Psychological Effects on Adoptees

While living happy and fulfilled lives for adopted people is generally no different than it is for non-adopted persons, adoptees experience a variety of psychological effects unique to them. A range of emotions and reactions occur during different stages of an adoptee's life, from an early sense of loss and grief -- to simple genetic questions later on.

Loss

• Feelings of loss, grief and abandonment are often experienced by adoptees. Loss is often accompanied by a sense of abandonment and rejection. Grieving begins as an adoptee becomes old enough to know what being adopted means. In some cases a grieving adoptee -- especially one that lives in a happy home -- feels guilt for grieving and hides it from his adoptive parents. In addition to guilt and grief, an adoptee may react to the loss he or she feels with anger, numbness, depression, anxiety and fear. These emotions can occur at any point in an adoptee's life but are especially strong during trigger moments -- such as a death in the family or marriage.

Identity and Self-esteem

• Questions of identity begin for adoptees in adolescence, often carrying into adulthood. Identity development for adoptees centers on questions of the adoptee's biological family, the reasons why he or she was placed for adoption, the status of their birth parents, if the adoptee looks like his or her parents and where the adoptee belongs in the social strata.

  Identity issues correspond to self-esteem issues as well; studies have shown that adoptees may view themselves as different or out-of-place due to the loss of birth parents and immediate family. Non-adoptees are not as prone to self-esteem and identity issues as adoptees are.

Interest in Genetic Information

• Adoptees often lack genetic and medical history. When visiting a doctor for a routine visit, an adoptee may feel uneasy if asked to supply his or her medical history. This makes them acutely aware of how they are different from those who were not adopted. Often when an adoptee gets married and wants to have his or her own family, the interest in their own genetic identity increases. Adoptees desire to know what kind of physical traits their children will have -- and if any unknown genetic disorders are carried in their genes.

Management of Psychological Effects

• The Child Welfare Information Gateway points to a number of ways that adoptees dealing with psychological issues can manage their symptoms.

  Support groups may provide a much-needed outlet for expressing grief or loss -- or to help with the decision of whether to search for birth relatives.

  Professional counselling offers help beyond that which family and friends or a support group can offer. Reading about the experiences of others is a helpful coping mechanism.

  Lastly, searching for -- and finding or making contact with -- birth parents provides closure and peace of mind for adoptees.