Abortion Loss and Silent Grief
Thoughts of a past abortion haunt women and men as they struggle with their memories and the deep spiritual wounding experienced long after the procedure is over. It may be months or years before a person feels that they can talk to someone about their abortion.
Many women and men who have lost a baby to abortion feel a heightened sense of grief during the holidays or anniversary dates. Certain times or experiences can trigger the realization that a baby is missing—and you may feel an extra dose of guilt.
Every woman and man experiences abortion differently. Some women report having no feelings of remorse or sadness connected with their abortion. Chances are, if you’re still reading this article, you’re not one of them. If you feel the burden of sadness, grief, guilt, isolation, or shame, you can start down a path toward hope.
Stop and Take Inventory
Make time to take stock of things you may not have previously taken the time to think about, like:
How have you felt supported, and by whom?
How do you wish you would be supported more?
What emotions have been impacting your recent decisions?
What practical needs do you have now?
What are the blessings you have in your life?
You can expand your inventory to include answers to questions about your feelings, upcoming decisions, relationships, personal care, and more. The idea is to spend time evaluating your life and giving yourself space and time to think during the usual day-to-day busyness.
Grief Comes At Various Times
Keep in mind that different emotions may arise at various times. Some may even appear years from now. These emotions can come up for different reasons and in different ways. For example, if you had an abortion because you felt you were unable to care for a child at the time, new emotions may surface about your abortion when you reach a time in your life when you do have the means to support a child. That’s normal, and those emotions are valid. Rather than ignoring these emotions when they arise, it is essential to consider that the feelings of loss may come back up and impact you differently at different times in life. That is how grief and trauma works.
The good news is that restoration is possible.
There is forgiveness, healing, peace, and hope for the future. That is the heart of Passages of Hope’s abortion recovery support.
Passages of Hope is an abortion recovery outreach of New Life Solutions. We offer 9-week recovery support groups for women and men who need healing, hope, and wholeness. Groups are also available for those indirectly involved in pressuring a decision for abortion and those impacted by sexual trauma. We pull from various, evidence-based curriculum to facilitate the healing process leading to resolution and freedom through the power of God’s Holy Word.
“And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:32
An additional benefit of our support group setting is how you can experience the comfort of others who have also gone through an abortion loss.