If you’ve had an abortion and are experiencing difficult emotions, such as regret, guilt, shame, or anxiety, among other feelings, you’re not alone. A recent study on the emotional effects of abortion found that 81% of women who had an abortion after facing an unplanned pregnancy were at an increased risk of mental health problems.
No matter whether you had an abortion days, weeks, or even years ago, hope and healing are possible. Read on to learn more about the steps you can take to get on the path toward emotional recovery. Or, if you want to talk to someone in person, contact Pregnancy Help Center. We’re here for you with post-abortion support services.
Get Your Feelings Out
Keeping your emotions bottled up can cause them to feel overwhelming and difficult to discern. This can make you feel like you’re stumbling around in the dark. However, when you get your feelings out in the open, it shines a light on them—making them easier to see and manage.
Talking
One way to get your feelings out is to talk to someone, whether it’s a friend, relative, counselor, or even a support group. When choosing someone to share your feelings with, make sure that they are someone who won’t pass judgment and that you feel safe with them. You want to be able to honestly talk about what you’re feeling without feeling judged.
The goal of talking to someone isn’t to get their advice. Instead, it’s about giving you an opportunity for self-reflection. Talking about your feelings invites you to go deeper into them to figure out where they’re coming from and why. It also helps you understand how they can get better.
Journaling
If you aren’t ready to talk to someone in person, journaling is another way to get your feelings out in the open. Journaling is simply the act of writing your emotions and thoughts down on paper.
When you journal, you don’t have to worry about what you say or how you say it. It’s a private space for you to be open and vulnerable about what you’re going through.
If the thought of writing on blank paper feels intimidating, here are some questions to help you get started:
- What are the biggest emotions I’m struggling with lately?
- When do I feel these emotions the most? (Is there a certain time of the day/month? Is it after watching certain kinds of movies, etc.?)
- Are there things that make these feelings better?
Next Steps
Taking the first step is often the hardest part of a journey. At Pregnancy Help Center, we’re here to help you get on a path of healing. Contact PHC for support and post abortive referrals that are designed to help you find hope and emotional recovery. You’re not alone in this, and healing is possible.
Contact us today to schedule a no-cost, private appointment.