There is no right or wrong way to feel after an abortion. Most of us will feel a strong sense of relief afterwards. We may be glad we could make the choice that was best for us, and our families, and are now able to move forward with our lives. We may also feel relief that the decision has been made, especially if it was a challenging one, and that the procedure is over.
Sometimes this relief can be mixed with other feelings, especially at first. How we feel can be influenced by many things: if we wished our circumstances were different or that we could have make a different choice; how other people felt about the pregnancy and our decision; or how we feel about abortion and our lives in general. We are less likely to be upset if we were able to take time to think through the decision and work through our feelings beforehand. It also helps if we have good support and/or strong coping skills, if we were as sure as we could be about the decision, and we felt it was an acceptable choice to make.
When we struggle emotionally after an abortion often it is not just about the abortion itself but also the circumstances around it. Even if the circumstances we are in at the time of or after an abortion are challenging, there are things we can do to find the support we need and move forward. We have information on how to cope and care for yourself after an abortion and this link can be helpful for those struggling with difficult emotions. There are also a number of story-sharing websites to learn about others’ stories and share your own if you wish.
There are many resources that can provide different kinds of support, including counselling afterward. Counselling appointments are also available at our clinic. To request a counselling appointment, please use this contact form.
