i'm 12 and i want to runaway in winter

[Unregistered]

my names L
please help me
heres my plan
-use trash bags to store the following
-cloths
-tooth brush and toothpaste
-pocket knife and razors
-lighter, candles and paper
-a metal bowl for my fires
-food i steal from school
-loom bands for making bracelets to sell

-i have no money yet
-i need to know how to survive in winter
-where should i leave my note
-can i live under my porch
-should i wait i really don't want to

so confused help me

[ccsmod2]

re: im 12 and i want to runaway in winter

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to us. We can't exactly help you to run away or tell you how to survive on your own. If it is cold where you are are and you have no money, it will most likely be hard to live on your own at the age of 12. If you live under your porch, your parents may still find you or find out you have been living there. We are not legal experts but here is what we know about running away: 18 years old is generally the age that an individual may leave home without permission from their parent or legal guardian. We are not legal experts here but we can speak in general terms. If you are under 18 and leave home without permission, your parent/guardian may file a runaway report with the police. What actions the police take once you are filed as a runaway can vary a lot from state to state and even city to city so we cannot predict exactly what would happen in your case. Generally speaking, if you encounter a police officer while reported as a runaway, you will likely be returned home. However, in that case there may be services (family counseling, etc.) available to you as a youth in crisis/runaway but again, police procedures related to offering those services can be different based on your location or the details of your situation. Another thing to consider is that while running away is not a crime, a legal adult who allows you to stay with them may be putting themselves at risk for being charged with harboring a runaway. One way to find out the laws in your area is to call your local police and ask what their policies are regarding runaway youth.

Take care,
NRS

[ccsmod14]

RE: re: im 12 and i want to runaway in winter (D)

Thank you for your response to another user’s post. Often forums are a place of support and understanding for many youth. It often may be validating and helpful for users to read similar situations as well as exchange feedback to one another. For anyone experiencing any difficulties or challenges, the National Runaway Safeline encourages youth to reach out to our 24/7 crisis support line either by phone or chat for immediate services.


Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

I’m almost 12 and I want to run away. I hate my life, and crying has become my hobby. I cry at least 5 times a week for 30 min -2 hours which I hate. I want to run away and escape, because I don’t want to live in sorrow and more. I know I won’t be happy if I run away but a least I won’t cry anymore right?
My plan is to
places to go to
parks
libarys
shelters
stuff to bring
sleeping bag
pillow
school stuff( I’m going to still go to school)
Shirts,pants, and so on
flashlight
knife
rope
metal bowl
forks,spoons
and yeah so tell me if I should stay or run away, cuz I don’t want to live in sadness but also don’t want on the street.

[ccsmod9]

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. 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 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

Why do you feel sad and want to run away? Why is home bad? And must it not be that bad if you’re willing to stay?

[ccsmod9]

Thank you for your response to another user’s post. Often forums are a place of support and understanding for many youth. It often may be validating and helpful for users to read similar situations as well as exchange feedback to one another. For anyone experiencing any difficulties or challenges, the National Runaway Safeline encourages youth to reach out to our 24/7 crisis support line either by phone or chat for immediate services.
Thank you, NRS

[Guest]

I’m 12 and I struggle with depression and anxiety sometime I think of sucide but I just get confused and scared I try to runaway from my abuzive mom she abused me verbally and physically I don’t think I have much of a option I have no money and no were to go In just confused

[Guest]

Me and my friends really want to run away for adventure. But I don't wanna run away for just that I want to do it to get away from my mom and grandma. They're always trying to make me perfect and comparing me to other kids, which I hate. I also want to get away from my dad. He's not accepting and kind of racist. And I hate that. We need help for things to bring. And my friend wants to bring her cat, so we need help for that too.

[ccsmod11]

Hello –

Thank you for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes great courage to reach out. We are sorry to hear that life at home has caused you to want to leave.

Running away is a big decision and every person’s situation is different. Because of this, it is hard to say what your exact needs are for what to bring with. It may be easier to call us on our 24/7 hotline number, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), to learn more about what running away would look like for you and what you would need.

We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be toll-free reached at the number listed above. We are confidential, anonymous, and non-direct. We can also be reached via live chat between 4:30pm and 11:30pm CST.

