I'm 15 and want to move out

[Guest]

Hi im 15 and want to move out only bc my brother keeps starting fights with me and taking about me and I get angry and dont want to hurt him idk and idk what to do?

[ccsmod0]

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 with your brother. It seems there is a lot that you are faced with right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options.
The easiest way to leave home is with your parents' permission. We understand that might be challenging, however, maybe there’s another family member, relative, or a family friend who could help to communicate how you’re feeling to your parents. The second way is through Child Protective Services if safety is a concern. Lastly, you can also look into emancipation options. In most states you need to be at least 16 to be considered and demonstrate that you can support yourself financially and independently. Emancipation often can be a lengthy process and may even cost some money for court fees. We would be happy to look into legal resources if that’s something you are considering.
We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon.
Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button). If you would like to look into further emotional support options, you can text with a crisis worker at the National Alliance on Mental Illness 24/7 by texting "NAMI" to 741741.
If you are at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 or seek emergency assistance immediately.
Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I am ** done with my mother, she wont stop verbally berating me for not completing homework and she plays the victim when I tell her to shut up. I want to leave to go live with my grandfather but I do not know how to go about it without taking it to court.

[ccsmod15]

Hey there, thanks for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline (NRS). It sounds like you’re going through a challenging time with your mother and we’re glad you reached out for support.

Unfortunately, we don’t know your city/state in order to provide local resources, but it sounds like you have a safe place to go (to your grandfather’s home) but just don’t have parental permission. If you’d like support talking to your mom, you can call our hotline and ask to have a Conference Call. We’ll stay on the line and help you make certain your voice is heard in a calm way. We can help you and your mom understand each other by guiding the call. This can sometimes be a way to open up the lines of communication when families are feeling stuck. You can also google Legal Aid services or call us if you’d like help find local legal supports.

You can also call the non-emergency police in your local area to ask if they would actively look for a youth that runs away (for your age) and if your grandfather would possibility be charged with harboring a runaway. You can also look here at National Safe Place to find safe spaces for youth at https://www.nationalsafeplace.org/find-a-safe-place.

We are Limited in the Number of Times we can respond via the Forum so if you’d like further contact, please instead contact us via our ONLINE CHAT SERVICE at www.1800runaway.org (click on the CHAT button) or our HOTLINE at 1-800-RUNAWAY (1-800-786-2929). We are here for you and wish you all the best, NRS

[ccsmod2]

Hello There,

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline, we are here to help and here to listen. It sounds like you are in a tough position and we want you to know that you are not alone.
You do not deserve to be verbally abused and we are sorry you are dealing with that. Your mother may be concerned about you not completing homework but is going about it in the wrong way. One option to consider is to try and have a conversation with your mother in a respectful manner. Both parties may listen better if there is no yelling or disrespect from your mother or from you. At NRS we offer conference calling to help you have these conversations. How that works is you call us and we can call out to your mother with you on the phone. We are there for support and to help mediate the conversation so that is stays productive. Another option to consider would be to speak to a school counselor about what is going on at home. They may be able to provide you with support and resources.
We know you mentioned leaving as a minor your legal guardian could file a runaway report if you were to leave without permission. It is a possibility that you could be brought back home by police.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you in your situation. If you have any more questions or would like to speak further about your situation, please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and to provide support to you. We wish you the best of luck!
NRS

[Guest]

My parents treat me like crap and I'm more mature than a 15-year-old about to be 16 but I have no job and money to leave

[ccsmod3]

Hey there. Thanks for reaching out to NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. We're sorry to hear that your parents have been treating you like crap--that must be very difficult to go through. It sounds like because of how they're treating you, you're thinking about running away. Having money and access to money (like a job) when leaving can definitely be helpful. Without either, it's important to think about how you'd be able to financially provide for yourself and pay for your food, clothes, shelter, medical care, etc. Generally speaking, it's a good idea to have a plan in place before running away. There are definitely resources available that can help you if you leave and don't have money, so a plan can also look like knowing what those resources are.

