12 Dec Giving Yourself Grace: How to Heal After Regretting an Abortion
You may not have known there would be any emotional repercussions after your abortion and find yourself struggling now. Maybe you don’t know how to process the emotional rollercoaster and are dealing with major regret.
You are not alone in your recovery after abortion. You can move forward with hope and healing.
Talk to Someone About Your Abortion
Stuffing down your feelings and hiding your reality will not help you heal. Many women think they can’t talk about their abortion because people won’t understand. Many women have been right where you are.
Get support from a trusted friend, a counselor, or a mentor. Tell them about your abortion experience and be willing to be vulnerable and honest. You will feel a weight lifted off your shoulders because you won’t have to carry this burden alone anymore.
Allow Yourself to Grieve
The American Psychological Association (APA) notes that while not all women face mental health challenges after abortion, some do experience clinically significant issues such as anxiety or depression. It is ok not to be ok. You are not alone in your feelings.
Many post-abortive women do not allow themselves to grieve because they feel they don’t have the right to grieve for something they choose. That is simply not true. It is good and healthy to recognize the loss you are experiencing and walk through the stages of grief.
If you do not process your hurt, your heart will likely become hardened by your experience. Putting up walls to protect yourself will actually lead only to more internal damage.
Processing in a journal, with a counselor, or with a mentor will help you walk through the valley of grief and emerge on the other side with hope for a bright future.
No-Cost After Abortion Support
Recovery after abortion is possible. We at Lighthouse offer a confidential setting to express and work through your emotions. Our post-abortion recovery team understands what you are going through and is here to help you.
No-cost support is available individually and in group settings; groups use a faith-based curriculum.
Contact us to take your first step toward healing.
*We do not perform or refer for abortion
**All abortion information sourced in this blog is based on accurate information at the time of writing.