Abortion affects women’s emotional health to varying degrees. It is normal to experience feelings of grief, anger, sadness, guilt, or shame after an abortion. Emotional pain from abortion can occur immediately following an abortion or can surface months or even years after. However, you deserve to overcome these struggles to lead a healthy life.
Mental Health Risks of Abortion
Many women experience mental health struggles following an abortion. Studies have shown that women receiving an abortion are at an increased risk of the following struggles:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Substance use disorder
- Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
Self-Compassion
Offering yourself some self-compassion is a great place to begin your healing journey. These tips can help you get started:
Allow yourself time to process your feelings. Trying to ignore or suppress your feelings only serves to prolong your pain.
Address negative self-talk that you may be experiencing and choose to offer yourself compassion and forgiveness instead.
Treat yourself the way you would treat a good friend.
Reach Out to Your Support System
Isolation can make emotional struggles worse. When you find that you are struggling, don’t keep it to yourself. Share your feelings with a close friend or family member that you can trust.
Find Help
Don’t let guilt tell you that you have to process your feelings on your own. Find a professional counselor. Look for a counselor that specializes in trauma. You might need to meet a few counselors before finding the right fit, which is ok.
Find an in-person or online support group for women that have experienced abortion. Hearing the stories of others will remind you that you are not alone. Support groups give you solidarity and allow you to be a part of other women’s healing as well.
Let Us Know if We Can Help
Sumter Pregnancy Center is here to help. Please contact us if we can support you in any way.