Year: 2008 Source: Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health, v.7, no.3, (2008), p.1-10 SIEC No: 20080851

This exploratory study aimed to provided a space for narratives describing perceived links between adoption & suicide. Narratives from a purposive sample of 20 participants revealed six themes in relation to the study focus: reality denied, prescribed self, powerlessness, suicidal logic, suicide, & turning points. A theoretical discussion is developed in relation to the findings, drawing on Girard’s concept of sacrificial violence, Butler’s notion of performativity, & Kierkegaard’s notion of pathology of spirit. (55 refs)