I'm 15 and want to move out

[Guest]

I’m a 15 yr. old male and I keep wanting to run away but I’m terrified of what might happen, it feels like my mom is depriving me of a social life, I’m not allowed to see any of my friends outside of school, and whenever I ask to see them, my mom gets aggressive, calls me disrespectful and puts me down, it feels like she plays with my emotions all the time and I don’t know if this is normal or not. She argues with me all the time for no apparent reason and I’m often left with a mixture of fear and confusion.

[ccsmod4]

I’m a 15 yr. old male...

Hello,
Thank you for writing to us here at the National Runaway Safeline.

We understand it takes great courage to reach out, and we appreciate you sharing a little bit about what’s going on. We would like to be of assistance to you if we can. It is times like these that would be nice to have a listening ear. It is also important that you remember to exercise self- care. You showed some by reaching out to NRS. Good for you. You don’t deserve to disrespected or put down. It’s unfortunate that your mother chooses to behave this way. It’s not your fault that she does this.
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 so that we might learn a little more about your situation and how we might assist you. 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).

We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi. I’m turning 15 this month and I really am considering moving out. My father returned from a long trip and the first thing he did was ground me because he was mad at such a little thing. I might be over reacting but I honesty don’t want this. I also love 1 hour and 50 minutes away from my high school, and I really don’t like the travel. I know some 1 room apartments I can rent with a part time job, but I just need some confirmation that it’s legally okay.

[ccsmod11]

Hi, and 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 there is a lot going on right now and you’re feeling like leaving is one of your only options.

While we are not experts on the law, 18 is generally the age that an individual may leave home without parent permission. If you are under 18 and leave home, your parent/guardian may file you as a runaway and you may be returned home. Also, those you stay with may run the risk of being charged with harboring a runaway. For more specifics on the law, the local non-emergency police or legal aid may better answer legal questions.

If you'd like to talk in more detail about your situation or have any questions please call 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or chat with us (www.1800RUNAWAY.org) as we can best help by phone or chat. Best, NRS

[Guest]

Hi, I'm a 15 year old who no longer wants to live at home. Because I can't abide by my guardian rules I want to live with my friend. For a while.

[ccsmod7]

Hi,

Thank you for reaching out to us at the National Runaway Safeline. Thinking about leaving home is a serious decision, and contacting us is a good first step in figuring things out.

We are not legal experts here, but since you are still considered a minor, your guardian could file a runaway report on you. This means that you could be returned to your home, and your friend could potentially be in trouble for harboring a runaway.

If you want to discuss you situation in more detail, you can contact us anytime by phone at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) or via live chat at www.1800runaway.org. We are always here to listen and help.

Again, thanks for reaching out.

-NRS

[Guest]

I'm a 15 year old trans male, I'm stuck in a cult I can't escape. I need to leave, with or without my parents. This place is killing me. I have attempted suicide because of it. I want to leave and continue high school. I am willing to get a job so I can live on my own I just need help

[ccsmod10]

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. If you’re feeling unsafe and need 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 44357. 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.

Be safe,
NRS

[Guest]

I'm going through the same crap!! I'm 15 and my step douche is homophobic/muslim and he makes me cry nearly everyday. My mother and him are both emotionally abusive and I really just want to move out. At least my mom isn't homophobic though. I'm perfectly capable of living on my own, but I can't live with my mother and her husband without wishing I never existed in the first place.

[ccsmod9]

