Narcissism 2: Murder of the Innocent

How might you know if you will experience Post Abortion Stress Syndrome? There are a collection of questions which has proven helpful in determining if you might be at risk:

• I am having difficulty making a decision to have an abortion
• I believe abortion is morally wrong
• I consider myself a religious person
• I am a Christian
• I always thought abortion was taking a human life
• I have traditional or conservative values
• I have had a negative attitude toward abortion in the past
• I feel society looks on a woman who has had an abortion in a negative, shameful way
• I am planning to abort this baby because it has abnormalities
• I have very strong maternal instincts
• I feel pressure to have an abortion
• I have had prior psychiatric or emotional issues
• I am single – I don’t have the finances or the means to raise a child

If you answered “yes” to any one of these concerns you are at risk according to psychologists. The more “yes” answers you have the greater your risk for P.A.S.S.

For many women they experience extreme feelings of sadness and/or depression. What conditions or factors might predispose a woman to these feelings after having an abortion?

• Emotional conflicts a woman may experience about her decision to abort.
• Social stigmas a woman associates with having an abortion.
• Moral or religious beliefs a woman may have regarding abortion.

Unfortunately it is not true if a woman prepares for the abortion by naming the child; enrolling in post abortion counseling before the abortion occurs that they can stop these feelings of sadness and/or depression before it starts. This tactic simply does not work.

The Balancing Act

For a woman who is at risk for P.A.S.S., sadness, and/or depression the decision she has to make becomes a balancing act. She has to decide which is worse:

• Facing possible sadness from an abortion, or
• Having the baby and facing the difficulties that may come from parenting or adoption.

“For some women, the concrete issues like finances, housing and food are easier to find answers to than the abstract problems such as, “why did I do it?” Or, “what do I do now?” For others the opposite is true.” (Page 1 – Your Concerns: Will I Feel Sadness or Depression After the Abortion?” – 2004. Choice to Live With, Inc.