Teen Hitchhikers
From LoveToKnow Teens
Nothing can pull on the heartstrings and create a pondering sense of wonder quite like the vision of teen hitchhikers decorating the roadside. Holding handwritten signs of prayer and gratitude, or just the classic thumbs up signal, teen hitchhikers take many risky measures to escape from home and their adult supervised environments. Many parents wonder, and worry, what causes the phenomenon of teenage hitchhikers, and how can this drastic escape be prevented?
Teen Hitchhikers
Most hitchhikers don’t care where they go, as long as they can get there fast. Often a last attempt at controlling or changing the unpleasant cards dealt to them, hitchhikers live only in the now, and most often ignore any dangers or risks associated with that thought process.
Being the parent of a teenage runaway or hitchhiker is a scary, stressful and heart wrenching situation. Although many runaways arrive home safely, there are many unfortunate situations such as rape, molestation, abduction and murder that can, and do occur.
On another troublesome note, statistically speaking, teenage runaways are on the rise, topping at over one million per year. Parenting teens has proved challenging to many, with the pressures of peer groups, drugs and alcohol, many parents are clueless that their teens are suffering from negative peer pressure or difficulties in their adolescence, all of which can trigger the response to runaway.
Reasons for Running
Teenage runaways pack and flee to escape a multitude of situations, most commonly to:
- Escape a painful or recurrent situation in the home (parental abuse, drugs, divorce, etc.)
- Avoid the consequence of a situation, such as punishment.
- Seek the comfort of others who are experiencing their bleak outlook on life.
- Change, stop or continue activities in their life.
- Continue a relationship or companionship that has been forbidden.
Before They Pack: Signs of a Troubled Teen
It’s not just wild teens that get packing and prepare for a risky adventure. Troubled teens come in all shapes and sizes. It’s always best to look for certain telltale behavioral signs or changes that can clue you in on a child who’s ready to free themselves from the burden of their daily life.
Not all teenage runaway situations can be prevented. Often times even the most supportive parenting techniques fail when a teen has their mind set on fleeing. Utilizing professional counseling services and intervention when problems arise in the home may help in early detection and prevention.
Look for the following changes and signs of emotional distress in your teen, if anything seems out of the ordinary, seek professional help for your family and child immediately:
- Family conflict
- Blatant, rebellious disregard of rules
- Withdrawn from family and situations
- Abrupt change in personality, lack of interest
- Never at fault
- Uncontrollable anger and rage
- Poor emotional control
- Manipulative
- Lying and stealing
- Lack of motivation
- "I hate you," attitude
- "You can't make me," attitude
- Substance abuse, drugs or alcohol
- Skips school
- School suspensions
- Grades have fallen, missed exams
- Can't keep friends, problems in social circles
- Legal problems
- Fighting and violence
- Gang involvement
- Bullying
- Hanging with the wrong crowd
- Bipolar disorder
- Low self-esteem
- Depression
- Attempted or threats of suicide
- Smoking
- Sexually active
- Cutting and self harm
- Adoption issues
- Reactive attachment disorder
- Eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia
- Learning disabilities
Note to Teens: Reaching Out
If you are a teen contemplating hitchhiking or running away, consider the effects this momentary decision can make. Putting yourself in a hazardous and dangerous situation is simply not worth the short-term sense of control. Always know that there is a better alternative to deal with your situation than running away.
If you feel you can’t speak or communicate with your parents or guardian, seek help in your school’s guidance counselor. In addition, there are also many organizations and churches that are willing to help you, free of charge, no questions asked.
Never put yourself in the dangerous path of hitchhiking. All too often teens escape, only to turn up missing or abducted from the roadside stranger that answered their call for help.
Seeking Help
The following websites offer teenage and parental assistance, as well as crisis control for adolescent runaway situations.
Learn More
This page has been accessed 2,271 times. This page was last modified 03:58, 10 June 2008.
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