What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY
Hi, I'm a 10th grade student who is having issues at home. I am being forced to move across the country and I have already stressed that for my emotional and physical well-being, this cannot happen. Many direct members of my family (including my mother, father, and aunt) have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and severe depression, and I don't believe myself to be an exception, nor do they. I was on medication for a time, but then I stopped taking it because it felt wrong to me and didn't seem to help.
My father is addicted to crack-cocaine, and though he has been clean for three months, he has relapsed at least once a year for as long as I can remember. I've given up on any hope of long-term recovery, because his bipolar and dissociative identity disorder (DID) fuel his addiction. There have been domestic violence issues in the past which has definitely scarred me in ways I couldn't imagine, but there are none at the moment. After researching emotional abuse, I continue to believe that I live in an abusive household and have been alienated from my family due to their many bad choices that have affected my life. I can go into detail here if needed.
I want to stress that I have held a steady base of friends (most of them older than me) who have taken care of me more often than my family has, both physically (with food, shelter, and the like) and emotionally. I know having such a support system isn't uncommon, which is why I am absolutely terrified of life without them as a method to cope with my family. When I am unable to see them for long periods of time (such as if I am grounded for many weeks for an argument, or even for a weekend) I start thinking depressive thoughts which worsen by the day. As someone who has self-harmed and contemplated suicide in the past, this scares me. My friends inspire me to continue working on what I love to do and they are the ones who keep me focused on my goals in life (my art and music)-- not my parents. I have been told by many adults in my life who are not family members that I have great potential and that I could change the world, but I don't believe I could ever do anything about it with the people I love dearly by my side.
Obviously, I know it's very difficult to get help in my predicament if the only issues I have with moving are in my mind and I have not been diagnosed with any disease. I have researched emancipation laws in New York and I am aware of what they are, but my family will never give me permission to do so.I also go to a very prestigious private school on the upper east side, and the administration desperately wants to keep me here. The staff here believes in me greatly and believes that it is to my best benefit that I keep attending, though my first priority is to stay in the city. They have even discussed with me the idea of living with another student in the school so I could continue to attend, but my father would not and does not approve of the idea. If I am unable to attend this school, I will have to go to the local public school in California-- not only do I have no idea about what the conditions of this school are, but there isn't even a definite guarantee I will get a spot for next year. My father has not looked into schools for me. It is not of his concern. He just wants me to live with him, and doesn't feel like tearing me apart from what means most to me will affect me much. It's not that he doesn't sympathize-- but empathy is not his strong point. If I continue my education here, I could get into any college I would like. On top of that, my father cannot afford my college tuition, or at least, at the moment. It would maximize my chances of getting a scholarship so I can further my career in the arts and truly make a difference in the world, just like everyone has said I could.
I feel like if I move over there, my mental health will be impacted so greatly that I don't know if I could survive. Every time I visit my psychiatrist, I end up hysterical just thinking about it. I'm scared to live alone with my father without any support from the people who take care of me. I am sure I could make new friends, but that's not the point-- the point is that the people here are so loving and compassionate beyond belief, and I believe that no one (that I would find in my next two years of high school, at least) could understand me and guide me the way they do.
I know it sounds like I will get over my problems and that this isn't a huge issue for me, but I'm desperate. I feel like I would rather die than be without these people. I've had attachment problems from when I was a child, my mother having left me to move to Finland when I was about one or two. My aunt does not want to live with me, because we get along poorly-- it's very hard for two people with their own individual emotional and mental issues to remain in the same household together, though I will admit that I did not do much to help. I have been acting out as of late due to the stress of the situation, and I know this.
I have nowhere to turn to for a safe home without leaving the state, and the very idea gives me panic attacks. Emancipation sounds like an option once I can get and hold a job, which I believe I can-- I'm willing to work to stay here, in any way possible. However, I need to know a way I can escape until then. I'm willing to become a runaway, and I know that the people I stay with could get into serious trouble if this is the case-- is there any exception that would keep them safe so I could have a place to live as I get stabilized? Though I come from a privileged family, I have fended for myself for such a young age that I have confidence I can learn to support myself. Is there any options I have other than emancipation? Is a foster care an option if I can prove that my family is abusive? I do not want to hurt my family, but they have proven time and again that I know what is better than me better than they do. If there is a way to do this with minimal damage to family structure, I would like this...but at this point, I don't know if I could enroll myself in a public school without cheating the system in some way, so I would like to be aware of other options before I just run off and give up on the legal system altogether.
I will be turning sixteen July second, but I would like to prepare my case until then.
I apologize for the long post: I know the law is against me, but I'm wondering if my case could hold up in court.
All I want to do is be safe, happy, and still be able to attend school in new york.
