The Dark Side of Adoption

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Recommended: Perceived benefits of adoption

In the United States two percent of all children in the year 2013 were adopted. Adoption has always been seen as positive impact on the child. However, this process is not always as perfect as one might have thought. Children who have been adopted do not always go through a normal life, some face difficulties and hardships from the adoption process. As a result of adoption some children face Self-Esteem issues, Social Interaction issues, and Attachment issues.

First of all, children that go through the adoption process may experience some sort of self-esteem issue. Ripa Ajmera reports that most children “ after learning about being adopted they may feel a sense of grief, rejection, or abandonment.” This has a major effect on the child’s overall behavior. Children at a such a young age should not have to deal with such insecurities! When a child becomes aware that they were adopted and what that entails, as to them having been given up by their biological parents for whatever reason, the curiosity of a young child will develop such a deep, permanent idea of something is wrong with them. Ajmera also states that “They [the child] may wonder why they were put into adoption, and whether something was wrong with them when they were born to be undesired.” Again we can see that this mindset for a child can become very destructive to their self esteem. Also, since they are at such a fragile age where they are so dependent upon others opinions, anything believed by others is seen as concrete knowledge. Ajmera continues with “And as a result they [the child] may suffer an extreme lack/ or loss of identity.”Identity loss is the main symptom of self esteem issues. Children typically tend to look to their parent or guardian of the same ge...

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...ren in the United States are adopted. When seventeen percent of the 317 million people in the United States are Children, those numbers begin to add up. Think, is there anyone you know who was adopted? Was it always easy for them? Chances are it was not all sunshine and rainbows, as is life.

Works Cited

“Bonding and Attachment”. Buening, Walter. 2013: Walter D. Buening, Ph D. & Assoc. Web. April 4, 2014.

“Effects of Adoption on Children”. Ripa Ajmera. October 2013: Livestrong. Web. March 28, 2014

“Impact of Adoption on Adopted Persons”. August 2013: Child Welfare Information Gateway. Web. February 19, 2014.

“The Effects of Adoption on Kids”. Seifert, Carly. 2014: Global Post: Everyday Life. Web. March 28, 2014.

“Understanding Child Development & the Impact of Adoption”. 2009: Child Welfare Information Gateway. Web. February 25, 2014

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