Best Wishes
~NRS

[Guest]

Hi I'm 13 and I wanna run away help me
out

[ccsmod15]

Hello –

Thank you for contacting us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We understand that it takes great courage to reach out. We are sorry to hear that life at home has caused you to want to leave.

Running away is a big decision and every person’s situation is different. Because of this, it is hard to say what your exact needs are for what to bring with. It may be easier to call us on our 24/7 hotline number, 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929), to learn more about what running away would look like for you and what you would need.

We hope the information provided helps. Remember we are available 24/7 and can be toll-free reached at the number listed above. We are confidential, anonymous, and non-direct. We can also be reached via live chat between 4:30pm and 11:30pm CST.

[Guest]

Hi my name is lily and Im 13 I want to run away from home so I need some help I want to run away from home because I feel like I dont fit in im not crazy but my mom does not like the things that I like the reson I want to run away is because I feel like my mom desorves a better Dather plz help me

[ccsmod13]

Hi there,

Thank you for taking the time to reach out to NRS and sharing a bit about your situation. It sounds like you have not been feeling very supported by your mom lately. You deserve to be treated in a way that makes you feel safe and loved. It can be very isolating sometimes when the people around us do not have the same interests. We are contacted by a lot of young people who have similar feelings as you do and it is completely normal to feel this way. Reaching out for help was a really smart thing to do.

Sometimes having a safe space to talk about things that are upsetting you can relieve some of the stress and help you brainstorm ideas for changing your situation that you hadn't thought of previously. Perhaps you could reach out to another family member or an adult at school like a teacher or a counselor to get support with what you are going through.

We are available 24/7 to listen and help. We want to talk more in detail about your situation at home so that we can better help you. You can reach out any time by calling 1-800-786-2929 or use our live chat services at www.1800runaway.org.

-NRS

[Guest]

I’m 12 it’s winter and cold, I have nowhere to go, and I don’t know how to get FAR FAST and I need a way of transportation CHEAP and SAFE that doesn’t require a parent signature or anybody 18+ with you I have abusive parents and nobody cares about me, I’m picking up an old friend in a very small town... how do I pull this off I have over $200 but I need to ration for food and medicine if we get sick... right... where would I sleep?

[ccsmod4]

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 your feelings about what’s going on. It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. It is not your that you are being abused. You cannot control what others do, say or feel. The situation sounds very tense and stressful. Here is something you might consider as an option. If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to be safe. 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. It may also be a good place to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody.
We understand if you are unsure about taking this type of action.
If you’re looking for a safe place to go and talk to someone, you may wish to visit The National Safeplace website (www.nationalsafeplace.org). This organization provides access to immediate help and supportive resources for youth in need. You can look up your city and state to see if there are any safe places near you listed. So that is always an option if you feel like talking to someone in person about what has been going on or if you just need of a safe place to stay.

You also may use your phone to text the word “safe” and your current location (city/state/zip) to 69866. If there are safe places and shelters nearby, a list of those will be sent to your phone and you may have the option to text back and forth with a trained counselor as well.

NRS is here to listen and here to help. 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 call or chat soon at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929), www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button) if you are unable to call in.

Take care and be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am 13 and I get the blame for everything and it’s making me feel depressed because my parents call me a liar and they would yell at me a lot. My mother would throw stuff at me and would smack me across my face

[ccsmod16]

Hi,
Thank you for reaching out to us; we are glad that you did. We are sorry that you are going through this and you are very brave for reaching out for help.
We combined both of you posts and will answer them here. It sounds like you are in a really hard situation and it’s understandable to want to be away from it.

You don’t deserve to have stuff thrown at you or to have your face smacked. We are here to listen and help, and the best way for us to help you is if we can talk to you directly to help you discover all of your options.

We hope that you’d like to talk further about this and you can reach us either by phone at our hotline, 1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY) or live chat via www.1800runaway.org We are here 24/7 to listen and help.

Sincerely,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi im 12 and wanna run away bc im tired of being blamed for every thing i just wanna leave and be alone with some of my friends can u help me run away plzzzzzzzz

[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. 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 current family dynamic is really tough and others may not realize how this blame has been affecting you. 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 family 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.

