Journal:

I chose this topic because I found it very interesting and actual. I think it is a common and
grave issue that – in my opinion – could be solved. Before writing this essay, I did a bit of
research and read several articles about this problem. Then, I also collected my own thoughts
and ideas and structured my essay.

Why do teenagers run away from home?

Adolescence is the time between adulthood and childhood. As a result, teenagers are often
confused and torn between the two stages of life. Adolescence can be an extremely
challenging period for families as there are several problems that occur at this age. In quite a
lot of cases, teenagers even run away from their homes. There are various reasons why they
decide so.
First of all, as teenagers are generally secretive, they might want to hide their problems from
their parents. In these cases, these are usually about drug or alcohol consumption, unwanted
pregnancy or sexual orientation. Also, if they have made a mistake, they might be afraid of
their parents’ reaction so this could be another reason for running away.
Secondly, there are a lot of teens who struggle with family related issues. These could be
divorce, living in a recomposed family with stepparents or stepsiblings or arguments with
their parents. It isn’t uncommon to have communication problems between the family
members as well. Teenagers might feel that their parents don’t understand them.
Unfortunately, there are several families where abuse is present. Teenagers can feel unsafe at
home and run away.
Last but not least, peer pressure is also an important factor in this case. Many teenagers are
willing to do anything to fit in, even bad things such as taking drugs or commit crimes. Of
course, they don’t want their parents to find out, so they run away instead.
In my opinion, better communication between family members and being more open and
understanding with each other might help in these cases.