We want you to know that you are strong for having gone through so much already. It is perfectly okay to deviate from what others or the common population believe to be “normal”. You’re bravery and resilience is so admirable. You are so strong for having gone through so much without having the acceptance that you do deserve for just being you. Remember that you are not alone. If you ever want to talk more about what you are experiencing or get additional support we are here 24/7 at 1800-RUNAWAY or our live chat service. The GLBT National Hotline at 1888-843-4564 is another option to gain great support from those that are familiar with the issues and experiences of those that are also a part of the LGBTQ community. You can access their website link bellow to utilize all the other possibly useful resources they have to offer: http://www.glbthotline.org/ You mentioned that you were considering the options that may be best for you. By all means, if you do fear for your safety either now or in the future, do not hesitate to take the necessary steps to regain your safety. This may mean calling the authorities or possibly reporting the things you may be experiencing. Other options to think about may be other family members, friends, or a trusted adults that would be able to provide you with support or a safe place to stay. It is great that you thinking ahead. Should you feel like leaving home is best, it may be a good idea to think about how you will provide necessities for yourself such as food, clothing, showers, healthcare and other basic needs. You may want to also consider how your parent’s will react to you leaving without permission. We are not legal experts here, but typically as a minor (under the age of 1 you need permission from your parents to leave home. It is not illegal to runaway, but it would mean that your parents could file a runaway report with the police. This is usually done in an effort to try to return you home as the police are required to do so. If you can give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY or reach out through Live Chat we can try to find some youth shelters that may be near your city and state by utilizing our database of resources. We can also try to call out to shelters with you or on your behalf to advocate for you.

[Guest]

I’m 15 year old female and I want to go live with my aunt because I can’t take no more of the metal abuse and stuff and the names I get called whenever I’m at my house can my parents let me do that

[ccsmod3]

Thank you for reaching out to us. It sounds like you are having a hard time at home. It must be hard living in an environment where you are being mentally abused by your parents. If you ever want to report the abuse or talk to some about how being in that environment is making you feel contact Child Help at 1800-422-4453. It’s good that you have your aunt who seems supportive of you and will let you stay with her. Maybe you can try and have a conversation with your parents about you staying with her temporarily.
Since you are a minor if you were to just leave without your parents’ permission they could report you as a runaway. Also whoever you live with could risk being charged with harboring a runaway. It may be worth it to try and talk to your parents or your aunt about coming to some type of compromise. It also could be helpful to seek some type of therapy or talk with friends, a school counselor in the meantime while you are still in the environment. Sometimes talking to someone about what is going on can be a relief until you can actually get out of the situation. You can also contact NAMI if you find yourself in a stressful situation or you are having rough day by calling 1800-950-NAMI. You can contact us as well at 1800-RUNAWAY. We are 24/7, confidential and here to help! Best of luck!

[Guest]

I'm 15 and i want to move out of my house. I've been dealing with verbal abuse from my parents (especially my dad) for about 2 years now and they treat me like ******** because i like to smoke weed. I know that sounds ridiculous but thy always overreact about stuff like that and i know they lie about that stuff too. But the main point is i'm trying to get my life together and being around them makes the process harder because all they do is ********** and complain about everything. Nothing positive. I recently found out we are gonna have to sell our house and our lake house that i love going to all the time. They never told me anything about getting another house and just last week my brother told me that we bought a house and they didn't wanna tell you until after all the paperwork and payments were through so i wouldn't have a say. I can tell that my mom has some sort of mental problem because she is a crazy ********** and my dad is miserable and has anger issues so i hate all the negativity in my life and really wanna move out. What should i do?

[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 constant tension between you and your parents. Running away is a big decision and it can be very stressful to figure out what you want to do.

We aren’t legal experts here at NRS, but generally speaking, if you do opt to leave your home your parents can file a runaway report, which is essentially a missing person report. Running away is a status offense; this means that it isn’t illegal, but it’s something you can’t do while still a minor. If a runaway report is filed and you are located by the authorities you will most likely be returned home.

It seems like your parents don't fully understand how keeping the move from you has hurt 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 parents 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

[Guest]

I’m 15 and want to leave here quietly I’m constantly arguing with my moms husband and she thinks I’m weird and she always says she’s going to leave him but Ik it’s not true when he’s mad he gets in my face and scream talking about how my real dad was never around hitting me with belts in my face and body and threading to slap me if I say sum else for standing up for myself and basically saying I’m weak and and I let girls at school run me over and I won’t get buck at them and I’m looking for advice on should I stay or should I go please help me they say I’m ugly and I don’t even believe that can u give me advice and answer this question is this verbal abuse or what

[ccsmod13]

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out to NRS. It takes a lot of courage to talk about this kind of stuff. It sounds like you’re going through a lot, and we’ll try and help out as best as we can.

We’re sorry to hear that your mom’s husband treats you that way. No one should be treated that way. You have the right to be safe, especially in your own home. Yes, this sounds like verbal abuse. You are able to report verbal abuse. You do that by calling the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or by visiting www.childhelp.org.