Stay safe,
NRS

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

[Guest]

Hi, I’m 12 years old almost 13. I suffer from very bad anxiety and sometimes I want to run away. I know you can’t help me but could you give me some tips.

Please,
Anonymous

[ccsmod2]

Hi, we are glad you reached out to us. It takes a lot of courage to ask for help. It must be very challenging to deal with bad anxiety and it certainly creates a lot of stress for you. We understand your feelings of sometimes wanting to run away. We are a non-directive, non-judgmental hotline service. That means we are not trying to talk you into or out of anything. We are here to listen and help you come up with an action plan that is right for you. Helping you understand all your options and developing a safe course of action is our goal. It is difficult to give you tips without knowing the details of your situation. There are many options we can discuss with you on our 24/7 phone hotline at (800) RUNAWAY or on an online chat at 1800RUNAWAY.org. Both services are completely confidential. We are here to help you and we look forward to hearing from you. Good luck.

[Guest]

hi [name edited for confidentiality] im 11 i want to run away im not abused or anything but i get blamed for everything and my sister likes to bully me i dont like my life im ugly and i need some tips and pointers on where to go

[ccsmod15]

Hi there,

We are so sorry to hear you are getting bullied by your sister and that you feel like you are getting singled out for blame. That must be very frustrating and it makes total sense you want to change the situation. Please know that you don't deserve to be bullied by anyone. Perhaps one thing you can do is to try to get help from an adult you trust and confront your sister. Here is a good website that gives some tips on how to handle bullying: https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/kids

We know this is a tough time for you and that it may seem like you don't like the way your life is going right now or how you may look. Please know that many things will change with time and things can -- and usually do -- get better, especially if you can try to express your feelings out to friends and adults that are worthy of your trust. Maybe there are relatives, teachers, school counselors, or even friends that can listen to you, provide support, and even stick up for you. Of course, we are always here for you and we welcome you to call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat with us via our chatroom at www.1800runaway.org. We are here 24/7 and anonymous. When you call or chat we can talk about what options you have instead of running away or how running away might affect your life. We want you to be safe, so please try to reach out to us via phone or chat soon!

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hey girl same , I have gone through years of depression and suicidal thoughts , my dad left me at 8 , my mom is an alcoholic and has toxic boyfriends and often she abandons me for a few days and it’s winter and I don’t know where to go when I run away with my friend and my dog , im thinking about squatting in abandoned houses or getting a tent

[ccsmod3]

Hey girl same , I have gone through years of depression and suicidal thoughts , my dad left me at 8 , my mom is an alcoholic and has toxic boyfriends and often she abandons me for a few days and it’s winter and I don’t know where to go when I run away with my friend and my dog , im thinking about squatting in abandoned houses or getting a tent
-------

Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know that it can be difficult to share tough details about your personal life, so it's incredibly brave of you to reach out for support.

It sounds like you're going through a lot, but you don't have to navigate through any of it alone. If you're continuing to have suicidal thoughts, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a great resource that you can call for 24/7 confidential support at 1-800-273-8255. They also have a live chat available through their website (www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org), as well as resources to help find a therapist or support groups. The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) is another organization that you can reach out to for support and referrals at 1-800-950-6264 or by texting NAMI to their crisis text line at 741741. These might be good options for you to utilize during those times when you're feeling depressed or having suicidal thoughts.

You also mentioned that your mom often abandons you for a few days at a time. If you're under the age of 18, your mom should be making plans for another adult to take care of you while she's away. If that isn't happening, it might be a good idea to talk to a safe adult (a teacher, social worker, therapist, etc.) about what's going on at home. They may be able to help you figure out another place to live, or file a report with Child Protective Services (CPS). You can also give us a call at NRS to learn more about filing a report with CPS and what that might look like. In thinking about running away, developing a plan (and a backup plan) is always a good idea. If squatting or getting a tent aren't regular options, you can utilize the Homeless Shelter Directory (homelessshelterdirectory.org) to find shelters in your area.

This is a lot of information, so if you need any additional support in going through it or thinking through any additional options, please feel free to call us anytime at 1-800-RUNAWAY or chat us through our website: www.1800runaway.org. We're confidential, available 24/7, and always ready to help.

Take care!

NRS