Post Abortion Care
There is hope & healing after abortion
if abortion is part of your story and you are suffering from an internal ache and sadness that you can’t name, you’ve come to the right place. If you don’t feel like anyone will understand the conflict you feel between relief and regret over having chosen abortion, we understand because we’ve been there too. Let us care, support and walk with you on your healing journey.
HEALING FROM POST ABORTION DISTRESS
Post Abortion distress can affect both men and women and include an array of negative emotional and mental outcomes. Abortion can leave you feeling vulnerable, alone, and helpless. You are not alone, we are here for you.
Maybe you had an abortion last week, maybe you had one 20 years ago. Either way, your pain and questions are real, and you are worthy of healing. The descriptions below are not exhaustive. Click the links for further details.
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Immediately following an abortion, women may experience a sense of relief, For some, the relief is short-lived and gives way to negative emotions that can linger unresolved. In line with the best available evidence, induced abortion is associated with a significantly increased risk of the following for women:
Anxiety and clinical depression: you might have overwhelming feelings of sadness or anger or guilt when you think about your abortion; you may have sought the help of a therapist and/or meds to treat your symptoms.
Substance abuse: you might use alcohol or drugs to self-medicate and numb your feelings surrounding your abortion experience.
Symptoms similar to post traumatic stress disorder: you may have disturbing memories and/or dreams, intrusive thoughts, and avoid pregnant women or other things that remind you of your abortion.
Suicidal thoughts and behaviors: you may even consider suicide as a final solution to escape the pain.
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Like women, men may experience an initial sense of relief following an abortion, but that relief may eventually be replaced by a feeling of powerlessness. For men, post-abortion distress may look like a loss of identity, where you feel you can no longer lead; you may dodge authority or try hard to impress those in power; you may avoid commitment and you may also use alcohol or drugs to numb your feelings surrounding your abortion experience.
Based on the available research, we know men with an abortion in their past may experience:
Repressed emotions and numbness.
Failed relationships: anywhere from one-fourth to 75% of relationships fail because of an abortion decision.
Sexual difficulties.
Symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Moral pain from making a choice outside their worldview of right and wrong.
Grief, guilt, anxiety, helplessness, and anger which could lead to substance use and/or depression.