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How to Run Away from Home
So, you’re thinking about running away from home?
We know that life can be difficult, and dealing with family, school, and other responsibilities can feel overwhelming. Sometimes it seems like running away is the only way to get away from your problems and live the life you want to live. But unfortunately, running away is not always the best option.
Volunteers and staff at the Texas Youth Helpline can help you think through your situation and your options, as well as connect you to resources that may help you.
We can help you brainstorm a safer solution.
Our staff and volunteers are specially trained to help you figure out the best way to manage a stressful, potentially intense situation—and many of them have been in your shoes before. All contact with us is confidential, free, non-judgmental, and tailored specifically to your needs.
We can help with crisis management, coping with loss or disappointment, stress in your home or school life, pregnancy concerns, finding a low-or no-cost counselor, or navigating any of the 2,000 plus resources in our database.
Call, text, or chat anytime
Running away should be your last resort.
Running away from home is very rarely the best way to improve your health or happiness. It can often be dangerous and can put you at risk for things like homelessness, abuse, sexual assault, or illness. It can seem like the quickest, easiest solution to the problems you are facing, but it can actually cause worse problems than you ever imagined.
If you’ve experienced abuse, please speak up.
If you’ve been abused in any way, it is not okay, and you don’t deserve it under any circumstance. The Texas Abuse Hotline is open 24/7. To report abuse, call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or make a report online through the Texas Abuse Hotline website. Either way, you can remain anonymous, and information about a person who reports abuse is confidential.
Please contact us at the Texas Youth Helpline as well. We can help you deal with the stress of abuse and help you figure out your next move.
We offer a free messaging service and rides back home.
The Texas Youth Helpline offers a free messaging service for teens and their parents to use to communicate if they don’t want to talk directly to each other. We also can help you get a free ride if you’ve run away from home and need to get back to a parent or guardian.