Regardless of philosophical, religious, and political views on abortion, the fact is that experiencing it can affect women not only personally, but can also have psychological impacts. The reasons why a woman chooses to have an abortion are always very personal. Some women may choose to have an abortion after rape or due to financial hardship. In other cases, women may feel pressured not to continue a pregnancy due to pressure from their partner, friends, or family members. In any case, abortion is usually seen as a solution to all the stressful situations mentioned above.
Post-abortion anxiety syndrome, or post-abortion syndrome, represents the set of psychological impacts of abortion based on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is very important to note that this term (Post Abortion Syndrome) is not a term accepted by either the American Psychiatric Association or the American Psychological Association. Any traumatic experience can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, and abortion is no exception. A woman may be mentally healthy when making the decision to terminate a pregnancy. A difficult decision, even if it seems like the right one, is followed by an internal conflict that the woman must face in order to feel at «peace» with her choice.
A woman's symptoms after an abortion may reach the level of post-traumatic stress disorder. In this case, they are as follows:
- feelings of guilt
- anxiety
- depression
- flashbacks
- suicidal thoughts
Here the symptoms are fully analysed and here you can answer a self-assessment questionnaire to find out if abortion has affected your psychological health.
While abortion can cause post-traumatic stress disorder in some cases, there are also women who will not experience severe negative consequences. In fact, studies have shown that women feel relieved after an abortion. However, women who are okay with the abortion are more likely to talk about their experience, making women who feel shame and regret about the abortion much harder for researchers to identify. Nevertheless, even if post-abortion disorder does not occur, we must acknowledge that feelings of grief, sadness, and guilt naturally arise. Additionally, a multitude of factors (which I analyse in another article), such as some women's religious beliefs, can pose a serious obstacle to deciding what is best for them. But admitting that abortion is a difficult choice is not equivalent to admitting it is a wrong choice. Emotions are complex, and sometimes a woman will need to seek counselling to help her manage them. She may also need help in managing any perceived or actual stigma she may be experiencing.
In conclusion, post-abortion syndrome does exist within the limitations I have mentioned and can be overcome even if a woman believes she is no longer allowed to be happy again. A compassionate, impartial, and suitable therapist can help a woman who has undergone an abortion come to terms with her decision and find peace again within herself, with her body, and with those around her.