Pat's Answer

I will end up killing myself if I don’t move away from my family.

Your Question

hello pat, i really need to move out of my house away from my family.. i would go into deeper description but for now i just need advice on what to do. Im 15. if i stay here i will end up killing myself, im in therapy but the problem will never go away if i come home to this. 

Answer

Hello, you are very welcome to Ask Pat. 

Thank you for contacting us with your concern. We know that reaching out for support isn’t always an easy thing to do but we also know how great it is for young people to talk about their problems. You say that you need to move out of home and away from your family and that if you stay, you will end up killing yourself. It can be difficult when your house does not feel like a safe place and when your family don’t make you feel safe or supported either. You have the right to a safe place to live and to be protected and looked after. If you are feeling unsafe or unhappy, you have the right to get help and support.  

You mentioned having access to therapy. We hope that your therapist is somebody you can trust to talk about the problems you are experiencing at home and that you can share your feelings about killing yourself. It is important to consider what other helpful supports may be available to you, both outside and within your family. You have the right to seek support from a trusted adult who can help to keep you safe.  Are there other family members that do not live with you (e.g. a grandparent, aunt or uncle) with whom you could discuss your concerns and worries about your home life? Some young people don’t have a family member they can go to but may have another trusted adult such as a teacher, sports coach or school counsellor they can turn to for support.  

We are extremely concerned about your current circumstances regarding your physical and mental wellbeing. If the problem at home is causing you harm or endangering you, you can contact Túlsa, the Child and Family Agency for help. The social workers within Túlsa are there for young people under the age of 18 years old, and their job is to make sure that children and young people are safe at home. If you would like to get in touch with them or get information, you can find your local Túlsa office here: www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/local-area-offices/ . You may need the support of an adult to help you with this. If ever you believe you are in immediate danger or harm, you can dial the emergency services on 999 or 112 from any mobile or landline, free of charge. 

Would it be helpful for some of the people in your family to have access to support that can help them to understand the problem, how it affects you and help them to change it or do things differently to make your home a better place to live? Depending on what the problem is, perhaps your therapist, some other trusted adult or professional organisation such as Túlsa can help with this.   

There are some articles on the Childline website which you may find useful:  https://www.childline.ie/info-advice/ and you might find something helpful at: https://spunout.ie/ as well.

Not all of these options might be available to you or suit your situation, and you may have some of your own ideas about how to feel better in your home that you can talk about with the trusted adults in your life. 

We at Childline would love to listen to you about your situation and how you are feeling. Childline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by phone on 1800 66 66 66  or text on 50101 or webchat at www.childline.ie . This service is free, confidential and non-judgemental and we could help you look at the options that are available to you should you need more help. 

Thank you, 

Pat 

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