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WHAT IS POST ABORTION SYNDROME?

Investigators are starting to use the term "post abortion syndrome" (PAS). J. Denton Collins, a therapist from Canada, describes it this way: "PAS is a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) commonly experienced by women who have had one or more abortions. Through the process of denial, the woman has blocked the natural grieving process of the death of her child and often has denied her responsibility in the abortion. The denial or suppression blocks the healing process and the possibility of forgiveness of herself and others. The trauma often manifests itself as a breakdown of function in the psychological, physical, or spiritual areas."

PAS is a form of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This disorder describes the dysfunctional adaptation someone experiences when the painful emotions surrounding a traumatic event have not been processed.

HOW DOES PAS DEVELOP

A woman faced with a crisis pregnancy experiences a tremendous amount of fear and anxiety about her situation, and she seeks a fast solution to her dilemma. Since abortion is legally and socially sanctioned, it is the choice she is likely to make, even though she may be violating her own moral code in doing so. Immediately after the procedure, she will usually feel profound relief that the crisis is over, for better or worse. But any moral struggle she felt prior to the abortion will resurface eventually, at which point she will question her decision. In many cases, she may learn more about fetal development, or undergo a change in moral perspective, which will also lead to uncertainty about her past choice.

WHAT ARE SOME SYMPTOMS OF PAS?

Since a woman cannot go back and "undo" the abortion, she will employ defense mechanism to protect her from uncomfortable or frightening thoughts and feelings. These defense mechanisms are very effective in keeping the painful memories away, but they consume a lot of mental energy as a woman works to ignore powerful emotions. Eventually, if enough stress enters her life, she may find that she lacks the stamina both to cope with current stresses and continue repressing "forgotten" memories. A variety of experiences (such as pictures of prenatal development, a subsequent pregnancy, or even the whine of a dentist's drill that resembles the sound of the abortionist's equipment) may trigger symptoms associated with PAS.

These symptoms will not necessarily appear at the same time, nor is any woman likely to experience the entire list. Some may occur immediately after an abortion, and others much later. However, if three or more of the symptoms listed below describe what you have been going through recently, chances are you are experiencing PAS.

1. Guilt: Guilt is what an individual feel when she has violated her own moral code. For the woman who has come to believe, at some point after the abortion, that she consented to the killing of her pre-born child, the burden of guilt can be significant.

2. Anxiety: Anxiety is defined as an unpleasant emotional and physical state of apprehension. Post abortion women with anxiety may experience any of the following: tension (inability to relax, irritability, etc.), physical responses (dizziness, pounding heart, upset stomach, headaches, etc.), worry about the future, difficulty concentrating, and disturbed sleep. The conflict between a woman's moral standards and her decision to abort generates much of this anxiety. Very often, she will not relate her anxiety to a past abortion, and yet she will unconsciously begin to avoid anything having to do with babies. She may make excuses for not attending a baby shower, skip the baby aisle at the grocery store, and so forth.

3. Psychological "numbing": A person who has experienced a highly painful loss will develop an instinct to avoid future situations that might lead to serious pain again. Many post-abortion women maintain a secret vow that they will never again allow themselves to be put in such a vulnerable position. As a result, without consciously thinking about what they are doing, they may work hard to keep their emotions on a flat level, experiencing neither highs nor lows. Not only does this flatness of emotional experience affect their own outlook, but it greatly hampers their ability to form and maintain close interpersonal relationships.

4. Depression and thoughts of suicide: Depression is a mood filled with sadness, guilt and feelings of hopelessness. A more severe and prolonged depression is characterized by a sense of utter futility and a complete inability to experience pleasure from any source and may lead to suicidal ideas. Few post-abortion women reach the point of an overt clinical depression. Most continue to function and perform the duties of life, while still experiencing many of the following: sad mood, sudden and uncontrollable crying episodes, deterioration of self-concept, sleep, appetite and sexual disturbances, reduced motivation, disruption in interpersonal relationships, thoughts of suicide or preoccupation with death.

5. Anniversary syndrome: There tends to be an increase of PAS syndrome around the time of the anniversary of the abortion and/or the due date of the aborted child. This phenomenon is reported with some consistency by women who are experiencing PAS.

6. Re-experiencing the abortion: A very common event described by post-abortion women is the sudden distressing, recurring flashbacks of the abortion episode. Sometimes this happens in situations that resemble some aspect of the abortion. A routine gynecological exam is an obvious example, but even the suction sound of a household vacuum cleaner, for example, has reportedly triggered troubling flashbacks. Often, women re-experience the abortion in the form of recurring nightmares about babies in general or her aborted baby in particular. These dreams usually involve themes of lost, dismembered or crying babies.

7. Preoccupation with becoming pregnant again: A significant percentage of all women who abort become pregnant within one year of their abortion. The desire to quickly become pregnant again - as soon as possible - is verbalized often in the counseling room. This may represent an unconscious hope that a new pregnancy, often called the "atonement baby" will serve as a replacement for the one that was aborted.

8. Anxiety over fertility and childbearing issues: Some post-abortion women maintain a fear that they will never become pregnant again or never be able to carry a pregnancy to term. Some expect to have handicapped children because they have "disqualified themselves as good mothers." Those women whose worldview includes a belief in God and divine accountability will actually verbalize these fears in terms of God punishing them.

9. Interruption of the bonding process with present and/or future children: The post-abortion woman may not allow herself to become properly bonded to another pregnancy because of a fear of loss, as explained above. Or she may begin another pregnancy intending to be the world's most perfect mother, in order to make up for aborting the last pregnancy.

10. Survival guilt: Most women do not abort for trivial reasons. They find themselves in the midst of a heartbreaking situation whereby they stand to lost much if they choose to carry their pregnancies to term. In the end, the decision boils down to a sorrowful "it's me or you, and I choose me". In an attempt to assuage the guilt of being the survivor, some women will enter a heightened and unrealistic compensation mode whereby they attempt to atone for their selfish choice. She may keep herself very busy doing unselfish volunteer work. Indeed, she may become overly zealous in the pro-life movement. And this, unfortunately, may be the worst possible place for her to be. If she has not found forgiveness for her own abortion, she will not likely be able to extend compassion and forgiveness to anyone else who has aborted a child.

11. Development of eating disorders: Some women seeking post-abortion counseling have developed eating disorders. While this phenomenon remains largely unexplored at this time, several factors may contribute to it. First, a substantial weight gain or severe weight loss is associated with unattractiveness, which reduces the odds of becoming pregnant again. Secondly, becoming unattractive serves as a form of self-punishment and helps perpetuate the belief that she is unworthy of anyone's attention. Thirdly, extremes in eating behavior (such as bulimia or anorexia) represent a form of control for the woman who feels her life is totally out of control. And finally, a drastic weight loss can shut down the menstrual cycle, thus preventing any future pregnancies.

12. Alcohol and drug abuse: Alcohol and drug use often serve initially as a form of self-medication - a way of coping with the pain of the abortion memories. Unfortunately, the mental and physical consequences of alcohol or drug abuse only amplify most of the symptoms the woman is already experiencing.

13. Brief reactive psychosis: Rarely, a post-abortion woman will experience a brief psychotic episode for two weeks or less after her abortion. The break with reality and subsequent recovery are both extremely rapid, and in most cases the person returns completely to normal when it is over. While this is an unusual reaction to abortion, it bears mentioning only because it is possible for a person to have a brief psychotic reaction to a stressful event without being labeled a psychotic individual. During such an episode, the individual's perception of reality is dramatically distorted.