Post- Abortion Distress Test
Each question below is a yes or no question we urge you to answer honestly to yourself.
- Do you find yourself struggling to turn off the feelings connected to your abortion(s), perhaps telling yourself over and over to forget about it?
- Are you affected by physical reminders of your abortion like babies, pregnant women, sound of a vacuum, or are you uncomfortable around children?
- Have you experienced a desire to be pregnant again, perhaps wishing to replace your aborted child?
- Have you experienced any new or increased self-destructive behaviors (promiscuity, abusive relationships, eating disorders, drug/alcohol abuse)?
- Have you experienced any reactions such as nightmares, flashbacks, or hallucinations (such as hearing a baby cry) that relate to your abortion experience?
- Have you experienced periods of prolonged depression?
- Have you had any suicidal thoughts since your abortion(s)?
- Are you unable to talk about your abortion(s)?
- Do you fear that you will never be able to have children, or more children?
- Do you tend to look at your life in terms of “before” and “after” the abortion?
- Have you experienced a numbing of your emotions-an inability to feel strongly?
- Do you feel sad or depressed on the anniversary date of the abortion of the anniversary of the due date of the baby?
- Are you bothered by feelings of guilt or shame?
- Do you grieve for the loss of your baby?
- Are you having trouble forgiving others who were involved in the decision to abort or in your abortion(s)?
- Do you have mothering problems with any of your living children (for example, over-protective, difficulty with physical affection, failure to bond, etc.)?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you may be experiencing Post-Abortion Stress Syndrome. Contact Dawn at 330-434-2221 for more information on her P.A.T.H. group and how she can help you start the healing process in your life. You are not alone, many women are experiencing the same hurt you are. Together we can all be healed.