Adoption may begin a new chapter, but it doesn’t tear the earlier pages from a child’s story. In one U.S. study examining behavioral and mental health-related outcomes in adopted and non-adopted individuals (where many of the adopted and non-adopted subjects were legal/adoptive siblings), the adoptees were found to be almost four times more likely to have at least one reported suicide attempt (source).
In this blog, our house parents at Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home explain why National Suicide Prevention Month matters for adoptive families and how parents, caregivers, and supporters can help their children feel seen, heard, and connected. Prevention begins with paying attention and making it safe to speak.
Why National Suicide Prevention Month Deserves Our Attention
The research findings we reference in the introduction don’t mean that every adopted child is inherently in crisis or at risk of it, nor that adoption itself causes suicidal thoughts. It does show why national suicide prevention month should encourage families to understand what suicide risk can look like and how to respond when they become concerned.
The goal of recognizing National Suicide Prevention Month is not to label all adopted children or treat them like statistics. The goal is to recognize that every child carries a different story and may need different kinds of support to feel safe opening up about their pain.
Open the Door Before a Crisis
As house parents, we see National Suicide Prevention Month as a natural opening for caregivers to ask direct, calm questions about mental health and suicide. Asking your child—adopted or not—if they are thinking about suicide doesn’t raise their risk; it may instead bring relief, to know that these and other types of difficult thoughts and feelings are safe to discuss (source), and that they aren’t unfamiliar or shameful concepts to you.
Listen without judgment, thank your child for telling you, express your empathy and understanding of these feelings, and involve a mental health professional when needed. If a child shows warning signs of being suicidal or may be in danger, call or text 988 (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) for immediate, 24/7 support; call 911 if the danger is immediate and stay with the child until help arrives.
Support can also come from trusted adults, including teachers, coaches, counselors, and faith leaders—the wider circle of care for children who need more stability, especially adopted children who may know what it’s like to lack a stable support system.
Common Warning Signs of Suicide Risk in Children and Teens
Here are just a few indicators that your child may be at risk of suicide or related feelings/behaviors:
- Unusual irritability, mood swings, or crying spells
- Overwhelming sadness/depression symptoms
- Mentions of wanting to harm themselves (lethally or not), pass away, or simply cease to exist
- Visible indicators of self-inflicted physical harm
- Eating disorders (tied to body dysmorphia, intentional self-harm, or otherwise)
- “Giving up” on personal hygiene and self-care
- Sleeping problems or excessive lying around/in bed
- Self isolation/withdrawal from their friends and/or close family members
- Lost interest or investment in their favorite activities
- Agoraphobia (fear of places, surroundings, or situations that may cause feelings of helplessness or panic)
- Pervasive negative outlook, evident in conversations, social media comments or messages, art, (shared) journal entries or other writing, or even small remarks
Help Keep Hope Within Reach
At Alabama Free Will Baptist Children’s Home, National Suicide Prevention Month is a healthy reminder of our commitment as parents to listen carefully, respond compassionately, and connect the children we serve with appropriate support. No child should carry overwhelming pain alone, and it is crucial that they know they don’t have to.
Adoptive parents can begin with one honest conversation, while donors can help our home keep providing a stable, loving community. Whether you are raising a child or supporting our ministry, your willingness to show up matters.
Our mission at the Children’s Home is to provide a loving, Christian home to children who are hurting or struggling with life’s challenges or troubled domestic situations. If you feel led to bless our home and ministry with gifts of support, please consider making a donation. If you’d prefer to learn more about our cause, check out our other blogs.