You May Be at Greater Risk for Burnout, Compassion Fatigue or Secondary Trauma!
As an adoptive mom you may be at a heightened risk for burnout, compassion fatigue or secondary trauma as primary caregiver for high need children and teens. In many adoptive families the children have suffered an enormous degree of trauma and in particular the loss of not only their first mother but other caregivers as well in their formative years. This can impact them long-term in various ways, complicating your role as their parent-caregiver.
Q. What is Parental Abuse?
A. Parental abuse, also called by other names (CPV - Child to Parent Violence; APV - Adolescent to Parent Violence) is when a child/adolescent abuses a parent.
This can be done through words (threatening) or physical actions, and often results in fear for the safety of the abused parent. It usually refers to physical violence. However there are other types of abuse as well.
If you are being threatened or physically harmed by your teenager, it is important to take steps to ensure your safety. This may mean leaving the home temporarily until things calm down, calling the police, or seeking help from a friend or family member.
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Does Your Adopted Child Have Lingering Effects of Their Prior Trauma?
When a child is adopted, it is often thought that their previous traumatic experiences will automatically disappear. However, this is not always the case. In fact, many adopted children suffer from the effects of their childhood trauma long after they have been removed from the abusive environment.
This can be due to a number of factors. For example, some adoptees may feel like they are not worthy of love and support because they were given up by their birth parents. Others may feel like they are constantly being judged by others because of their adoption status. As a result, these adoptees may struggle to form healthy relationships with others and may struggle with self-esteem issues.
