| Giving a child up for adoption is the greatest gift that | | | | people cope with these issues. |
| birth parents can make when unable to raise the child | | | | A common solution is to make use of a support group. |
| themselves, and this act will change their lives forever | | | | Simply being able to talk with other people who were |
| just as it will forever alter the lives of the adoptive | | | | also put up for adoption and have lived with similar |
| parents who are waiting with open arms for that child. | | | | issues and struggles can be a huge help in learning |
| But one group that is sometimes overlooked in this | | | | how to cope and move forward. It is a natural feeling |
| process is the adopted children themselves. For | | | | for us to want to talk with people who can truly |
| adopted children, there are many issues that they may | | | | understand, and in these support groups adopted |
| have to confront during their lives. | | | | adults can find such people. Just knowing that you are |
| Children adopted at birth of very young ages often | | | | not alone can help make the journey easier and the |
| may not find out they were adopted until they are | | | | healing faster. In the support groups, former adoptees |
| teenagers or sometimes even adults. Finding out that | | | | can share their experiences and challenges with other |
| they are adopted in these later years can create an | | | | people who truly understand. ALMA and the American |
| identity crisis in which they feel lied to, and as if their | | | | Adoption Congress are support groups that are |
| own identity is somehow false. For children who are | | | | excellent resources. |
| put up for adoption at an age where they are aware | | | | Another great option is to see a private counselor. |
| of the change in households, this can be extremely | | | | There are counselor and therapists who actually |
| traumatic as they wonder why their parents gave | | | | specialize in adult adoptees and their struggles. If you |
| them away, and there can be a great deal of difficulty | | | | like, you can even hire a therapist who is an adoptee |
| accepting the new, adoptive parents. Children are also | | | | himself. There are many aspects of the adult adoptee |
| often adopted by parents who are of a different | | | | experience that therapeutic intervention can help you |
| ethnicity or race, and this can crate identity conflict as | | | | work through. These include feelings of abandonment, |
| the child tries to reconcile their birth race or ethnic | | | | assistance with current interpersonal relationships, and |
| background with the one they are being raised in. | | | | they can even help the adoptees in their search for |
| As adults, adopted children may struggle with these | | | | birth parents. While this counseling can be expensive, |
| identity challenges as well as low self-esteem and | | | | you may be able to engage in group sessions which |
| even the persistent feeling of having been abandoned. | | | | are a combination of support groups and private |
| Alcohol abuse, marital challenges and depression are all | | | | counseling. |
| issues that can result from these challenges. Adult | | | | Adoption is a fact of life for anyone who has been put |
| adoptees will often search for their birth parents, | | | | up for adoption. It begins when the child is placed for |
| siblings or other biological relatives in an attempt to find | | | | adoption, but the fact of it never goes away. |
| answers to the questions that plague them, as well as | | | | Throughout their lives, it is a fact of their identity and so |
| to gain genetic information. However, none of these | | | | it is vital that the adoptee can cope with that fact. |
| issues are new or unique. In fact, adopted children and | | | | Luckily, adoptees now have many resources available |
| adults have struggled for so long with these challenges | | | | to help them with this. |
| that there are actually programs in place to help | | | | |