If you’d like to explore this some more, if you’d like help in filing a report, or if you just want to talk, please call us at 1800-RUNAWAY (786-2929). We’re anonymous, confidential and available 24/7. We’re here to listen, and we’re here to help.

Best,
NRS

[Guest]

I’m 15 and I’m dealing with so many things, I’ve never been more depressed in my life, I don’t ever go out because I’m not allowed to, I’m always home, I was moved to a catholic school and I have barely any friends because I am new, I’m not allowed to hang out with my old friends. I want to leave I can’t do this anymore I’m so alone

[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 feeling super lonely right now which can be really upsetting.
Depression can be super hard to deal with alone especially with also feeling lonely. One option to consider is to talk with a school counselor or therapist about your depression and what can be causing it.
Starting at a new school is hard for anyone and can be a little scary at first. We are sorry you are not allowed to hang with your old friends. Making friends can be hard at first and can take some time. One option to consider is joining an after school program to meet people with similar interests as you. Another option is to talk with the people you sit next to in class and get to know them.
We want you to know you are not alone, stay strong you got this! If you need someone to talk to or need resources please give us a call. We are here 24/7 to listen and provide support. Good luck!
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I am a 15 year old and I no longer feel okay in my current house. I am constantly over looked and treated differently. I am the middle child and hate it in this family. All my family will just send me back to live with them.

[ccsmod13]

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 must be really stressful to feel uncomfortable in your current living situation and we want you to know that you deserve to feel safe and wanted where you live. 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).
We hope to hear from you soon.

Be safe, NRS

[Guest]

I'm 15 and living in Texas with my mother. I have two months to my birthday. I'm constantly fighting with my mom and her boyfriend. It's only gotten physical a few times but not to the point where I would claim physical abuse. However I don't always feel safe from myself or my moms boyfriend living here. I don't think this is a healthy environment. I want to know my legal options. I know I can't emancipate until 16 and even then I do not know if I can. I can more than likely convince my mother to let me be emancipate so I don't know if I still have to go to court or just need her to sign and notarize or something. I have a few places I could maybe go so that not a big issue. I just don't know how much longer I can take it in this place.

[ccsmod9]

Hi there,

You mentioned wanting to know how you can leave home before turning 18. The easiest way to leave home is with your mom’s 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 mom. 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.

Please reach out soon so that we may offer support and resources to you. Our number is 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929).

Be safe,

NRS

[Guest]

Hey... i'm 14.
I just started high school this year and I have gotten more freedom from my parents but I don't feel comfortable living with them. Ever since I was in kindergarten i've always been early to learn things and i was smart too. It was until 4th grade when I turned 9 I always got hit for getting lower than a 90 on any of my assignments. People might say it's normal for an asian to get beat for bad grades but it got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. I developed a skill known as standing up for myself which parents would call talking back. My tongue got looser and that was the only thing that helped me feel normal. In 7th grade my grades started to drop because of my racist teachers, my parents never believed me when I told them how my teachers would treat me compared to my other classmates. My parents kept thinking I kept making up excuses. At the beginning of 8th grade I started getting quick tempers. The only way I could satisfy them was watching violent movies or videos because of this my mind slowly shifted to a more psychopathic way of thinking. My mom had gotten anger issues and hit me for the smallest reasons. I forgot to hang my clothes one day and she started screaming and kept hitting me. This other time after I showered my shower had little droplets because of the steam and my mom called my dad upstairs and he hit me because she exaggerated the truth. I was about to go put my clothes in the wash and she said I just left them there. My dad hit me so hard I couldn't breath I don't feel safe in a home like this. Yes there are times when my family is back to normal again but i still hate the fact that the happiness only lasts for a short amount of time. My mom often tells me what great things would have happened if I wasn't born. I tell her that she shouldn't have brought me into this world because I don't want to live. I'm not suicidal. There is no way I will ever give my mom what she wanted. I'm not dying just so she can get money out of it. I don't care how she feels. I know im selfish but I cant live knowing i'm not good enough. I have thought about moving out when I turn 15 but that is not an available option for me. I have no one I can talk to. I'm not even comfortable telling my best friend about my situation. My grades have been dropping down to D's. I cant focus at school. I want to be successful but its hard. I do boxing to get rid of stress but its not helpful. I've tried listening to music but once I listen to it too much my head hurts. Idk what to do. I feel lost. I don't want to run away but that's the best option for me. Can you help me out? (