If you'd like to talk more about your situation in more detail, options that are available to you, talk over your plan, or anything else, please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY. You can also chat with us live at www.1800runaway. org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

I’m a 15 year old Female from ****, I turn 16 in about 3 and a half months and I want to move out of my moms house it’s not heathy there. My father kicked me out of his house in June 2020 because he didn’t want to take care of me anymore. I’m not the “ideal” child he had in mind like my brother who’s going to collage for Aerospace engineering. I’m a failure at school and life. My dad is physically abusive, he punches me and he slaps me and grabs my wrists til they turn bright red. He locked me away in his house with no electronics to call for help and no outside contact while he abused me for 4 months early last year, Ive been suicidal since 6th grade and I’ve tried killing myself 2 times... My mom, I’ve been living with for the last 8 months. verbally and emotionally abuse’s me too she tells me that because I’m not religious I’m going to hell I’m going to end up like a coal addict on the side of colfax, she tells me I’m stupid and that I’m going nowhere in life and a whole lot more like how I’m just like my dad that makes me wanna die. And I talk to her all the time about how her words hurt but she doesn’t care. She only fights all day everyday. So I left I’ve been at my friends house with him and his room mates for 5 days now my mom wants to call the cops and idk what to do because I’m scared to go home. What are my options because I can’t go to my dad or want to go to an abusive household and I don’t want to go with my mom and none of my other family will take me. So what do I do?

[ccsmod3]

Hey there. Thanks for reaching out to us here at the National Runaway Safeline. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. We're sorry to hear that things have been pretty tough for you; please know that you don't deserve the kind of treatment that you've experienced, whether physical or verbal/emotional, and we commend you for trying to address some of your concerns with your mom head on. Since communicating with mom on your own hasn't been very productive, would you consider trying to talk to her with someone else involved, like a family member or a therapist? Someone who can help mediate that conversation. This is also something we can help with at NRS, so if you feel like it could be a good idea for you, please reach out to us and we can help facilitate that.

Other general options that might be available to you are trying to stay with a friend or family member, particularly who your mom would approve of to try and avoid any legal ramifications. Filing an abuse report with Child Protective Services might be an option for you. It's important to know that this doesn't always look like being removed from the home, but it can also mean that mom receives some tools and resources that could help her develop more effective parenting skills. Going to a shelter might also be an option for you.

In order to better help you, it would help us to have a little more information on your particular situation. If you'd like to talk in more detail or are interested in having us help facilitate a conversation with your mom, please reach out to us by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY or through our live chat at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help. And if you're ever feeling suicidal and need some support, you can not only reach out to us, but you can also reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 or chatting with them at suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

I’m 15 years old and I live with really rude parents. They are verbally abusive and sometimes physically abusive. I have a younger sister who is 14 and she has almost run away from home because of our parents. I have also thought of running away but after seeing how my sister was treated I didn’t want to anymore. My parents are strict and have favorites. My parents are lesbians nothing wrong with that but they are not the best. I’m the only straight girl in my house right now and my sister just came out so now my sister is the favorite. She gets treated like the baby and they expect so much from me. Despite being 15 I have been looking for a job so I don’t need to spend time around my parents. They are both heavy alcohol drinkers and when they get drunk they like to argue with me. My mom has called the cops on me because I was “getting out of hand” because I was yelling at them because I got dragged down stairs and chocked by them. I have also been told that I need to be put in a mental hospital because I’m “out of hand”. I have been told that I would get my door taken off if I don’t do something that they ask of correctly. I cut myself because of them and when they find out they say that they know why and that they did it too and that it’s all fake and for attention. That only time that I’m happy is when I’m not around them. I’m always saying something that they don’t like and then I have to get yelled at by them. They always like to argue with me about stupid ******** and it always ends up with me getting grounded. I just don’t feel safe here anymore and need to live in a better home. Also, they people that I call my parents are the people who adopted me. They are my aunts that adopted me when I was 6 and my sister is my biological sister.