Hi, I'm a 10th grade student who is having issues at home. I am being forced to move across the country and I have already stressed that for my emotional and physical well-being, this cannot happen. Many direct members of my family (including my mother, father, and aunt) have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and severe depression, and I don't believe myself to be an exception, nor do they. I was on medication for a time, but then I stopped taking it because it felt wrong to me and didn't seem to help.
My father is addicted to crack-cocaine, and though he has been clean for three months, he has relapsed at least once a year for as long as I can remember. I've given up on any hope of long-term recovery, because his bipolar and dissociative identity disorder (DID) fuel his addiction. There have been domestic violence issues in the past which has definitely scarred me in ways I couldn't imagine, but there are none at the moment. After researching emotional abuse, I continue to believe that I live in an abusive household and have been alienated from my family due to their many bad choices that have affected my life. I can go into detail here if needed.
I want to stress that I have held a steady base of friends (most of them older than me) who have taken care of me more often than my family has, both physically (with food, shelter, and the like) and emotionally. I know having such a support system isn't uncommon, which is why I am absolutely terrified of life without them as a method to cope with my family. When I am unable to see them for long periods of time (such as if I am grounded for many weeks for an argument, or even for a weekend) I start thinking depressive thoughts which worsen by the day. As someone who has self-harmed and contemplated suicide in the past, this scares me. My friends inspire me to continue working on what I love to do and they are the ones who keep me focused on my goals in life (my art and music)-- not my parents. I have been told by many adults in my life who are not family members that I have great potential and that I could change the world, but I don't believe I could ever do anything about it with the people I love dearly by my side.
Obviously, I know it's very difficult to get help in my predicament if the only issues I have with moving are in my mind and I have not been diagnosed with any disease. I have researched emancipation laws in New York and I am aware of what they are, but my family will never give me permission to do so.I also go to a very prestigious private school on the upper east side, and the administration desperately wants to keep me here. The staff here believes in me greatly and believes that it is to my best benefit that I keep attending, though my first priority is to stay in the city. They have even discussed with me the idea of living with another student in the school so I could continue to attend, but my father would not and does not approve of the idea. If I am unable to attend this school, I will have to go to the local public school in California-- not only do I have no idea about what the conditions of this school are, but there isn't even a definite guarantee I will get a spot for next year. My father has not looked into schools for me. It is not of his concern. He just wants me to live with him, and doesn't feel like tearing me apart from what means most to me will affect me much. It's not that he doesn't sympathize-- but empathy is not his strong point. If I continue my education here, I could get into any college I would like. On top of that, my father cannot afford my college tuition, or at least, at the moment. It would maximize my chances of getting a scholarship so I can further my career in the arts and truly make a difference in the world, just like everyone has said I could.
I feel like if I move over there, my mental health will be impacted so greatly that I don't know if I could survive. Every time I visit my psychiatrist, I end up hysterical just thinking about it. I'm scared to live alone with my father without any support from the people who take care of me. I am sure I could make new friends, but that's not the point-- the point is that the people here are so loving and compassionate beyond belief, and I believe that no one (that I would find in my next two years of high school, at least) could understand me and guide me the way they do.
I know it sounds like I will get over my problems and that this isn't a huge issue for me, but I'm desperate. I feel like I would rather die than be without these people. I've had attachment problems from when I was a child, my mother having left me to move to Finland when I was about one or two. My aunt does not want to live with me, because we get along poorly-- it's very hard for two people with their own individual emotional and mental issues to remain in the same household together, though I will admit that I did not do much to help. I have been acting out as of late due to the stress of the situation, and I know this.
I have nowhere to turn to for a safe home without leaving the state, and the very idea gives me panic attacks. Emancipation sounds like an option once I can get and hold a job, which I believe I can-- I'm willing to work to stay here, in any way possible. However, I need to know a way I can escape until then. I'm willing to become a runaway, and I know that the people I stay with could get into serious trouble if this is the case-- is there any exception that would keep them safe so I could have a place to live as I get stabilized? Though I come from a privileged family, I have fended for myself for such a young age that I have confidence I can learn to support myself. Is there any options I have other than emancipation? Is a foster care an option if I can prove that my family is abusive? I do not want to hurt my family, but they have proven time and again that I know what is better than me better than they do. If there is a way to do this with minimal damage to family structure, I would like this...but at this point, I don't know if I could enroll myself in a public school without cheating the system in some way, so I would like to be aware of other options before I just run off and give up on the legal system altogether.
I will be turning sixteen July second, but I would like to prepare my case until then.
I apologize for the long post: I know the law is against me, but I'm wondering if my case could hold up in court.
All I want to do is be safe, happy, and still be able to attend school in new york.
