Yes, the feelings you’re struggling with are normal. In fact, there’s only one way to avoid those feelings in the short term: live in denial.
Even then, it’s almost impossible to escape Post-Abortion Syndrome permanently. Although the psychological reaction can sometimes take 15 to 25 years to surface, most post-abortive women eventually find themselves wrestling with the fallout of their choice.
But there is hope!
What are the symptoms of Post-Abortion Syndrome?
There are a number of interrelated physical and psychological symptoms associated with Post-Abortion Syndrome.
Some of the more common include:
- Feelings of guilt, anxiety, and remorse.
- Avoidance behaviors.
- Depression and loss of self-esteem.
- A sense of helplessness.
- A fear of failure.
Symptoms specific to post-abortal women are:
- Anxiety over fertility and childbearing issues.
- An aversion to situations involving pregnant women and babies.
- Disruption of bonding with present or future children.
- Anniversary reactions.
And post-abortal men often experience:
- Intense anger.
- Cycles of depression.
- Addictive behaviors.
- Mistrust of women.
- Difficulty with close relationships.
- A tendency to become involved in promiscuity or pornography as a way of regaining sexual “power.”
Where can I find help?
If you’ve had an abortion and have been struggling with any of the symptoms above, there’s a good chance that the experience has had a stronger impact than you realized.
If this is your situation and you’d like to talk more about your concerns, call our Counseling department for a free over-the-phone consultation. Our counselors are all licensed therapists and would be glad to come alongside you in any way they can.
Above all, remember that God loves you and that forgiveness is available. There is no mistake so big, no guilt so profound, no sin so overwhelming that it can’t be washed away through faith in Jesus Christ.
In the words of the Bible, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12, ESV). May the Lord touch your life with that truth in a powerful way!
Resources
If a title is currently unavailable through Focus on the Family, we encourage you to use another retailer.
Forgiven and Set Free: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Women
A Solitary Sorrow: Finding Healing and Wholeness After Abortion
Healing a Father’s Heart: A Post-Abortion Bible Study for Men
Hope & Healing After Abortion (resource list)
Referrals
OptionLine
