Many women may not understand the importance of walking through a healing and grieving process after an abortion. Keeping the secret tucked away is common. The very mention of the word “abortion” often brings a physical and emotional reaction to most women who have been through it. Perhaps this reaction is just the first hint that they have never emotionally recovered and need to grieve.
Many women feel they don’t deserve to grieve.
In an article on Psych Central, the author explains, “Abortion choices create a situation of disenfranchised grief in women’s lives…a grief experienced by an individual that is not openly acknowledged, socially validated or publicly observed. The loss experienced is real, but survivors are not accorded the ‘right to grieve’ by anyone around them.”
Maybe you feel your emotions are all over the place but you don’t know why. It might be in connection to a past abortion. The author continues, “A common effect of disenfranchised grief is depression, manifesting itself in small periods of sadness or more full-blown stints of depression. These periods may be accompanied by crying spells and low times of ‘blue’ days…Not connecting the depression with the unprocessed grief surrounding an abortion choice is typical. Unless she finds a safe place to talk and cry, she will probably live her life with a mask on, keeping her secret neatly tucked away out of fear, condemnation or invalidation.”
But the beautiful truth is, these women don’t have to live in grief and shame any longer!
There is healing. There is freedom. There is hope.
Are you struggling after an abortion? Learn how to begin your healing by visiting our website or reaching out to us directly.
Email: healingtide@carenetps.org
Text or call: Tracey at (253) 267-8938
All communications are completely confidential.
