Behaviours that become frequent, if not repetitive, may result in lifestyle dysfunction leading to the destruction of relationships, careers, health, and opportunities. Destructive behaviours often involve self-sabotage, with the intention to project or inflict the traumatic feelings and emotions associated with the abortion towards themself or others.
“Every time I thought – nobody will miss me… and I’ll get to see my babies. That was a good feeling, I always loved that feeling”.
(Kate, 35, Aircrew)
Research signals a higher incidence of ‘self-destructive’ behaviour by women following an abortion. These behaviours are indicative of the wall of denial that protects those suffering from the relentless and overwhelming effects they are experiencing from the abortion. These behaviours are demonstrated as part of the process of trauma re-enactment, feelings associated with their abortion such as an adrenaline rush, fear, imminent danger, or death, being violated, violence, hopelessness, worthlessness, sense of control or loss thereof. The abortion experience is unique to each woman, and feelings vary person to person accordingly. Women repeatedly report an immediate relief that ‘it is over’, followed swiftly by feelings of despair, shame, and guilt – what have I done?
Risk-taking activities may be frequent, periodical, cyclical or preceded by a triggering event. Women often do not connect these activities directly with the abortion initially. Externally, behaviours are seemingly out of character and without purpose. Internally, an invisible effort is exhaustibly harnessed to continuously repress and disassociate feelings and emotions connected with the abortion.
“Numb is my favourite feeling.”
Joan (41), Lawyer
Self-destructive behaviours
Self-destructive behaviours in those suffering abortion trauma has many presentations.
It is not uncommon for the person affected to not consciously connect the problems they are experiencing directly to the abortion experience. Presentations may include:
- Obsessive Compulsive disorders
- Financial dysfunction (gambling)
- Associations of violence
- Substance use/abuse
- Suicidal thoughts/attempts
- Abusive relationships
- Adrenaline rush activities
- Self-harm activities
- Provoking crisis
- Sleep deprivation
- Promiscuity
- Workaholic
- Risk taking
‘…I had never taken any drugs before my abortion. I just didn’t want to feel anything anymore’
Emma, 26, Chef
Suicide & Risk Taking
Finnish record linkage study of 1.1 million pregnancies found young women who aborted1:
- Increased suicide rate six times higher, within first 12 months, than women who delivered.
- Increased suicide rate 3.5 times higher, compared to non-pregnant peers.
- Increased risk of death by accident was four times higher.
- Increased risk of death by homicide was ten times higher.
For young women (under 25 years), the suicide rate associated with abortion was:
- Twelve times higher compared to those who gave birth.
- Four times higher compared to non-pregnant peers.
Domestic Violence
UK researchers found 30% of women having second abortions, were in abusive relationships with a statistical increase with three or more abortions.2
Chicago study of 906 women and 658 men, found abortion was associated with conflicted relationships compare to those with no abortion exposure:
- Increased jealousy (95%).
- Conflicts about drugs (385%).
- Arguments about children (196%)3
Elliott Institute study of 256 post-abortive women found ‘… self-hatred, hatred of the male and hatred of men in general, were all significantly correlated to each other’.
- 53% reported losing temper more easily
- 48% stated ‘I became more violent when angered after the abortion’4
- Gissler, M., Berg, C., Bouvier-Colle, M. H., & Buekens, P. (2005). Injury deaths, suicides and homicides associated with pregnancy, Finland 1987–2000. The European Journal of Public Health, 15(5), 459-463. ↩︎
- Aston, G., & Bewley, S. (2009). Abortion and domestic violence. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, 11(3), 163-168. ↩︎
- Coleman, P. K., Rue, V. M., & Coyle, C. T. (2009). Induced abortion and intimate relationship quality in the Chicago Health and Social Life Survey. Public health, 123(4), 331-338. ↩︎
- Childbirth, A. F. T. D. T. The Post-Abortion Review. ↩︎
