I want to runaway but I'm scared of the consequences.

[Unregistered]

I'm 15 turning 16 next month, I'm going through a huge fight with my mother about money- mine to be exact. I've tried to apologize but she's just rude and dismisses me everytime. This always happens, too often honestly. She's always comparing me towards my cousin everytime we fight, and damages my self esteem even more. I already compare myself to my cousin everyday and I'm already insecure enough to the point where I'm losing motivation and try to avoid events or people overall. I know my situation is not the worse, but I honestly feel like my parents have hurt me emotionally and mentally. I'm tired of all that unnecessary drama and I just want to be alone and away from them for awhile. But I know if I leave they'll get even more mad and the whole family will know making it worse. I have a friend who's willing to let me live with her, but I don't know about transportation. Plus, I don't want to miss school or work because honestly I'm a "goody-two shoes" in a way- but my friend lives in another county. What should I do?

[ccsmod15]

Re: I want to runaway but I'm scared of the consequences.

Hi there –
Thank you so much for reaching out to NRS. Taking this first step can be difficult and we’re so glad you reached out. It sounds like you are feeling very frustrated and discouraged – that is very natural when there is emotional abuse going on at home.

Sometimes simply talking through some of these issues with someone not related to you can help tremendously. You could try talking through your feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem with a counselor at school that you trust. Another option is to give us a call here at the hotline. We are here 24/7 to take your call and talk through some of the feelings you’ve been having as well as your plans to possibly leave home. We also have a large database of various resources throughout the country and could try to find some counseling services close to your home if you would like.

Our goal at NRS is not to tell you what you should do, but to help talk you through the pros and cons of each potential plan and to help you to stay safe if you decide to leave your home. A little more information for you as you make your decision: if you do run away as a minor, your parents can file a runaway report with the police. Running away is not considered a “crime”, but a “status offense”, similar to skipping school. If the police are able to locate you, they are required to return you to your home.

Again, we’d love for you to give us a call so we can discuss your situation a little more. Please give us a call anytime and good luck to you.

Sincerely,
NRS