Since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in the case of Roe v Wade during 1973, millions of American women have experienced one or multiple abortions.  According to the Guttmacher Institute, approximately 1 in 4 American women will experience an abortion by the age of 45.*

What do women typically experience in the days, weeks, and even years after going through with one or multiple abortions?  Well, relief is usually the first emotion felt once the abortion is over. The “crisis” may feel averted and there may be a sense that life can go back to “normal.”  However, relief tends to be short-lived as thoughts about the crisis pregnancy and subsequent abortion(s) tend to resurface in the mind.

Next, regret and guilt tend to make their way into the picture. If the decision to abort was made quickly and carried out within the first trimester of pregnancy, many women can feel regretful they didn’t take more time to consider their “options.” This second-guessing can plague women for weeks, months, and even decades if they haven’t processed through their abortion experience.

On top of the regret and guilt, women can suffer a multitude of other symptoms including anger, depression, nightmares, anxiety, sleep issues, avoidance behavior, bonding issues with children, alcohol/substance abuse, and even suicidal thoughts. These symptoms can surprise and even overwhelm women to the point that they emotionally self-destruct.

To these women, the future can seem bleak and terrifying as they feel they may remain this way forever and don’t want to face tomorrow. Additionally, because of the secrecy of abortion, women may feel unable or unwilling to talk about their struggles with others which can further cause the feeling of hopelessness.

If you or someone you know is wanting to move past the emotional pain of one or multiple  abortions, contact Restore After Abortion at 630-599-0043 today. We provide an effective and compassionate post abortion recovery program for adults and teens wanting to process through post abortion stress. Discover hope and start your journey to healing today.

Source:

*Guttmacher.org (2017). Abortion Is a Common Experience for U.S. Women, Despite Dramatic Declines in Rates.  Retrieved from https://www.guttmacher.org/news-release/2017/abortion-common-experience-us-women-despite-dramatic-declines-rates