Thinking about running away

[Guest]

I’m 12 years old and my mom is emotionally abusive. I really want to get away but I don’t know how. I have ADHD and lately I’ve been thinking I have autism too. She knows about it but she still does not do anything. She always tells me I’m lazy and I’m manipulative and how much of a failure I’ll be when I’m an adult. I’m starting to develop anxiety and I’m scared it will escalate to physical abuse. I’m also having trouble with eating and my body image and I feel like I have nobody to talk to. Please help. Just give me some way I can get away or some program or something. School has been a struggle too and I always feel like I’m dumb and she confirms it. I feel stuck

[ccsmod7]

Hi there,

It sounds like you have a lot going on right now and that can be very stressful. We are sorry to learn that your mom is emotionally abusive. You deserve to feel safe and loved and it sounds like you currently do not feel like that at home. You also mentioned feeling like you have no one to talk to about this. We want you to know that we are here to listen at all times, whether you want to talk or chat.

One thing we can explore together is what your support system looks like and places you can stay at that feel safe to you. If you do end up deciding to run away, we want you to know that you can always chat us at www.1800runaway.org or call us at 1-800-RUNAWAY (786-2929) at any time. We are not here to tell you what to do, but hope you can stay safe in whatever decision you choose to make. If you ever feel unsafe, you can call the police (9-1-1) right away to get help.

Also, if you feel like your home is not a safe place to live, you have the option of making a report with Child Protective Services (CPS). You can make a report by calling us or Child Help at 1-800-422-4453 or online at www.childhelp.org . If you do make a report, a CPS worker might visit you at home or school and ask questions to understand what is happening. If making a report is something you would like to do, we can make the report with you or for you.

We are here to support you in whatever decision you make. It takes courage and maturity to reach out to us like you have, and we want home to be a safe place for you to be (so you can keep trying to do well in school!). We appreciate you contacting us, and hope you will again in the future if needed.

Until then, stay safe,

NRS