How to Recover Emotionally After an Abortion

It can be difficult and often isolating to navigate a pregnancy decision – but you don't have to go through it alone. Perhaps you've already walked that road and chose abortion but experienced negative emotions or regret—either way, we want you to know that we're here for you. Hope and healing are available.

And if you're still navigating your pregnancy decision, you deserve to have all the information about how abortion may impact your whole-person health, including your mental well-being. Learn the signs of emotional trauma to put your health first.

Challenging experiences that involve a difficult decision process and a myriad of emotions—like abortion—have the potential to negatively impact your long-term mental health and well-being by producing emotional trauma.

Emotional trauma is defined by mental health experts 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."

The potential symptoms following an emotionally traumatic experience may include the following, as noted by the American Psychological Association:

• Shock
• Denial
• Unpredictable emotions
• Flashbacks
• Strained relationships
• Physical symptoms (headaches, nausea)

It can be easy to dismiss these feelings or confuse them with symptoms caused by stress or other challenges of life. However, paying attention to your body and your mind's responses to hard experiences is essential.

If you think you could be experiencing some of these symptoms after an abortion experience, please reach out to talk to someone. Your health and mental well-being are important, and you deserve to prioritize your healing.

If you would like to begin your healing journey following a difficult abortion experience, the best thing you can do to start is to seek help from a trusted professional. Similar to how you see a doctor for your physical well-being, a mental health professional can help care for your mental well-being.

Additionally, it may be helpful to you to seek support from people who have been there or are familiar with your experience, such as a caring support group or mentor. Here at Choices Options for Women, we'd be honored to support you by meeting with you one-on-one or connecting you with a support group designed to facilitate healing from an abortion experience.

Think you might be pregnant and considering your options, including abortion? The best thing you can do next is to discuss your options with a professional so you can make your next steps knowing that you have all the information you need to prioritize your health. Every individual's experience is unique—but you should keep in mind that many women who have had an abortion experience have emotional experiences in common.

At Choices Options for Women, we can walk alongside you as you navigate your pregnancy decision, through free and confidential pregnancy services and comprehensive information on the options available to you.

And, if you already had an abortion and are feeling the need for healing and support, we welcome you to our center. We'd love to discuss with you how we can come alongside you with resources to begin your healing journey. You are not alone.

Ensure you have what you need to make a healthy choice to put both your physical and mental well-being first. Schedule your free appointment today to receive compassionate care.