Post Stress Syndrome Poem Analysis

Emotional effects can range from regret to severe depression. It can affect women differently when it comes to emotions depending purely on their situation and reasons for having an abortion. Emotional side effects of abortions are “regret, anger, guilt, shame, sense of loneliness or isolation, loss of self-confidence, insomnia, relationship issues, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, depression, anxiety” (American pregnancy). Abortion hurts women too, removing a life and leaving women with emotional issues that will continue to affect them. Women feel regret to a great extent, so far that “60 percent of women who experience post-abortion sequelae report suicidal ideation, with 28 percent actually attempting suicide, of which half attempted suicide two or more times” (After Abortion). This isn’t a case of just feeling the blues, women are genuinely suffering mentally, and being tortured by their decisions to the point of believing suicide is the answer. All of this when we could just be using contraception to save money, time and

Abortion can cause periods of depression in which the pain can encysted. Some women become aggressive or nervous, or even hyperactive. Anxiety can find an answer food such as bulimia or, conversely, anorexia. For others, psychosomatic reactions will take over with stomach aches, absence of periods, headaches, the loss of self-esteem ("I'm bad, I'm unworthy, painful for others"), the fear of not being pregnant again or anxiety of existential insecurity are consequences commonly observed. Some episodes of a woman’s life can relive the acutely suffering felt at the time of abortion: the date in which the child had been born, or the anniversary date of the abortion, the desire to make present the dead child, are conducive to outbreaks of suffering intensely lived as, for example, anxiety or depressive

In the overarching state of humanity, few topics are as important to the long term societal standpoint as abortion. Even more important and contested is the controversial subject of whether or not a woman will endure long term psychological effects or disorders after said abortion. This subject has been highly debated, with valid points made by both sides. It is important that we all look into these repercussions, especially since approximately 33% of women will undergo an abortion by the time they reach forty-five years old. This often challenged subject has many aspects. The main ideas that I researched where whether or not having an abortion leads to a higher risk for mental health issues, whether or not “post-abortion syndrome” is a

Nearly 81% of women who receive abortions experience subsequent mental health problems according to a recently published study by The Royal College of Psychiatrists. The study demonstrates that the aftermath of an abortion can result in higher rates of anxiety, depression, various forms of substance abuse, and suicidal behavior. As a result of the study, it shows that women who have an abortion face almost double the risk of mental health problems as women who have their baby. This outcome is due to the fact that most women who are terminating pregnancies “may feel a greater sense of loss, anxiety and distress due to lack of support”, as summarized in the Guttmacher Institute, a non-profit reproductive health organization. In fact, a five-year study shows that 25% of

Indeed, the topic of abortion has been- and still is- a taboo in society. The author is writing the poem at a time when abortion was seen even worst that it is seen in today’s society. Gwendolyn Brooks expresses in her poem the love of a mother, and her right to love her never-born children. She never wanted to kill her children, she will never forget them-what is done is done. This poem is a realistic poem about how a mother feels about aborting a child. The author’s use of meaningful imagery, description, and rhythm helps the reader to understand what she really wants to express throughout her poem- the redemptive love of a women for her aborted

After a woman has an abortion, the chances are three to four times higher of the mother having a miscarriage because of damage to the uterus. There is a higher chance of the mother dying from having an abortion than there is from her dying from natural childbirth. Even though after an abortion the mother feels relief that the ordeal is over, feelings of “numbness” soon set in on their emotions. It’s not any different from what soldiers feel after being in the midst of war. It has been found in a study of 500 aborted women, 50 percent of them were dealing with negative feelings and 10 percent had “serious psychiatric complications.”

