I am 17, and have a mentally abusive and toxic household. what do I do?

[Guest]

I am 17, a junior in hs, and my household is very toxic and abusive. While i've been dealing with it for quite some time, I am physically ill from being home and stressed every day. I dont have my own car but I do have my license. I cannot stay here much longer from how sick it makes me and how serious of a toll it takes on my mental health. I can't get emancipated, but I need to leave. what can I do? I turn 18 in january. I know that is only 8 months away but i cannot wait another week.

[ccsmod1]

Hello,

Thank you for reaching out to NRS. I’m sorry that your home situation is so bad, and it’s good that you’re thinking about the best way to go about leaving. We can’t tell you what to do, because you’re the expert on your life, but we can give you support, find resources for you, and help you make a plan to stay safe, whatever you decide. One option might be staying with friends or family for a short time while you figure out what to do. We’re available 24/7 if you want to talk or figure out a plan, but another great place to go for mental health support if you need it is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). They’re available at www.nami.org, over the phone at 1-800-950-NAMI, and they even have a text support option. Our ability to respond over the forums is limited, so if you would like to contact us further, please call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or live chat with us at our website, 1800runaway.org.

We hope you stay safe and that we hear from you soon,

NRS Staff