It all started at the end of 7th grade. My grades dropped and my mother moved out to go live with some guy she met online. I then lived with my aunt until my father took me; and I then started to live with him. It was all one big mess. I was in and out of courts. My father and I never got along; and this was no exception. We fought, and I was sent to live with my mother where I was, and still am, more miserable than you can imagine. I truly cannot wait to get out of here. I’ve been in and out of court rooms; and I’ve already had 3 different lawyers because my father has a criminal record, and so does my mother’s boyfriend. I live in the Northwest. I was thinking about committing suicide, but I realized that I loved myself too much for that. I started to cut. That wasn’t for me, either. I turned to my friend who has also had a fairly hard time. She wasn’t much help because her own problems were so immense and difficult; so I began to cry a lot and sleep a lot. I also began to eat more; but I quickly realized that I was gaining MAD weight, and I wasn’t too pleased. Now, I’m just waiting for the courts to pass a custody agreement of some kind. I would like to go to live with my aunt; but until then, I’m just trying to take things one day at a time.
CONSIDER THIS:
- totallycool, everyone needs some stability in their life. Moving and bouncing back and forth between relatives’ homes must have you feeling very unsettled. No one can blame you for feeling stressed out.
- Many teens feeling stressed find themselves considering options like suicide or self mutilation. It’s good to know that you decided that these options weren’t for you as there are always other options available. You made a good decision in reaching out to someone to talk to about your problems. Unfortunately, your friend had her own issues she was dealing with and couldn’t really help you. We’re here for you 24/7; so thank you for writing in to teencentral.com. It sounds like you trust your aunt. Please do your best to keep her in the loop with what’s happening, if she doesn’t know already, and everything that you’re feeling. It’s good to have a trusted adult to talk to when things get tough.
- know that you are not alone in feeling stressed out in this situation. There are many teens dealing with similar family issues. Please feel free to search the site for stories like yours. It’s always helpful to get someone else’s take on a particular situation. Another perspective can help you realize options you may have not considered. You can also take note of the suggestions they were given to help themselves.
- When you’re feeling overwhelmed with life’s issues you can always call the Child Help hotline at 1-800-422-4453 to speak to a trained counselor. The call is toll-free, available 24/7 and it’s totally confidential. In addition there are numerous other hotlines you can find on the teencentral home page.
HELP YOURSELF:
- Who, besides your aunt, might be another trusted adult that you could talk to?
- When you’re feeling stressed out and a trusted adult is not readily available, which helplines could you call?
- Since exercise and creative outlets such as art are great in relieving stress, what could you do to blow off some steam or express your emotions in a healthy way?