[ccsmod3]

Hey there. Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. It sounds like things have been pretty tough for you at home, and we're sorry to hear that. Regardless of what is going on at home, you don't deserve to be abused. Because you mentioned physical abuse, we want to make sure that you're first aware of your options around that. Whenever a child is physically abused, it is considered a child abuse. Do note that some physical punishments are allowed and vary from state to state, but generally speaking, any form of physical punishment that leaves a mark is considered a form of abuse. When this happens, an abuse report can be filed with your local Child Protective Services agency. They investigate the allegations of abuse and decide what next steps will be taken to ensure the safety of the children involved. If this is something that you'd like to do, you can file an abuse report by googling your state along with "Child Protective Services agency" and following the instructions listed. You can also disclose the abuse to a Mandated Reporter, who is obligated to make the report on your behalf. Mandated Reporters are teachers, therapists, doctors, police officers, amongst others. We're also Mandated Reporters here at NRS, so if you'd like support in filing a report or would like us to do so on your behalf, please reach out.

You can contact us by calling 1-800-RUNAWAY or by chatting with us live through our website at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7, and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15 (female) and I can't stand living at my mom's house anymore. I tried to open up to her about my suicidal ideation and was threatened with a trip to a mental facility. Now she takes away my phone whenever I come home and my phone's all I have because I have 2 great online friends. Also, my stepdad gets on my nerves a lot. I just want to run away and never return to that house.

[ccsmod8]

Hello,

We're glad you reached out to us. We'll try to help. It sounds like your mother is not listening to you about your issues. You deserve to be validated for your feelings and emotions and accepted as you are. It is unfortunate that you don't want to stay at home.

We do want to say that it must be very hard for you to have to go through all of this. It sounds like a very stressful situation for you at home to the point where your thoughts drift towards completing suicide or hurting yourself. That is a very serious thing to be thinking about. If you are ever close to hurting yourself like you said you can call out to someone to make sure that you are okay. You shouldn't be afraid to tell other people what you are thinking about doing especially if you are thinking about hurting yourself. You are certainly not alone in this and there are many many people that are here to help you. A good resource might be to call the ‘National Suicide Hotline’ for someone to talk about what thoughts you might be thinking at the time. Their number is 800.273.TALK. They also have an online chat service that might be of help to you especially if you don’t feel like calling in (https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/).

Sometimes when people hear the word suicide they tend to panic and don't know what to say other than you need "help". Realizing that people sometimes need time to adjust to talking about suicide or self-harm might be helpful to you and can help let people really understand about what is going on. Little by little people might soften the more you talk openly about it or try to share things about it.

Lastly we are not legal experts here, but we know that running away is not a crime. If you were to leave without your mom's permission, she has the right to file a runaway report on your behalf. It is then that the police might look for you and return you home if they find you.

It’s hard to talk to just anyone one about what has been going on. Please rest assured that we are completing confidential. So anything that you share with us will stay between us. You can also call us if you want at 1800-RUNAWAY. We are here 24/7 and are confidential. Good luck.

[Guest]

I'm a 15 year old non-binary person and I want to leave. My parents don't use my pronouns and it hurts. I have a friend that I could probably go to but I don't want to get her or her parents in trouble with the law. Is there any way I can do that?

[ccsmod3]

Hey there. Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. We're so sorry to hear that your parents aren't using your preferred pronouns, and it's understandable that you'd be upset. If you haven't done so already, it might be helpful to try and have a serious conversation with them about how you're feeling. If talking is tough, you could also consider writing a letter. If these aren't options for you, bringing someone in who may be able to help facilitate those tough conversations (or just provide you with support), might be another option to consider. A therapist or a school social worker are good folks to help in that way. If you need any additional support as you work through and process those interactions with your parents, you can also find support by reaching out to us here at NRS, calling the LGBT National Youth Talkline (800-246-7743), or checking out The Trevor Project at www.thetrevorproject.org.

In terms of running away and staying with a friend, it's generally always possible that there could be legal ramifications for the folks that you are staying with. These will depend on the specific state you're in. If you'd like to chat more about your situation or about the laws on harboring a runaway in your state, please feel free to reach out to us at 1-800-RUNAWAY or by popping into a live chat through our website at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7, and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Best,

NRS

[Guest]

I dont like rules, i want to move out on my own

[ccsmod7]

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. Rules can be hard! 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.

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]

Hi am 15 years old and want to leave my house it’s so toxic here and my dad has done so many things to me that I can’t say , and everything I do is wrong to him and am a very good daughter I help anyone when I can and getting in trouble is not my thing my mother is always here for me but still no one understands me , but I have a boyfriend who asked me to be his wife and he wants me to go and live with him and he’s financially stable and is an amazing guy but I don’t know can I move in with him.

