Family Issues

[Unregistered]

Have been depressed for 3 years now and my junior year is coming to an end. I've been verbally abused by my biological father and step-mother constantly with no end in sight.
I honestly don't know what to do anymore, I feel less motivated every passing day which leads to my grades slowly declining. Is there any way I could possibly move into a group home where I can avoid having my self-esteem destroyed?

[ccsmod15]

Re: Family Issues

Hi there, thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We’re glad you found us. It takes a lot of strength to talk about these things, so we appreciate your openness on our forum. No one deserves to be verbally abused, especially for years on end. Sounds like this abuse is really starting to wear on you, impacting your grades and motivation. It sounds like you’re starting to consider other options outside the home for staying safe and happy.

There are three ways to legally live outside the home before you reach the age of adulthood: 1) emancipation (which can be a lengthy, potentially expensive process for which you have to prove to the court that you’re able to be self-sufficient); 2) parental permission; 3) child protective services. Have you considered exploring the possibility of living with a friend or family member, even for a “cool-down” or trial period? Group homes are typically for youth that become wards of the state, which may happen as a result of child protective services involvement. Have you considered reporting the abuse or telling a teacher or guidance counselor about it? Verbal abuse can be hard to prove as warranting removal from the home, but you may consider collecting documentation (recording incidents with your phone, keeping a journal) in case you decide that reporting is the right move for you. If you’d like to talk more about reporting, you can always call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929), call ChildHelp USA directly at 1-800-422-4453, or you can call us and we can call ChildHelp together. If you’re ever feeling unsafe in your home and need to get out on short notice, keep the National SafePlace in mind. They have a Text-4-Help line, you can read more about it here: http://nationalsafeplace.org/text-4-help/.

Again, if you’d like to talk through your options further, we’re here for you 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY, or through our live chat as well. We’re on your team and will support you in making the best plan for you to stay safe.

Stay strong!
NRS