There are many negative emotional reactions that have been associated with abortion. Some women experience impacted grieving which reflects an inability to complete the grieving process. Other women experience specific self-destructive tendencies, including eating disorders, sexual dysfunction, and substance abuse. A widely used term for emotional problems is ‘post-abortion syndrome or PAS.
Women suffering from PAS may exhibit many of the classic signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
- anxiety attacks
- irritability
- outbursts of anger or rage
- aggressive behavior
- difficulty concentrating
- nightmares or sleeping disorders
- recurrent and intrusive thoughts about the abortion or the aborted child
- flashbacks to the abortion experience
- feelings of intense grief or depression on the due date of the aborted pregnancy or the anniversary date of the abortion
- repression or denial of thought or feelings about the abortion
- efforts to avoid activities or situations remind them of the pregnancy or the abortion
- withdrawal or estrangement from others especially those involved in the abortion decision
- inability to maintain loving or trusting relationships
- a sense of hopelessness or futility about the future
- diminished interest in previously enjoyed activities
- drug or alcohol abuse
- suicidal thoughts or acts or other self-destructive tendencies
If you find any of the following common situations make you feel depressed, sad, confused or upset you’re not alone:
- you were under twenty at the time of the abortion and you didn’t understand what abortion involved, but now you do.
- you weren’t sure how you felt about abortion but went through with it because you didn’t want to disappoint someone.
- you were told you ‘had to’ have an abortion for social, economic, or medical reasons. You were given no alternatives but now you realize that other options were available.