[ccsmod3]

Hey there. Thanks for reaching out to us here at NRS. We know that it can take a lot of courage to reach out for support, and we're glad you took that step. It sounds like things have been pretty challenging at home for you, and we're sorry to hear that. Feeling like you're constantly in trouble and not supported can definitely be an isolating feeling. If these are feelings that you'd like to address, it might be a good idea to connect with a safe person that you can talk to, like a social worker or a therapist. A good starting point in this process is to reach out to your school social worker or counselor for support--they might be able to have regular sessions with you, but if not, they can point you in the right direction of someone who can. You're also welcome to reach out to us here at NRS and we can make some local counseling referrals for you as well.

We're glad that you have a boyfriend who you think is an amazing guy and seem to feel supported by. And while we can't tell you whether you can move in with him or not, as that decision is ultimately yours, it's definitely helpful to be aware of some of the legalities around leaving home. One thing worth considering is the age difference that we're assuming you have with your boyfriend. You mentioned that you're 15 and that he has asked you to be his wife, also noting that he is finically stable and wants you to live with him. It sounds like he may be a bit older, which raises some red flags for us. As you're thinking over your options, it's important to think about the relationship you're in, if it would be considered legal in your state, and what legal ramifications might come should you decide to move in with your boyfriend. It's also good to know that if you leave home without your parent's consent and they know where you are, your boyfriend could get into further trouble for harboring a runaway. Your parents might also file a runaway or missing persons report.

We know that this is a ton of information and we're here to talk it over with you if you'd like. Please feel free to reach out to us by calling directly at 1-800-RUNAWAY or by chatting with us live at www.1800runaway.org. We're available 24/7 and are always happy to listen, and to help.

Take care.

NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15, and my parents are perfectly okay. I do sports, get an education, have a perfect life. But there has been so much pressure. Since I was a child. At first I just did everything I was told but now it's come to the point where I have so much schoolwork that I don't have any friends. The worst part is, all the things I do don't give me time for my actual school, so I'm failing all my classes. The schoolwork I get comes from my dad and it's all "for the better". "I put so much effort into you and your education, and you're anything but thankful." "You're a disappointment." "You're stupid." "Fine, I give up, it's no use with you." I can't stand it anymore. The suicidal thoughts are overwhelming. The constant feeling of helplessness and hopelessness are so exhausting. Over the course of the past 3 months I've lost everything: interest in things I loved most, my best friend of 14 years, and any will to live. I just gave up, and stopped trying. With me stopping, everything else came to a stop. So now my life is sleepless nights with me crying into my pillow, long days of pretending to try to complete assignments, my parents arguing, me trying to hold on to the fact that there is 1024 days left until I'm 18 and can move out. The hope fades more with every day, and I just can't hold on anymore.

[ccsmod1]

Hi,

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. It sounds like you are having a really hard time with pressure from your parents expectations and all of your commitments with school. We are so sorry you are going through all of this. It also sounds like you are dealing with suicidal thoughts.

First and foremost, your health and safety are our number one priority. If you ever feel like you may hurt yourself or attempt to end your life, please contact 911 or emergency services immediately. We care about you and your life, and do not want to see something happen to you. When you are feeling suicidal or just feeling down in general, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a great resource available 24/7 that can route you to local crisis centers in your area for immediate counseling or local mental health referrals. The phone number to contact them is 1-800-2732-8255 and their website is www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org . Another great resource is NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) which is another 24/7 information service for individuals facing mental and emotional distress. They can provide referrals for local treatment facilities, support groups, community based organizations, and free publications. NAMI's phone number is 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or you can text NAMI to 741741. Their website is www.nami.org .

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail 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.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

im 15 an dealing with emoshinly abuse can u help me

[ccsmod15]

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.

