- Do you find yourself struggling to turn off feelings connected to your abortion(s), perhaps telling yourself over and over again to forget about it?
- Do you find yourself avoiding books, magazines and television programs that deal with the subject of
abortion?
- Are you affected by physical reminders of your abortion (babies, pregnant women, etc.)?
- Are you uncomfortable around children?
- Are there certain times of the year you find yourself depressed, sick or accident prone-especially around the anniversary date of the abortion or the due date of the aborted pregnancy?
- Are you resentful and unforgiving towards anyone because of his or her involvement in your abortion(s)-parents, boyfriend, abortionist, friends, or husband?
- Are you in a situation where you could find yourself faced with another unwanted pregnancy?
- Do you have trouble with emotional intimacy since your abortion?
- Have you experienced periods of prolonged depression since your abortion? Have you had any suicidal thoughts?
- Have you experienced any peculiar occurrences relating to the abortion experience, such as nightmares about babies, flashbacks, or hallucinations (for example, hearing a baby cry)?
- Are you able to talk about abortion? When choosing to share about your abortion(s), are you overcome with strong feelings?
- If you have children now, do you smother them with your love or overprotect them? Are you unable to bond with the children you now have?
- If you do not have children, do you fear that you will never be able to have them (either because of physical harm resulting from the abortion or because God won't allow you)?
- Do you tend to look at your life in terms of "before" and "after" the abortion(s)? Has your self-concept changed?
- Have you found yourself preoccupied with thoughts of your aborted child?
- Did your relationship to or concept of God change after your abortion? How?
If you have experienced an abortion and answered "yes" to any one of these
questions, you may be experiencing Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS). PAS is a type
of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder which develops when a person is unable to work
through their emotional responses resulting from the trauma of an abortion. The
grief and loss they may feel after the abortion is seldom acknowledged but often
repressed or denied. It may have been many years since you had your abortion.
But the sense of loss and guilt still weighs heavy on your heart. You are not
alone. Millions of men and women, like yourself unknowingly suffer from
Post-abortion Syndrome. PAS may occur within a few months following an
abortion, or it may surface many years later.
Many men and women are afraid or embarrassed to discuss their experiences. It
is a lonely, empty feeling. But you are not alone and healing is possible. It
begins by overcoming denial when letting your feelings surface, and talking
through your experience with others who understand your pain. Then you will be
able to accept forgiveness, give forgiveness, overcome your pain and begin to
heal.
Call Ann or Carol at A Woman's Concern about free and confidential counseling
and support groups at 814-234-7341 (M-Th. 9-3; F 9-noon; and Th. eve. 6-9). Or
email ann@awomansconcern.com
If you do not live in the Centre Region, but would like information on Post-abortion counseling and support in your area, consider visiting
http://www.abortionfacts.com/PAS/PAS.asp.
Disclaimer: A Woman's Concern is not responsible for the content
of external web sites and placement here does not constitute an endorsement
by A Woman's Concern.
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