The psychic disequilibrium of adoption: stories exploring links between adoption and suicidal thoughts and actions

Abstract

Past literature has identified mental health issues for adopted people. Equally, research reveals that birth parents have ongoing mental health issues related to adoption grief that increases rather than decreases over time. Limited literature explores links between adoption and suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

This exploratory study aimed to provide a space for narratives describing perceived links between adoption and suicide to be aired. Narratives from a purposive sample of 20 participants revealed six themes in relation to the study focus: reality denied, prescribed self, powerlessness, suicidal logic, suicide and turning points. A theoretical discussion is developed in relation to the findings, drawing on Girard's concept of sacrificial violence, Butler's notion of performativity, and Kierkegaard's notion of pathology of spirit.