It can be easy to find information on the physical effects of an abortion. How it could affect you mentally and emotionally is often left out of the discussion. While it’s different for every woman, some things can leave you more at risk.
Understanding and safeguarding your mental well-being, especially in the face of an unplanned pregnancy, is vital. There are some potential mental health risks associated with undergoing an abortion.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Certain pre-existing mental health conditions can identify women who are most likely to experience mental health challenges following an abortion.
Pre-existing conditions that, if present, may heighten the likelihood of encountering mental health challenges following an abortion include:
- Having a history of mental health disorders
- Feeling pressured to terminate the pregnancy by others
- Lacking a support system to help you recover emotionally from the abortion
- A desire to have children now or in the future
Even in a perfect setting where women have sufficient counseling, are provided with support to carry their pregnancies to term, and do not have any pre-existing risk factors, it’s still possible to suffer from ill effects of abortion.
Mental Health Risks
There is a link between abortion and higher instances of mental illness when compared to women who have not had an abortion. For some women, the experience of having an abortion directly leads to mental health issues.
Some of those issues include:
- Grief
- Depression disorders
- Eating disorders
- Anxiety
- Suicidal behaviors
- Substance abuse
What You Can Do
Getting informed is one of the best things you can do for your mental health.
At A Pregnancy Center and Clinic, we offer free and confidential services like pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and information on your options so you can learn about the possible risks and issues that can come with getting an abortion.
Schedule an appointment with our knowledgeable and compassionate team today.
