well-being is important. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255); www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org is also a great resource to reach out to in addition to our crisis services.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe and stay strong,
NRS

Please click the link below to fill out our survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/we_care_what_you_think

[Guest]

I'm 12 and I want to run away form home because of major depression and anxiety, my parents mainly my mom is always judging the way I am and says I'm not trustworthy, although I don't lie I used to as a child, I dont feel safe at home anymore because I feel like they have eyes on me and I cant be alone, I'm scared.

[ccsmod4]

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We would like to be of assistance to you if we can. It is times like these that would be nice to have a listening ear. Good for you. What you have been experiencing sounds very unfair. You do not deserve to be treated this way by your parents. It’s not your fault that they behave this way. It sounds like you are going through a lot emotionally. Your feelings are important and they matter.
It is also important that you remember to exercise self- care.
You showed some by reaching out to NRS.

You are deserving as anyone that wants to be happy.
We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time. If you would like to talk about coping with your situation we are here to listen and here to help. We want you to know we are here to support you during this difficult time.
We can best help by phone or chat so that we might learn a little more about your situation and how we might assist you.

Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).

You did well by reaching out today. Good job.


Take care,
NRS