Poll Foster Care & Adoption With Ptsd

[MCCS]

I'm curious as to how many people were in foster care and/or adopted and have PTSD as well. In addition to if anyone feels that this has contributed to their trauma/PTSD.

I don't remember ever feeling whole, I have always felt like a part of me was missing. I was in foster care for a couple years then was placed as a crown ward and adopted by the same family who fostered me. I feel I have always had PTSD due to having night terrors my entire life (according to my Mom), having a difficult time communicating when I knew how to, being quiet in general. I can't remember if I have always had anxiety but feel as it I have for some reason. I was born with cocaine in my system and taken away from my bio Mom at birth, we had visitations until I was adopted at 3.5 years old in which she chose to not continue visitations with me.

I have heard adoptees on both sides of this topic, where some feel foster care and/or adoption was not traumatic for them and others know it was. I realize those of us who were adopted as an infant don't remember being a baby but I'm pretty sure (not 100% on this) being taken from the only person you knew would be traumatic. I do know that not everyone who has been through a traumatic event develops PTSD.

 

[Sandstone]

I used to long to be taken away from my parents, and on one occasion asked to be taken into care.

 

[Fadeaway]

They didn't place me in foster care, they placed me somewhere worse, with my grandparents. Not the same I guess, but I spent years longing for a mother that didn't want me so...

 

[MCCS]

They didn't place me in foster care, they placed me somewhere worse, with my grandparents. Not the same...

I will add that as an option, it's very similar as my sister who is our Mom's bio niece lived with our Grandma then was taken in by our Mom and Dad.

 

[MCCS]

I can't figure out how to edit the choices :/

 

[shimmerz]

In addition to if anyone feels that this has contributed to their trauma/PTSD.

Oh god yes.

I have heard adoptees on both sides of this topic, where some feel foster care and/or adoption was not traumatic for them

Yep. And for 45 years that was me. Until my little 'melt down'. Foster/adopted kids are brainwashed into believing it is not big deal.
'You were chosen...unlike other children'. oh yeah? Well we were unchosen first. And perhaps badly abused.
This is why adoptees don't come with a history. Even adopted dogs come with a history for chrissakes.

 

[joeylittle]

I added the additional choice, @MCCS.

A work friend of mine was adopted, and is very articulate about how he never felt anything but positive connection to his adoptive parents. I always feel like he's the minority. I myself was never placed anywhere, just grew up with my bio-family.

 

[Anarchy]

None of the above
but I was in a boarding school from age 11, it didn't help
Kids who had been adopted appeared subjectively to cope less well there

 

[MCCS]

Thank you Joeylittle!

& thank you everyone for your feedback. I'll definitely have to do some research on this topic to see if it helps to explain how I felt as a child.

 

[illusionist]

I was in foster care, then adopted, then lost both adopted parents, then into long term foster care. I can see where my Ptsd comes from regarding long term abuse with long term foster parents and time in a children's home but before that, I just hav'nt a clue. I still feel a great loss with the loss of my adopted parents though.

 

[7Cs]

I wrote about it in my introduction post.

But yes, my trauma is primarily due to adoption failure (abandonment) foster care and homelessness.

It sucks.

https://www.myptsd.com/threads/still-struggling-with-ptsd-after-20-years.59918/