3 | PAT/PAS Symptoms and How to Overcome Them (Post-Abortion Trauma/Post-Abortion Syndrome)

Did you know that there is an 81% increase of mental health problems after abortion? Each year, at least 50,000 women will experience serious emotional and mental health issues after an abortion. If you multiply that by the almost 50 years of Roe, that equates to 2.5 million women experiencing after-abortion trauma. This can present as symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. 

There is an increased rate of substance abuse and suicide among women that have experienced abortion. And again, this doesn’t always happen right away after the abortion. It’s much more common for these symptoms to arise between 5 and 10 years after the abortion took place. It’s even harder to pinpoint why, because many of these women are keeping their abortion a secret. 

Other symptoms that may be experienced are, but are not limited to: self-condemnation, self-esteem issues, anger/rage, depression, fear of losing a child, fearing pregnancy or infertility, crying spells, avoiding baby reminders, struggles with time management, eating disorders, tolerating abusive relationships, difficulty with intimacy, withdrawing from others, over-protective of living children, failure to bond with future children, and many, many others. 
So, what do we do? How do we seek help for PAT/PAS, or how do we help a friend/family member that we think is struggling? 

 

1. Galations 6:2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If you are the one suffering, TELL SOMEONE. Find a trusted friend or family member and confide in them. We are not meant to do this life alone. If you feel as though you do not have a friend or family member you can trust, reach out to a pastor at your church, or even a priest. I know that may seem scary, but they are meant to help you and to show you the redemptive love of Jesus. 
2. Seek out an abortion recovery ministry Women struggling with the pain of a past abortion are living with undealt with grief.  The fact is, we DO have permission to grieve and heal and these ministries will help. I personally have gone through a Forgiven and Set Free bible study and participated in a Reassemble retreat as a facilitor trainee and would recommend them in a heartbeat. 
3. Meet with a therapist trained in grief/loss, ptsd, or even better yet, abortion recovery. I would recommend a Christian counselor, but I think it’s most important to choose someone that works with similar situations as to what you are going through. I also want to say, that all 3 of these solutions work together really well, and just choosing one might not be enough for you. Truly, I think there is something to be said about diversifying your healing and making sure to discern what is best for you. 
4. Bonus tip: GET IN YOUR BIBLE. Get to know God and see how his mercy shines upon you. Many of us view God as someone that judges and condemns, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. God is a God of mercy. Luke 5:31 “Jesus answered them, “it is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 

 
If you are struggling with PAT/PAS and you don’t want to live like that anymore, I’m praying that this episode will be the fuel you need to kickstart your healing journey. Don’t live another day feeling this way. 

Statistics courtesy of Lifeway Research, Care Net, and Heartbeat International

Forgiven & Set Free Bible Study 

Victoria Robinson’s Reassemble 

Rachel’s Vineyard

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