Abortion's Aftermath
It's
normal to grieve a pregnancy loss, including the loss of a child by
abortion. It can form Since 1973, there have been more than 53 million
abortions in the United States. While some women report relatively
little trauma following abortion, for many, the experience is
devastating, causing severe and long-lasting emotional, psychological
and spiritual trauma.
Evidence
of post-abortion trauma is increasingly attested to by psychologists,
counselors and those involved in post-abortion ministry. We now know, for example, that women hurt by abortion may have some or many of the following symptoms:
• Low self-esteem
• Grief (mild to profound)
• Depression (sometimes to the point of suicidal thoughts and attempts)
• A sense of alienation from family and friends
• A feeling of being 'numb,' not able to feel joy from activities that used to be pleasurable
• Isolating self from others to avoid discussing the abortion experience with them
• Guilt and shame
• Difficulty concentrating
• Anger toward self, or the child's father, or others involved in the abortion decision
• Sleep disorders
• Abortion-
• Alcohol and drug problems, to dull the sorrow
• Desire for a 'replacement' baby
• Anniversary reactions of grief or depression on the date of the abortion or the baby's expected due date
• Problems bonding with her other children (being over-
• Fear that God will punish her, or is punishing her
Some,
especially young girls, experience symptoms soon after the abortion.
Counselors tell us, however, that it is more common for the symptoms to
occur over the course of five to twelve years after the abortion before
a woman seeks help.
Abortion's
aftermath is largely ignored by the general public. Groups organized to
protect the availability of abortion claim that abortion is no
different from any surgical procedure and that pro-life groups are
fabricating the existence of post-abortion suffering. Consequently,
many women think that their grief reactions are somehow abnormal and
believe that there is nowhere to turn for help.
Many
women who have walked a path of grief and hopelessness after abortion,
usually alone, eventually begin to understand that they have a deep
spiritual wound. But sadly, they also are likely to believe that they
have committed 'the unforgivable sin' and fear God's anger.
Women
who have had an abortion often have many questions, the answers to
which are indispensable to beginning the healing journey.
Can God ever forgive me? Can my child? Can I ever forgive myself? Will
the Church let me stay when I confess this sin? Will this horrible pain
ever go away? Is healing possible?
The answer to all these questions is, of course, YES! YES YES YES!
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How much have you researched into the long term mental and emotional damage of giving your child away for adoption. It's just as bad. And I've heard from someone who's done both (not me) that's the adoption process was much worse.
Not trying to undermine what you're saying here, but the adoption process needs to be a little more supportive so that birth mothers dont' suffer the same way and more that some abortive mothers do.
- motherofanaries
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