Post Abortion Stress Syndrome (PASS), which is suggested by many as a variant of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can simply be defined as the psychological after effects of abortion. It can also be described as a kind of intense distress following abortion with a lasting impact on mental health. People suffering from PASS views their abortion as an event too traumatic for them to be able to process properly.

The features of post-abortion stress syndrome are not the same for everyone, they may appear independently or in clusters. Some may experience them immediately after the abortion, while for others it may take years to even surface. The primary features are as follows:

• Hyper-arousal/ Hyper-alertness: The person becomes constantly alert and remains in “fight or flight” mode. They have exaggerated physical responses to environmental cues, that remind them of the abortion experience.

• Intrusions/ Flash-backs/ Re-experiencing: The person relieves the experience, again and again, has flashbacks of the event, wakes up at night with cold sweats and nightmares, has intrusive thoughts about the aborted child, feels intense emotions at certain times like the anniversary of the abortion, etc.

• Avoidance: Sometimes they develop an instinct to avoid certain situations that remind them of the traumatic event like avoiding children altogether, skipping the baby aisle in grocery stores, not attending baby showers and so forth.

Other features include –

• Guilt: Feeling of guilt is the most common reaction to abortion. Most women feel intense remorse or regret following an abortion. They feel like they have broken some kind of moral code which creates a huge burden on their shoulders. A lot of women feel shame and are unable to forgive themselves.

• Anxiety: Deciding to abort creates a lot of conflict and anxiety among a lot of women.  They become tense, irritable, unable to relax, get panic attacks (difficulty breathing, pounding heart), etc. Some women fear that they won’t ever be able to conceive again as punishment from God.
• Psychological numbing: Some women create a barrier to protect themselves, to suppress their grief, ultimately diminishing their ability to experience emotions, which takes a toll on their relationships.

• Depression and suicidal thoughts: Depression and suicidal thoughts are adverse consequences of abortion. Depression may be associated with intense grief, unexpressed anger, feelings of devastation, etc but the following features are more common in women following abortion –

• Sad mood & hopelessness
• Lack of interest
• Self-loathing & reduced self-esteem
• Feeling of unworthiness
• Sudden & uncontrollable bouts of crying
• Loss of motivation

In extreme cases, abortion could lead to suicidal thoughts and tendencies requiring immediate treatment. Although not common, it is a serious consequence of abortion.

• Development of eating disorders: Some women develop eating disorders following abortion like anorexia or bulimia. The exact pathology is not yet known.

• Alcohol & Substance abuse: For a lot of women alcohol or drug use usually begins as a coping mechanism to deal with painful memories. Unfortunately, in most cases, these are counterproductive and amplify the symptoms the woman is already experiencing. 

In many cases, these symptoms can persist over a prolonged period of time. If not properly dealt with, they intensify and become even harder to handle. The first step to recovery is always confessing that someone has a problem.  There are a lot of ways to get help, such as support groups or weekend retreats, that are specifically designed to help heal in a safe space. One can always reach out to therapists and counsellors, specially trained to create a comfortable and secure environment, where one can share their thoughts and feelings freely and finally begin to heal and be happy.

Written by-

Dr. Anan Nisat Nabela Hossain

Associate

Women Support Initiative Forum-WSIF