Overdose 7 years ago

[scottoleary27]

Just a quick question for advise. Today I had my medical and forgotten that 7 years ago I had overdosed due to a relationship breakdown but the GP had advised it wouldn't go against me due to no other health issues and had stated in my medical I am fit and well. Will this go against me?

Your agency will want to explore it, in detail. The fact that it's so long ago will go in your favour.
Be prepared to recount it all, chapter and verse. Try to turn it into a positive - you had a massive bump in the road, but you sought help and have shown resilience in bouncing back from an awful situation - these are valuable qualities in an adopter.

Its not a question of it going against you, but I would be surprised if SWs didnt want to discuss it with you. It is quite an extreme reaction, they will probably want to know how you recovered, eg did you have counselling. Adoption can be very tough, stressful and emotionally exhausting - they will want to be sure its not something you would do again.
Are you a single adopter?

You'll need to prepare yourself for the fact that even though you've forgotten about it, it will come up with your SW, at approval panel, during linking visits and at marching panel. Even being approved as an adoptive parent doesn't mean that a child's SW won't decide on balance that they won't proceed with the match. My anxiety issues were used to justify not proceeding with a match because the SW just didn't like us as people but can't write that in their report.

Also be prepared to find discussions around this triggering even though you feel you've put it behind you. I'm not suggesting you'll feel that way again rather that having to revisit traumatic experiences can make you feel drained, depressed and/or anxious.

Thanks all. Was just worried it would stop me. Ted27 no me and my husband are adopting. And have a close support network too

You are very brave to address the issue and I'm glad that you hadn't remembered.

Can I suggest that telling them you forgot the incident may be a warning bell in itself for some social workers? It could seem that you haven't really addressed the issues or you are trying to brush it under the carpet/ hide the severity from them. (I am absolutely not saying this is the case, just how it could be interpreted.)

It would be easier to demonstrate that you are strong and emotionally resilient enough for adoption and future challenges or stress by talking quite openly about all the things you did to recover from that time, and how you would take action quickly now if you felt yourself feeling like that at all.

Similar happened with my DH about 7 years before we adopted. It came up in his medical, but the SW didn't pick up on it until very late (days before she submitted our PAR to panel!!!) So had to have a last minute meeting and make lots of additions. It came up at panel and again at matching, but didn't negatively affect us in any way. He spine about how understanding it has made him to mental health issues which bode well for the future in helping support anything that may arise.