Do you feel self-conscious about an abortion in your past? For some individuals, going through this experience can elicit a sense of shame or embarrassment. Sometimes this feeling fades over time, but sometimes it lingers or gets re-triggered years later. Can you relate? If you’re embarrassed about a past abortion, your rationale behind this is probably complex, sensitive, and highly personalized. Maybe you don’t have a rationale. Maybe you just feel ashamed, with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Every post-abortion experience and recovery process is unique. It’s normal to have a different emotional response to this decision than you’d expected.
Whatever your expectations may have been, perhaps you’re struggling to cope with feelings of sadness, guilt, or stress. Maybe you feel the need to reach out for support, but your feelings of embarrassment are holding you back. There could be a number of possible reasons for this. Perhaps people you’re close to don’t know about your abortion, and you’re afraid that getting help would lead to them finding out. Or, maybe it just feels too overwhelming to address this concern head-on. Doing so would mean acknowledging your pain and conceding that you need support. That’s not always easy to do.
Have you ever heard the expression, “The only way out is through”? If you’re struggling with post-abortion stress that’s not going away, this may be true of your own healing journey. We all face crossroads in life where we have to be honest with ourselves and deal with our internalized pain. If we don’t, that unresolved pain can lead to bitterness and regret. Consider reaching out for help. Chances are, you’ll end up wishing you’d taken that step sooner.
Reaching out to Restore is a great place to start! We’re a free post-abortion recovery program that’s been serving women and men for over 20 years! You can rest assured that the services we offer at Restore are extremely compassionate, nonjudgmental, and completely confidential. Yes, reaching out for help can feel intimidating. It requires bravery. But you have what it takes to lean into your courage and pursue healing, beginning right now.
Contact Restore today! You can reach us by calling, texting, emailing, or scheduling an appointment on our website!