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I
have had an abortion.
LifeCare
exists to offer help and hope.
If you have had an abortion and would like someone to talk to, LifeCare
has trained volunteers who would love to listen to your experience. We
offer ongoing support in group sessions or one-on-one peer counseling.
This gives you a safe place to talk about your experience, your hurts,
your questions and your feelings. Everything you share is kept strictly
confidential. You can meet others who may be having the same thoughts
and feelings you are. You are not alone, no matter how afraid or
ashamed you may feel. You deserve to move on. You deserve healing. Feel
free to email us at setfree@lifecarenc.org,
or call our 24-hour Optionline at 919-873-2442 to talk with a trained
volunteer today.
 Symptoms of
Post-Abortion Stress
Post-Abortion Stress (PAS) describes a woman's inability to:
- process the fear, anger, sadness and
guilt surrounding her abortion experience
- grieve the loss of her baby, and
- come to peace with God, herself and
others involved in the abortion decision.
Am I Suffering From
PAS?
These
questions are based on the experiences of women who have had abortions.
In reading through these questions, be aware of any emotional or
physical response you may have and record them. Answering these
questions honestly will put you in touch with areas of your life that
have been affected by abortion.
- Do you struggle to turn off your feelings
about your abortion(s), even telling yourself to forget it over and
over again?
- Do physical reminders of your abortion
such as babies, pregnant women, baby clothes, etc. affect you?
- Does the anniversary date of your
abortion or the would be due date of your baby send you into depression
or sickness?
- When
abortion is mentioned in public, do you find your body reacting
physically, i.e. tightened stomach muscles, clenched jaw or holding
your breath?
- Do you find yourself
avoiding books, magazines, and television programs that deal with the
subject of abortion? Do you change the subject in conversations that
deal with the topic of abortion?
- Is your present situation one that could
find you facing another unwanted pregnancy?
- Have
you experienced a substantial increase in drug or alcohol use, or in
any other self-destructive behaviors (eating disorders, abusive
relationships, or increased sexual activity)?
- Have you experienced periods of prolonged
depression or suicidal thoughts?
- Do you experience nightmares, flashbacks,
hallucinations, or any other peculiar reaction relating to your
abortion experience?
- Are you able to talk about your abortion
without being overcome with strong feelings?
- Do you fear you will never be able to
have children?
- Do you view life in terms of "before" and
"after" your abortion?
- Do
you strive to prove that sacrificing your baby was really worth it
through over-achieving in your career, relationships, etc.?
- Do you find yourself rationalizing why
you are better off without that child in your life today?
- Did
your attitude towards relationships change? Do you find yourself
avoiding relationships or become more dependent in them? Do you have
difficulty with intimacy?
- Do you attempt to "smother" your children
with your love, or do you "abuse" them?
- Do you feel compelled to conceal your
abortion(s) from certain people in your life?
- Are you preoccupied with thoughts of
death and dying or with thoughts of your aborted child?
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24-hour Optionline | 919-873-2442 or email info@lifecarenc.org
| free and confidential 