[ccsmod2]

Thank you for reaching out to The National Runaway Safeline. It sounds like you have been dealing with an unsafe family issue for many years, and we are so sorry to hear that. If you ever feel unsafe at home, you have the right to leave the unsafe situation and call the cops. We want you to know that abuse is NEVER ok and you have every right to report this abuse. ChildHelp.org is a great resource around child abuse reporting.
You mentioned wanting to runaway. We by no means legal experts, because of your age, you are considered a minor. If you were to leave home without permission, there is a chance your parents could file a runaway report. If you were to encounter police, they would have to return you home.
Having a support system during this difficult time is important- perhaps there is a teacher or school counselor you trust. They are often trained on how to help youth, especially when there is conflict at home. it might not feel like it, but there are so many people that want to help. You can always give us a call at 1-800-RUNAWAY, we are 24/7 and can provide any additional resources.

Best of Luck,
NRS

[Guest]

Hello, I’m a 15 year old female. I want to leave my home with my family because of the verbal abuse and other feelings of being unsafe. I’ve had mental down spells that cause the want to leave, but I’ve hit a point where it’s no longer a joke. Something has happened that will never be resolved and I really need to escape it and leave it behind for my own mental sanity. I’ve grown up with an opportunistic life, but it feels as though I would do better on my own rather than with my family. They bring my mental state down constantly and with this new thing I won’t be able to escape it. My mom and dad would never let me leave which is something that scares me about trying to leave. Something tells me that after I try to leave they will put me on lockdown and force me to live with them. I’m very tired of constantly being scared to go home or being afraid to look at certain family members. Please help me to know what I can do.

[ccsmod6]

Hello and thank you for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline. We are sorry to hear that your living situation has gotten to the point where you feel like you need to leave. It isn’t right for your family to treat you the way they are and it isn’t right for them to hurt you and make you feel unsafe in your own home. We want you to know that we hear you and are here for you.

If you do not, it might be a good idea to consider trying to speak to a counselor or a therapist. If you’re afraid of talking to your parents about something like that, you can always call us and we can help coach you through a conversation like that or conduct a conference call between you and your parents where we can help advocate for you. Additionally, you can try to ask for help from a trusted adult in your life if there are any such as a teacher or school counselor. You can also try reaching out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They are an organization that helps people get in touch with affordable mental health resources in their areas. They are reachable at 1-800-950-NAMI or nami.org.

We know that you are struggling and we feel for you. If you want to share more about what is going on and explore what other options there might be, please don’t hesitate to call us on our 24/7 hotline at 1-800-786-2929 or chat us at 1800runaway.org.

Take care,
NRS

[Guest]

Hi I’m 15 and I want to move out to my grandmas house because the things that go on in my house are to much too handle. My stepdad tries to make my life awful and I can’t handle it no more. He used to abuse me and he also used to hit my mom. And I don’t wanna live there anymore and I can’t live my life or be a kid. I can’t focus in school because everyday when I go to school there is always a problem in the house. I just wanna live somewhere that I will get treated with respect and I just wanna live my life

[ccsmod4]

Hi,
Thanks for reaching out to the National Runaway Safeline.

It sounds like you are in a tough situation and may be looking for some options to help cope with everything. You nor your mom deserve to be abused by your stepdad.
The two of you are not at fault for what he was is doing. You have the right to want to live in a safe place.
We understand how difficult it must have been to speak about what you have been feeling.
You are very brave for doing so. Good for you.
NRS would like you to know we are here to support you at this difficult time.
You are welcome to contact us to explore options and talk more about your situation.

Let us know how we might help, please contact us at 1-800-Runaway (786-2929) orwww.1800Runaway.org (live chat).

If you are feel unsafe or at risk reach out to emergency services by dialing 9-1-1

NRS is here to listen and here to help.
Having a space to vent and explore options may often bring out a solution previously not thought of. We can best help by phone or chat.




Take care,
NRS