Karl Stenske shares a rich and compelling
story as an adoptee. Being one of the many who had a great adopted
family, he never thought being adopted had a big effect on his life. But
at 37, Karl began to unravel the true impact adoption did have on his
life and the lives of those who loved, and tried to love him.
A sought after speaker and educator, Karl offers insights into the
wounds created when any child is separated from his birth mother. In
The Hidden Life of an Adopted Child: Understanding the Impact of Adoption,
Karl explores the traumatic experience suffered by that separation and
its influence on self-esteem, value, worth, and identity.
This comment was made on another post "Adoption Depression" but it is relevant to this:
This is a subject that needs to be discussed,
especially in light of Margaret A. Keyes’, PhD new study conducted at
the University of Minnesota, just published yesterday (9-9-2013) in Pediatrics
Magazine.
The study shows that:
1) Teens who were adopted in early childhood had approximately four
times the risk for attempted suicide in late adolescence compared with
offspring living with their biological parents.
2) Adoptees had higher rates of externalizing behaviors, childhood
disruptive disorders, negative mood, and lack of interest in school, but
even after adjustment for these, the adopted teens still had an
increase in risk of attempted suicide.
Many other studies have shown similar results, but for some reason,
no one seems to want to talk about this issue. Even though lives are at
risk.
It’s important that we shine the light on this.
For the record, I’m uncomfortable with the label, “adoption
depression.” I think that’s misleading–and dangerous. I think we suffer
from trauma and unrecognized grief and should be treated appropriately.
