There is a statement I hear, at times, from women who contact Restore after they have struggled for a time with the emotional stress due to a past abortion: “I feel like I am going crazy!” Oftentimes, this can be a common response because they did not anticipate the strong emotions they would feel after having had an abortion. At other times, though, they may have anticipated they would be feel sad or grieve the loss of the pregnancy for a relatively short period of time, but these thoughts have lingered. These emotional stressors, termed post abortion stress (PAS), can be exhibited in the following ways:

• Inability to forgive self
• Emotionally numb
• Guilt or shame
• Depression or thoughts of suicide
• Grief
• Anger or rage
• Regret
• Nightmares or flashbacks
• Frequent crying episodes
• Preoccupation with anniversary date or due date
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Troubled relationships or intimacy issues
• Fear of someone finding out about abortion
• Anxiety
• Self-destructive behaviors (eating disorders, alcohol/drug abuse, etc.)
• Seeks or fears another pregnancy
• Over-protective of living children
• Fails to bond with subsequent children

With PAS, there is a lot of variation. Some women can struggle with a few PAS symptoms, while others struggle with many of these symptoms, simultaneously. Also, PAS symptoms can vary in intensity and duration. Some symptoms can be subtle and others feel extreme. Some symptoms may last days or weeks but, others, for years. A lot of times, women realize these symptoms are connected to the abortion grief, but some do not.

Get Help

If you or a loved one has been experiencing lingering PAS symptoms and want to seek help, please contact Restore After Abortion. We specialize in helping women work through the often difficult and confusing PAS symptoms to get to a place of healing in their lives. Don’t let another day go by without getting the help you need. Call or text 630-599-0043 or email care@RestoreAfterAbortion.com today.