I’m 17 1/2, but I really want out of this house now.

[Guest]

So my mom treats me like garbage.
She’s not physically abusive, just mentally and emotionally.
Being here makes me SO suicidal. I’m afraid if I stay here much longer, it’s not going to end well.
I get so angry I want to punch things, and used to self harm instead.
Both my older siblings live at home and my dad passed away a long time ago.
My best friend/girlfriend has offered me to move in with her, that I’m always welcome.
What do I do?
Please help.

[ccsmod5]

Hi there,
Thanks for reaching out to us, we understand it can be hard to take that step. We hope to help as best we can! You mentioned experiencing emotional abuse which may be reportable against your mom. Please keep in mind you by no means deserve any type of abuse, emotional or otherwise. Unfortunately, emotional abuse is often harder to provide evidence for compared to physical abuse which is often what CPS relies on when conducting an abuse investigation. That said, we can’t be 100% sure what the outcome will be if your local CPS decides to open a case based on what you share. Sometimes CPS decides to remove minors from the home and other times they offer services such as family counseling or mediation instead. The only way to know the outcome might be to reach out to them directly and if you’re ready to do that we are here to help you through that process. Reaching out to Child Help USA at 1-800-422-4453 or www.childhelp.org may help to get a better understanding of what may happen before and after a report is made.

You also mentioned you used to self-harm, we do not judge the way you choose to cope. We would like for you to consider some alternatives to self-harm. When you may feel the urge to feel, physical pain, or if you’re feeling angry or restless take a look at this list: https://www.firstpersonplural.org.uk...-self-harm.pdf 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.
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.
We hope this helps. Please reach out if we can offer any further support.
Be safe,
NRS