Did you know that post-abortive women have an 81% increased risk of mental health complications, including depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse?1
If you’ve had an abortion in the past and are experiencing mental health complications or complex emotional issues, you’re not alone and there’s help available to you!
Here are our tips on how to emotionally heal after an abortion:
1. Explore your emotions
After an abortion, many women struggle to understand the many complex emotions they may be feeling, including shame, grief, sadness, anger, and more. It’s important that you take time to explore these feelings and unpack what’s causing you distress during this time.
2. Give yourself permission to grieve
Grief has many faces and some are more talked about than others. For many women, it can be difficult to find the space and voice for the hard and complex emotions one feels following an abortion, whether it happened days ago or years ago.
As you journey towards healing, give yourself the permission to grieve the loss you are facing and remind yourself that your emotions are valid.
3. Tell your story with those you trust
Navigating your feelings alone can only add to the sadness you’re experiencing. As you process these emotions, it’s important to find people you trust to open up to about your feelings, and if you haven’t already, about your abortion. Sharing your story with others is an important step in healing after your abortion.
4. Find a safe space to process
If you’re wanting to emotionally heal after your abortion but aren’t sure where to start, we’re here to help. Project Rachel is a nationwide network for individuals who are struggling following abortion. We provide women with helpful resources, a safe space to process, and a roadmap for the journey towards healing.
Click here to learn more about Project Rachel!
1. Coleman, PK, “Abortion and Mental Health: Quantitative Synthesis and Analysis of Research Published 1995-2009,” BJP 2011; 199:180-186).