It sounds like you’re quite overwhelmed by things at home right now and you mentioned being harmed. We’re sorry you’re going through this. You don't deserve to be hurt in any way. You may also be able to report any mistreatment to CPS. Child Help USA (1-800-422-4453 or www.childhelp.org) is an organization that helps protect minors from being harmed. They can tell you more about how CPS could respond to your situation. If you ever need assistance calling out to CPS to make an abuse or neglect report please call us right away at 1-800-RUNAWAY.

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.

We encourage you to reach out if you want to talk further about your emotional abuse at home. We may able to brainstorm ideas together. Regardless, we hope that you find peace from this soon.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

HI

I am 15 and i desperately want to move out. My parents are extremely verbally and mentally abusive, they neglect my emotions and my mental health a lot. I’ve tried asking them for help multiple times but they say i’m dumb and that i don’t need help. It’s gotten to the point where i want to commit suicide because of them and because of just being here in a horrible environment, i’m mentally exhausted and i don’t know how much longer i can keep up with this. please help.

[ccsmod3]

Hi there,
It sounds like you are thinking about harming yourself or ending your life. It takes a lot of strength to reach out for help, and we are so glad that you did. Your life has worth and our top priority is your safety. If you feel this is an emergency you could consider calling 911 for emergency assistance. We are here to listen and support you in any way that we can, and we can help you find resources that can help you cope with these feelings. You do not have to face this alone, and there is so much help out there for you. If you are thinking about hurting yourself, the National Suicide Hotline could be a good resource for you. You can check them out at www.youmatter.suicidepreventionlifeline.org, or you can call 1-800-273-8255 for help and support any time. You can also call us 24/7 at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) if you need to talk.
Often, having a safe space to share how you’re feeling may bring a variety of solutions previously not thought of. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. This may be an isolating and lonely time for you, but you are not alone in this. We want you to know that we are here as support to help you through this challenging time.
You mentioned experiencing emotional abuse which may be reportable against your parents. 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.
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.
If you would like to talk more in detail please call or chat soon. Our contact information is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929); www.1800runaway.org (click on the chat button).
We hope to hear from you soon.
Be safe and stay strong,
NRS

[Guest]

Im 15 and want to move out. Yea ik everyone is saying this ********. and im right now living with my mom. i ********ing hate her, she treats me like im 10 or she treats me like my ********ing freeloader of a brother. I wake up mad everyday bc of her. I was living with my dad but when i did i was depressed. i just want to be happy without them.

[ccsmod9]

Thank you for contacting NRS,
We appreciate you choosing to trust us with where you're at. We are sorry that there seems to be alot of tension in your home environments. It can be very hard to go through something like that alone. Some things that might be able to help is maybe ask your mom and see if she might let you live with a friend who can support you better or another family member who you trust. That way you feel as though there might be opportunities to help your situation. Another option that might be good to consider is finding groups where you can find support. Online or in person that way you can feel as though even if your homelife is hard you still have support from people who care.

We are here as support to help through this challenging time. We can best help by phone or chat as NRS is unable to respond more than twice by email to assist you. If you would like to talk more in detail 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.

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

I am a 15 year ols girl i live with an abusive mom one day we got into a fight and she slapped me and started pulling my hair and when i told her she was the readon i wanted to kill myself she dragged me on the ground and started beating me after she finished i was left bleeding i ran away and called the police but they put me back in the home and its still the same she emotionally abuses me and physically abuses me and i want to go live with another family member but she wont let me

[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. You deserve to be safe and secure at home and your mom's behavior is not acceptable. If you are currently at risk of any danger or feeling unsafe, we encourage you to reach out to 911 if that's something you feel comfortable doing, or seek emergency assistance immediately. If any harm or abuse is happening at home, you have the right to report it. If you feel like this is an option you want to explore, you may find this website helpful: https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse/. We can also help you to file a report if that’s the route you are considering. It may also be a good idea to explore options for staying with another family member or someone you trust as far as transferring custody.

You mentioned that your mom makes you feel like killing yourself. We care a lot about your safety, and we can help you find resources that can help you cope with these feelings. You do not have to face this alone, and there is so much help out there for you. If you are thinking about hurting yourself, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline could be a good resource for you. You can check them out at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/, or you can call 1-800-273-8255 for help and support any time. If you’d like some additional support, an organization that may be helpful is the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). You can contact them by calling 1-800-950-NAMI or you can text them by sending NAMI to 741741.

