Project Rachel offers free, confidential, and non-judgemental help and support to anyone seeking post abortion healing. This ten week program can be provided for an individual or within a group setting. In person and online options are available across Canada.
Visit our projectrachel.ca site for more information.
What is Post-Abortion Syndrome?
The first clinical evidence of Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS) was presented in testimony before the US Congress in 1981, although many other mental-health experts had previously identified significant emotional harm following abortion.
Some Post-Abortion Symptoms…..do they feel or sound familiar to you?
Re-experiencing trauma:
nightmares/recurrent dreams
flashback episodes
anniversary reactions (on the date of the abortion /due date)
extreme distress at exposure to events that resemble some aspect of the abortion (i.e. a pelvic examination, sexual intercourse, childbirth, the sound of a vacuum cleaner)
Avoidance/denial:
avoiding thoughts or feelings about the abortion
avoiding situations/activities that cause thoughts of the abortion (i.e. medical exams, sexual intercourse, exposure to infants, conversations about abortion or childbirth)
inability to recall aspects of the abortion – memory blocks
emotional numbing — estrangement from others, inability to have loving feelings toward children, mate, parents, friends.
Increased arousal:
sleep disorders
irritability or outbursts of anger
difficulty concentrating
hypervigilence
exaggerated startle response
Associate symptoms:
depression, frequent crying, anxiety
guilt/inability to forgive self
self-destructive behavior, including drug/alcohol abuse, eating disorders, suicidal urges.
Psychological Effects of Induced Abortion
| Anxiety and Panic | Guilt |
| Depression | Sense of Loss |
| Child abuse | Eating disorders |
| Promiscuity | Frustrations |
| Seizures/tremors | Nightmares |
| Unfulfillment | Mourning |
| Regret & Remorse | Anger/Rage |
| Withdrawal | Lower self-esteem |
| Preoccupation with death | Hostility |
| Self-destructive behavior | Despair, Helplessness |
| Anniversary reactions (on date of abortion) | Preoccupation with would-be due date or birth month |
| Intense interest in babies | Loss of interest in sex |
| Thwarted maternal instincts | Hatred for anyone connected with abortion |
| Hatred with pro-life movement | Desire to end relationship with partner |
| Inability to forgive oneself | Feelings of dehumanization |
| Bouts of uncontrolled crying | Feelings of being exploited |
Physical Effects of Induced Abortion
| Sterility | Miscarriage |
| Stillbirth | Ectopic pregnancies |
| Menstrual disturbances | Bleeding |
| Infections | Shock |
| Coma | Perforated uterus |
| Peritonitis | Passing blood clots |
| Fever/Cold sweats | Intense pain |
| Loss of other organs | Insomnia |
| Loss of appetite | Exhaustion |
| Constant swallowing | Nervousness |
| Decreased work capacity | Gastro-intestinal disturbances |
| Vomiting | Frigidity |
| Death |
A Surprising Revelation
A Project Rachel woman from the 2006 Support Group said she had been in treatment for these symptoms for 3 years but not once were they related to her abortion
Let us pray for counselors who will have the wisdom and courage to understand the broken spiritual relationships that abortion brings about in the lives of women and men. Let us pray that they will have the compassion to offer life-enhancing choices to those in need of post-abortion healing by encouraging them to experience the love and forgivness that God and their baby offer them.
Read some of the testimonies of those who have been through our Project Rachel program and find out more about our Healing Rock Garden.
Project Rachel (PR) is an initiative of Nova Scotians United for Life, Halifax.
Project Rachel is a service mark of the Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.