Making a pregnancy decision is not an easy road. Perhaps you chose abortion and later had negative feelings or emotions after the decision.
The first thing to know is that you are not alone. There is help and hope available to you here.
To prioritize your mental health and healing journey, get to know the signs of emotional trauma so you can begin the road to recovery.
What is Emotional Trauma?
Going through a challenging and emotion-filled experience such as an abortion can negatively impact your mental health by producing emotional trauma. According to behavioral health experts, emotional trauma is defined as “damage or injury to the psyche after living through an extremely frightening or distressing event and may result in challenges in functioning or coping normally after the event.”
Often after a traumatic experience, a person can experience the following (as quoted by the American Psychological Association):
- Shock
- Denial
- Unpredictable emotions
- Flashbacks
- Strained relationships
- Physical symptoms (headaches, nausea)
It’s also possible for individuals to experience a wide range of negative emotions, including anger, fear, sadness, or shame (according to The National Library of Medicine).
It can be easy to gloss over some of these feelings or attribute them to other challenging aspects of life. However, if you think you might be experiencing similar feelings following an abortion experience or find yourself struggling with your mental wellness, please reach out to someone to talk. You deserve to prioritize your whole-person health and find healing.
How Can I Heal?
It may be wise to seek help from a trusted professional to begin your healing process. Similar to the way we go to a doctor for our physical health, mental health professionals can assist in caring for our mental well-being, something that is equally important.
In addition to seeking professional care, you may choose to pursue these helpful tips:
- Talking with others about your feelings.
- Trying meditation, deep breathing exercises, and participating in physical activity.
- Taking care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep. Eat a healthy diet. Drink enough water.
- Avoiding alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.
- Getting back to your daily routine.
- Getting involved in your community.
What Should I Do If I’m Considering An Abortion?
If you are considering abortion, talk with someone today to prioritize your whole-person health. Though every woman’s experience with abortion is unique, women have many emotional experiences in common.
Learn how seeking an abortion may affect your physical or mental wellness—and determine what options are available to you through our free, confidential medical services.
If you’re seeking support following an abortion, we would be honored to welcome you to our clinic to discuss how we can help direct the next steps in your healing journey. You are not alone.
We believe you deserve to have all the information to be empowered in healthy choices to prioritize your physical and mental well-being. Schedule your free appointment today to receive caring, compassionate care from our professional team.