Post-Abortion
Post-Abortion
So you've had an abortion and at first you felt relieved. You thought it would fix everything, but it turns out it didn't.
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Now you are feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness, and you may even be experiencing feelings of anger too.
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You say things like:
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"I thought my life would go back to normal after my abortion"
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You may ask yourself:
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"Why am I feeling like this?"
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"Did I make the right choice?"
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"This was supposed to fix everything"
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Perhaps you didn't want to go through with the abortion but felt pressured by a partner or a family member.
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Now you feel empty inside
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Nobody told you that you would feel this way
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You feel like you have no one to talk to about theses feelings
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You may be wondering What to do next.....
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Spot the signs
If any of this sounds familiar, we want you to know that you are not alone, there are many women who can relate to some of the emotions you may be experiencing and they may be trying to process their emotions just like you.
To help you understand the emotions you may be feeling, we have listed some of the emotional risks associated with abortion.
You may be able to identify with some of these post-abortion symptoms.
Emotional Risks
Symptoms
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Sadness
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Loss or emptiness
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Anger, shorter fuse and rage
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Guilt, shame, self-blame
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Distanced, or alienation from others
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Anniversary grief
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Fear of a doctors office or other place that reminds you of the abortion
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A "before" and "after" feeling; you are a different person after the abortion
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Jealousy or aversion to pregnant women or babies
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Viewing a miscarriage or infertility problems as a "punishment"
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Overprotectiveness of your children
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Heightened fear of making wrong decisions
NEGATIVE POST-ABORTION SYMPTOMS
Symptoms
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Bouts of crying
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Depression
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Emotional numbness
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Eating disorders
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Lowered self esteem
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Drug and alcohol abuse
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Nightmares and sleep disturbances
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Suicidal urges
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Difficulty with relationships
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Anxiety and panic attacks
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Flashbacks
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Multiple abortions
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Pattern of repeat crisis pregnancy
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Avoidance of future situations that are a reminder of previous traumatic event
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Hyper-arousal: on a permanent alert for any threat or danger e.g. "fight" or "flight" defence mode.
To learn about the physical risks to abortion.
The Healing Choice
If you feel like you have been effected by any of these symptoms listed, or if you have had an abortion and would just like to speak to someone, support is available, either from Pregnancy Centres who offer Post Abortion counselling or another organisation that offers specific counselling.
Abortion increases suicide risks
Researchers at a University of Minnesota found strong evidence that abortion dramatically increases the risk of suicide.
A Finnish (Finland) study indicates that in the year following an abortion women were more likely to commit suicide than the general population,
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3x
and nearly more likely to commit suicide than women who gave birth.
6x
Similarly, a United States study examining173,279 low-income Californian Medicaid patients found that women who underwent abortions had nearly DOUBLE the chance of dying in the following two years, and had a
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higher risk of death from
suicide than if they gave birth.
70%
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Women who experience complications after abortion are at a higher risk of self-harm than a non-aborting group
A teenage girl is times more likely to attempt suicide if she has had an abortion in the last six months than a comparable teenage girl who has not had an abortion. (Gafinkel, et al, Stress, Depression and Suicide: A Study of Adolescents In Minnesota Extension Service, 1986)
10
154%
Hope,
Healing
&
Restoration
