Sara Easterly, the author of “Searching for Mom” once said “I entered a long period of death ideation in adolescence when I began wondering about my birth mother almost constantly. The losses due to adoption began to feel overwhelming, but it didn’t feel like there was room to grieve.”
According to a research study published by the journal of Pediatrics, adoptees are four time more likely to report a suicide attempt than non-adoptees and Lina Vanegas, our podcast guest, has some ideas of why this is so including:
the trauma of separation from the birth family
the lack of medical history, which may give insights to health and mental health vulnerabilities
racism when adoption is transnational or transracial
isolation from the cultural community of origin
microagressions from others about how grateful an adopted person should be
About Lina Vanegas
Lina Vanegas is a national speaker, trainer and presenter on mental health, trauma, adoption and suicide. she is also an MSW, suicide loss survivor and lived experience expert and advocate. She is also a co-host of the podcast, Rescripting The Narrative. She has been featured on NPR, multiple panels and podcasts. Her English Bulldog McQueen has an Instagram account.
Show Notes
About Lina
Instagram: @linaleadswithlove
Twitter: @LinaLeadsWLove
Articles & Podcasts
Harvard Law “Organizing and Activism of Adopted and Displaced People” https://blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2022/05/13/organizing-and-activism-of-adopted-and-displaced-people/
When They Were Young “Rescripting the Narrative” podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-51-lina-vanegas-rescripting-the-narrative/id1525397838?i=1000567011821
NPR: Adoptees express their fear, anger and insight on race during social unrest https://www.npr.org/2021/11/21/1057402854/adoptees-express-their-fear-anger-and-insight-on-race-during-social-unrest
About Adoption
“Searching for Mom” Sara Easterly & Linda Easterly https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Mom-Memoir-Sara-Easterly/dp/0578601958
The Impact of Children’s Pre-Adoptive Traumatic Experiences on Parents: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6930688/