Abortion PTSD
What is Abortion PTSD?
(Also referred to as Post Abortion Trauma or Post Abortion Syndrome.)
The NHS defines a person suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as:
Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks
and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt. They may also have
problems sleeping such as insomnia and find concentrating difficult. These symptoms are
often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person’s day to day
life.
PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event or it can
occur weeks, months or even years later. PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3
people who have a traumatic experience but it’s not clear why some people develop the
condition and others do not.
Source:
nhs.uk/conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd
So how do we know if we are suffering from Abortion PTSD?
Ask yourself some of these questions:
• Do you feel reluctant to talk about the subject of abortion or get riled when the subject
is in the media or on TV?
• Do you tend to think of your life in terms of ‘before’ and after abortion?
• Do you have lingering feelings of resentment or anger towards people involved in your
abortion decision? (like your boyfriend, husband, friends, parents, medical
professionals)
• Have you found yourself either avoiding relationships or becoming overly dependent
on them after your abortion?
• Have you begun to use food/drugs/alcohol more so since your abortion?
• Do you find yourself having flashback or nightmares about the abortion?
• Do you avoid social activities where you might be around pregnant women such as
baby showers?
• Have you a vague sense of loss which you cannot articulate?
• Do you have any ‘triggers’ you have identified such as the due date of the baby or your
abortion date?
If any one of these points relates to you, then it is possible you could be
experiencing Abortion PTSD. Take our Abortion PTSD Check List and if you score
2 or more, you may wish to seek help.
For immediate, more in-depth information, go to herchoicetoheal.com where you
can complete an online course in very simple to navigate modules. It is totally free
and confidential. If you have questions, you can email the team at the website.
Module 1 covers Abortion PTSD.
