Right now I am at a stage in life where I am "testing the waters" and looking at options to see what will be possible.
My fiance and I are getting started in life (we are 19) and plan to have children in 5-10 years. I am in college pursuing a psychology degree and planning on grad school. My fiance will be working to support our family and he dreams of eventually starting a small business.
Here is the problem: I have schizoaffective disorder, a mental illness that combines elements of schizophrenia (unmedicated, I experience hallucinations and delusions) with elements of bipolar disorder (unmedicated, I go through periods of mania and depression). Other than that we are both completely healthy. I have been treated (through meds, counseling, and healthy lifestyle choices) for the past year and recently have returned to normal levels of stability, which I expect to continue. We are both extremely well-informed and proactive in treating my disorder and he is completely supportive of me. I am doing well enough now that I am taking steps to become an advocate for the mentally ill (through speaking to the media and establishing an education/advocacy program here at my college), and I intend to use my psychology degree to become a counselor for people with severe mental illness.
My fiance and I have discussed various combinations of biological and adopted children. I want to know if adoption is something we should keep on the radar and eventually pursue, or if we would be automatically rejected as adoptive parents on the basis of my illness.
Thank you in advance for your help
