Emancipation with a History of Mental Health Issues and Abuse
My question involves juvenile law in the State of: Georgia
I am a 16 year old female living in the state of Georgia. I have a history of mental health issues and familial abuse. I would like to know if these factors will harm the chances of emancipation.
My parents were divorced when I was nine, and though my parents had split custody, I was primarily with my father. Around the time I hit puberty, I began to have mood swings. These were originally thought to be due to puberty itself. As the mood swings progressed, I began to become violent, and so did my father. I endured years of abuse, both mental and physical, which led to the worsening of my mood swings along with other issues.
In middle school, I went to a "prestigious" academy for technology, science, and the arts. There I learned how to be an artist, as well as how to code, design websites, and build computers. Halfway through seventh grade, at age 12, I had a meltdown at school which led to me being removed and put into online school(GCA). Online school put me in a position to be socially isolated and I developed horrible social anxiety as well as a worsening of my depression and a huge speech impediment, as I was at home alone 24/7. Three months after being put into online school, at age 13, I had a suicide attempt. I was put into a psychiatric hospital where I was diagnosed as having manic depression(Bipolar I disorder), ADHD, anorexia nervosa, and various types of anxiety(GAD, PAD, SAD, PTSD). I was put on Risperdal, Prozac, and Vyvanse. I now see that being put on heavy medication such as this at such a young age was not good for me or my health.
After being removed from the hospital, I spent two long years alone. I attended therapists who did not have my best interests(one that particularly comes to mind is a lady in Flowery Branch who, when I told her I was planning on killing myself again, looked me in the eye and said "That is B.S."). Right before my freshman year my father got married. We moved to North Carolina where I knew no one and had absolutely no support system. My step-mother and I did not get along well at all, which many say is because of both a "cultural barrier"(she is from Bolivia, where the women of the family are very close and things are very different) and because her husband died two years prior after a long battle with cancer. We fought constantly. She would hit me, slap me, punch me, scratch me, etc.,
After two years of failing, my father got sick of dealing with me and sent me back to Georgia with my mom. This has not worked out at all. Her fiance is a man with a temper that has undiagnosed mental illness(he scratches at his skin constantly, is very paranoid, and asks my mother if she can "see the fluid moving under [his] skin"). Last night, he and I were alone at the house and got into an argument. I told him that I didn't like how he disrespects my mother(he tells her "Let's go to dinner tonight", she gets all exited and ready, then he spends too much time scratching while locked in the bathroom so they don't get to go, which leaves my mother crying). He jumps across my bed, pins me down to where I can't move, and choked me for a good minute, both hands on my throat, screaming "IF YOU DON'T SHUT YOUR MOUTH I'M GOING TO PUT YOU DOWN, KID". Eventually he lets go and leaves, and I quickly lock the door and fall down, sobbing. I try to get a hold of my mother and sister but they don't answer. I call my other sister, who lives on her own, and she gets in touch with them. When my mom gets home she busts in my room, sees me crying on the floor, and begins to yell at me to get downstairs. She refuses to even hear my side of the story before she tries to force me to be in the same room as the man who just attacked me. It's clear she didn't care. I eventually leave and call my grandparents, who pick me up and take me to their house.
I currently have no home. My grandparents cannot raise me due to their age and financial situation, plus I do not want to put the burden of having to deal with me on their plate. Emancipation is the only choice I see right now.
Reasons:
* Abusive households
* Currently homeless
* Inability to live comfortably and thrive in order to be the best I can be and further my education
* I have a job(I'm an artist and website designer, I make $500/wk on a bad week)
* No criminal record, only 1(one) in school suspension
Drawbacks/Potential problems:
* Mental health issues
* Grades aren't the best(though I have a therapist who has said that this is in part because of my home life)
Re: Emancipation with a History of Mental Health Issues and Abuse
You do not qualify for emancipation. Please contact someone immediately though, to help get yourself somewhere safe to live. If you need help, let me know which county and I'll do what I can to find some local information for you.