Post Abortion Help

If you have undergone an abortion and are now experiencing emotional difficulty, you are not alone. An estimated 24% of American women have experienced abortion. According to a large study published in The British Journal of Psychiatry, women who undergo an abortion have a “moderate to highly increased risk of mental health problems”. Not all women experience emotional or psychological side effects after abortion, but if they do, these effects can range from feeling regret, to experiencing serious depression. The American Pregnancy Association states that these types of side effects from abortion are more common than physical side effects, and can be just as serious.

Emotional side effects can be experienced immediately after the abortion has taken place, or they could resurface later on, during a future pregnancy, or around the time the baby would have been born. These types of side effects can include; guilt, regret, sadness, depression, substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts. Many times a woman feels ashamed of her decision, especially if she has moral, ethical, or religious beliefs that do not align with abortion. This can cause her self-worth to decrease, leading to poor relationship choices and uncharacteristic behaviors that were not previously part of her life.

Do you feel you may be struggling emotionally with an abortion decision that you or your partner has made in the past? Online abortion recovery course, Her Choice to Heal, outlines several self-assessment questions to help you determine if you could be suffering from emotional effects of abortion.

• Do you feel reluctant to talk about the subject of abortion, or do you feel guilt, anger or sorrow when discussing your abortion?

• Do you tend to think of your life as “before” and “after” the abortion?

• Do you have lingering feelings of resentment or anger toward people who were involved in your abortion decision?

• Have you begun or increased the use of drugs or alcohol since the abortion, or do you have an eating disorder?

• Have you felt a vague sort of emptiness, a deep sense of loss, or have you experienced depression since the abortion?

If you have experienced an abortion in your past, whether it was last week or many years ago, and are coping with any emotional difficulties that you feel may be related to the procedure, or if you answered “yes” to any of the above questions, we are here to help. We offer an abortion recovery program that has given hope and provided emotional healing to many women. There is treatment available to anyone who is suffering from mental health issues that they feel may be related to an abortion decision, the first step is just to reach out. We can help you begin the process of healing by connecting you with professional counseling and psychiatric care, as well as getting started with our abortion recovery program. If you aren’t quite ready for these steps but just need a safe and confidential place to talk about your abortion experience with someone who truly understands, we are here for you. We know this can be a difficult subject to discuss, and we treat each of our clients with the highest level of sensitivity and confidentiality. Call us today at 770.924.0864 to set up an appointment and take your first step in the path to healing.