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

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[Guest]

I'm going to be 15 in a month, and I want to move out. I live in U.S. Georgia with my dad, but the environment is not the best. While he does provide basic necessities and sometimes an allowance, he's forcing his religion on me. He's told me I'll go to hell and that bad things will start happening to me if I don't start believing again and ask for forgiveness. I had to lie and say I do believe just so he wouldn't lecture me about it like all the other times and so I'd feel safe. He's implied that he'd send me back to my mom if I don't believe in god, too. He's also a bit homophobic, and does not seem to understand sexualities.


I can't go back to my mom. She was toxic, manipulative, and a narcissist. She made my mental health worse, and I almost killed myself because of her. Her boyfriend touched me in an inappropriate way as well. So while I'm out of her care for now, I'm only with my dad from her permission. I think she could take me back, and I don't want that. I don't want to stay with my dad either. He's tried to manipulate me into lying to my therapist that I'll kill myself if I go back with my mom, and he's also made light of that.


Saying he knew I'd kill myself if I went back to her, and that's it's basically a good thing. He doesn't seem to understand mental health, is obsessed with how his "image" looks to other people, he only likes things to go his way and either yells, argues passively aggressively or throws a "tantrum" when they don't. He's verbally abusive to his wife. I think he only got me from my mom for the benefits, such as money and being able to show me off to his family. I don't feel safe in his care, and I've already considered committing suicide once and almost did it. In my childhood he was also abusive, he'd hit me and my siblings and yell at us over the littlest things, he turned us against each other in a way. He isolated us from society then. He is also very childish.


I have two other siblings who could possibly take me in. But one, my brother is kind of similar to my dad. He's pushed my sister because 'she wasn't listening' when he's never have before, and if he can do that why wouldn't he do it to me? We don't really see eye to eye. And my other brother is in a stressful situation, he's in a place where he doesn't have a house yet. Though, he might be getting one soon.

I don't want to runaway. I want to be able to get an apartment or house and live by myself while still going to school. Is there anyway I can legally? Can my therapist help with any of these arrangements at all? Please don't center a response around the suicidal things I said, I genuinely want to know what I can do to get out of here. I'm doing my best to look after my mental health, and want to know if my therapist could possibly help me be legally emancipated. Or if there is anything I can do on my own to leave. Is it possible I could use my mom to help me get out of here as well, since she has most say over where I live? As in, help me go to one of my brothers even if it's not the best thing?

[ccsmod15]

First of all, thank you so much for reaching out to us today. We know it can take a lot of courage to do so. We are sorry to hear that you are in such a difficult situation. You do not deserve to have religious pushed on you and it sounds frustrating that your dad doesn’t understand things like mental health.
You mention you have considered committing suicide and request not to center on this. However, all we want to say is that your safety is our top priority here at NRS. A good resource to reach out to is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. If you are ever having suicidal thoughts or just want someone to talk to about this, they are available 24/7 at 800-273-8255.
In terms of everything else you mentioned, running away is not illegal. However, if you do decide to leave home and get an apartment, that technically would be considered running away if you do not consult you dad. There is a chance that your dad files a runaway report to the police. If he does this, the police will most likely go looking for you and if they find you, bring you back home. If you do believe leaving home is the best option, you know your situation best and should do what you feel is best. Your therapist would most likely not be able to assist you with this, but they would be more than welcome to discuss the situation with you in more depth most likely. If you are interested in emancipation, one thing to note is that it is a long process that requires parental approval. However, if you are interested in pursuing that, you can look into legal aid in your area or reach out to us and we can provide you with other resources to legal away.
We are sorry to hear that your dad hit you when you were younger and your mom’s boyfriend touched you in inappropriate ways. You do not deserve that kind of treatment. If you are interested in reporting any of this abuse, you can look on childhelp.org and find your state to reach out to CPS. If you want help doing this, you can reach out to us through live-chat at 1800runaway.org or by calling us at 1-800-RUNAWAY(786-2929). If you do not want to report any of this, that is also completely okay. You can reach out to us anytime to talk through the situation in more depth or gather more resources. We are here for you.
Best of luck and stay strong,
NRS