Hurting From a Past Abortion?

If you are hurting from a past abortion, then you may be suffering from Post Abortion Syndrome. PAS is a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder commonly experienced by women who have had one or more abortions. It is an event out of the ordinary that results in stress, trauma, and long-lasting effects until the event is resolved. Through denial, a woman blocks the natural grieving process of the death of her child and often denies her responsibility in the abortion. She is unable to grieve or to name the loss.

Symptoms
These are only a few of the common ones. There are many others not listed and will vary in degree according to the woman ... mild, moderate, strong.

1. Physical:
- Eating disorders
- Sexual problems
- Cervical pain

2. Emotional:
- Guilt/Shame
- Emotionally shut down
- Sadness
- Untrusting
- Sense of loss
- Controlling
- Depression
- Uncontrolled weeping
- Fear of exposure
- Dreams, flashbacks
- Self-hatred
- Low self-esteem
- Anger, rage

3. Behavior:
- Self-destructive
- Insensitive/wall around her
- Self-victimization
- Promiscuity
- Repeat abortions
- Substance abuse
- Overwhelming desire for another child

4. Relationships:
- Difficulty with intimate relationships
- Overprotective of children
- Harder to bond with children

Click here to take the post-abortion stress test.

How Can We Help?

PAS does not go away without help. We offer an eight-week program designed to allow you to work through the problem areas your abortion has created and to enable you to put your abortion behind you and go on with your life.

It involves a commitment by you for two hours a week with a person trained to help you deal with post-abortion trauma in a strictly confidential and caring atmosphere. Support group sessions are also available. There is no charge; we are volunteering our time to help you.