Healing from Post-Abortion Depression
Post-abortion depression results after someone experiences emotional trauma following an abortion. A person suffering from this condition may feel sluggish and unmotivated, like it took effort to even breathe. Often, they could feel like part of them was missing, like they had become unanchored and nothing in life mattered anymore. This struggle can be accompanied by shame, pain, and grief that trails behind everywhere they go.
What is Post-Abortion Depression?
Post-abortion depression looks different for everyone. It often includes symptoms like a lack of motivation and inability to eat or sleep. Symptoms can also include anxiety, feelings of sadness and detachment. “Just as the reasons for having an abortion differ, so can the person’s emotional response to the procedure. This can range from relief, calm, and happiness to sadness, grief, loss, and regret, depending on the individual’s situation.” If negative feelings are severe and persistent, they could be a sign of depression. Women may experience recurring flashbacks of the abortion, while post-abortive men can also feel depressed.
In the aftermath of abortion, women can often find themselves hit with tidal waves of emotion. They may feel extreme anger towards themselves or others, while abortion stress can cause shame or guilt. Women may often feel alone or isolated, dealing with the pain of abortion on their own, and may have trouble connecting with people and being around others. Although there is no scientific consensus on a link between depression and abortion, there are many reports that point to a connection.
| Category | Associated Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Physical & Behavioral | Sluggishness, lack of motivation, inability to eat or sleep, heavy eyelids |
| Emotional | Anxiety, sadness, detachment, numbness, extreme anger, grief |
| Social & Internal | Shame, guilt, isolation, feeling unanchored, difficulty connecting with others |
Why Does Post-Abortion Depression Happen?
There are a few reasons Post-Abortion Depression could occur. Primarily, a pregnancy loss disrupts hormones, which can cause different emotions to become prolonged. “Pregnancy loss for any reason can disrupt your hormone cycle, potentially causing negative feelings,” Gabrielle explains. “It’s possible to feel both profoundly impacted and relieved at the same time. An entire spectrum of feelings, from relief to traumatic stress, is normal.”
Furthermore, a person could feel a particular social stigma or lack of support following an abortion, which can lead to depression. Oftentimes abortion regret or feelings of guilt can affect a woman after the pregnancy loss. If a woman felt pressured into an abortion, the chances of her experiencing post-abortion depression are significantly higher. In cases where a woman had a preexisting mental health condition, the chances of her dealing with depression increase, as well.
The Process of Healing and Recovery
The most important thing to understand is that the abortion struggle often doesn’t go away on its own. “It just eats away at you, especially if you don’t deal with it.” This observation highlights the necessity of finding community or opening up. Sharing the abortion experience is difficult, but also healing.
To facilitate recovery, you can use several personal healing exercises:
- Give yourself permission: Create a safe space to experience what you are feeling, whether it is grief, relief, or a mixture of things. Your feelings are important and valid.
- Journaling: This is a good first step to find the source of your emotions and explore why you are feeling this way.
- Professional Help: You may benefit from the help of a counselor. Post-abortion therapy will help you manage your difficult emotions.
The healing process from the emotional trauma of post-abortion depression takes time. Recovery will be different for everyone. While experiencing an intense range of emotions directly after an abortion is normal, if you’re experiencing the emotions for a long time or if the struggle is interfering with your ability to do normal activities, it may be cause to seek expert help.