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Is there an abortion in your past? Can you answer “yes” to one or more of these questions?
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Do you consider your abortion something that you could never talk about?
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Did you begin using alcohol or drugs (or increase your use) after your abortion?
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Did you have difficulty being sexually intimate with men after your abortion?
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Do you feel emptiness inside that cannot be explained and that you did not feel before?
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Do you ever have nightmares or flashbacks related to your abortion experience?
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Do you feel compelled to get pregnant again even though your circumstances have not changed?
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Do you freeze up whenever the topic of abortion comes up in conversation, finding yourself unable to join in?
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Are you still angry or resentful towards the people involved in your decision, such as the baby’s father, friends, or parents? |
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be experiencing what is known as Post Abortion Syndrome. Some of the symptoms include: guilt, shame, regret, anger/rage, alcohol/drug abuse, depression/suicidal thoughts, emotional numbing, and anniversary reactions. Sometimes a woman experiences one or more of these symptoms immediately following her abortion. However, she may find that they come upon her seemingly “out of the blue” several years later. Either way, these symptoms are very real.
Lakes Life Care Center offers Post Abortion Counseling & Education (PACE) for women who may be struggling with Post Abortion Syndrome. Participants can expect to discover more about how Post-Abortion Syndrome may be affecting them personally and will receive counsel on how to find healing, hope, and reconciliation.
For more information, contact our Director of Client Services at 651.464.4340.
Other symptoms may include:
Emotional
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Guilt |
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Anger |
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Shame |
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Fear of pregnancy |
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Depression |
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Increase in crying |
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Suicidal thoughts |
Behavioral
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Promiscuity |
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Sleep disorders |
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Eating disorders |
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Substance abuse |
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Subsequent pregnancy to replace baby |
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Workaholism |
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Sexual dysfunction |
Physical
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Sterility |
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Miscarriages |
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Tubal pregnancies |
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Increased risk of breast cancer |
Spiritual
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Inability to accept God's forgiveness |
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Feeling condemned |
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Avoidance of church services when message relates to abortion |
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Sadness at baby dedications |
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Sadness at Mother's Day activities |
For an anonymous website offering support and information: SafeHaven |