Sharon Salzberg once said, “As we look around, it's very clear that in this world people do outrageous things to one another all of the time. It's not that these qualities or actions make us bad people, but they bring tremendous suffering if we don't know how to work with them”. The wake of devastation abortion leaves behind could not be described better. It is argued that it is the woman’s body; therefore it is the woman’s choice. What many do not know, however, is that abortion not only affects the mother, but the father, and of course the child. Guilt, anger, anxiety, depression, broken relationships, “numbing”, and even suicide; all of these are symptoms of Post-Abortion Syndrome (PAS). PAS is the emotional/psychological damage women may experience after having an abortion. According to Dangers of Legal Abortion by Ann Saltenberger, women who have had abortions are nine times more likely to attempt suicide than women in the general population. Men, or the father, portray a range of emotions after their partner’s abortion. These include grief, guilt,

Talking about abortion brings out an emotional response in many women. This is because having an abortion takes a massive emotional toll on some women. As Nanyjo Mann said, three weeks after having an abortion, “I became preoccupied with the thoughts of death. I fantasized about how I would die. My baby struggled for two hours” (Reardon, 1987, p. xviii). In the forward of the book “Aborted Women, Silent No More” Nanyjo, a women telling

It is difficult to think about all the different emotions a mother must feel after losing her baby; no matter how it happens. The abortion may have been something the mother wanted or she may have been pressured into it by others around her. No matter what the reason is, it is hard for a mother to lose something that was a part of her for nine months. She feels many different emotions due to the major hormone changes she goes through. These emotions can range from average feelings to feelings that are dangerous to the point where the mother needs professional help. According to the American pregnancy association (2007), abortion causes many side effects such as; regret, anger, guilt, shame, loneliness or isolation, impaired self confidence, insomnia or nightmares, relationship issues, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, depressions and anxiety (para. 3). Many mothers go through a regret period, which is

Since abortions legalization in 1973, it has become a topic ensnared by controversies as groups debate abortions moral and ethical consequences. Most often the controversy over abortion comes down to a person’s moral stand point on the subject, however, most people are not apprised of the possible long and short term psychological effects of receiving an abortion. Multiple studies preformed over the years have endeavored to determine the extent abortion has on women’s mental health with vastly varying results. Articles written by Coleman and Fergusson surmise women who undergo an abortion operation are highly prone to experience some variety of psychological harm. Other researchers like the American Psychological Association (APA) task force

When others recall personal experiences relating to this issue, "The Mother" by Gwendolyn Brooks touches up on the emotional topic of abortion. Accepting abortion and the consequence of it can be difficult for some people, while others are accustomed to it without it being a problem. Brooks allow us to see from a mothers view of abortion and show a mother's reaction to this type of situation. It brings forth a political debate topic, but cannot really be used to divide for a pro and against side. The emotional complexity leads the reader to really think about the inner turmoil of a woman going through the situation. Abortion is a complicated experience for all involved. For instance, in October Baby, a girl named Hannah goes through countless

Many women choosing to have an abortion are unaware of the psychological effects it will have on them. Many are affected for years or maybe even lifetime after the procedure. Abortion can affect each woman differently, some claim that abortion has negative effects on women’s mental health. Women have abortions for different reasons within different personal, social, economic, and cultural contexts. All of these may lead to variability in women’s psychological reactions following the abortion. This paper will focus on answering the following questions:

The poem, “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks has a very powerful context regarding abortion. Abortion is very common throughout the United States, so Brooks poem is still very relatable till this day. The Concept and result of abortion is a very difficult for almost all mothers who have the dreadful experience of abortion; but there are a few parents who can still adjust easily. Gwendolyn Brooks poem gives us very insightful point of views. She gives us her point of view as well as other mothers who are not specifically mentioned in the stanzas of the poem. Brooks does this by describing her love, commemorations, doubt, and finally her traumas when experiencing abortion.

Studies by pro-choice researchers also conclude that women often have difficulty coping in life after an abortion. One study found that “17% of women felt guilt after the procedure… 56% of women experienced a sense of guilt about having had an abortion and 26% said they mostly regret the abortion.” (Dube 24). Sometimes, women have abortions and then carry such guilt with them that when they do want to become pregnant, they are not capable to because of the psychological stress associated with guilt. “In cases of selective abortion, there is grief for a wanted child, questions about the characteristics of the baby – not usually seen by the parents – worries about future pregnancies, ambivalence about abortion itself, and guilt – terrible guilt” is what Susan Borg and Judith Lasker had written in When Pregnancy Fails (Borg 50).

Being a mother is one of the best gifts from a life. A mother gives her children unconditional love without expecting anything in return. Being a mother means more than having given birth to a child. It is an invisible connection between mother and child; it is a blessing, a relationship that never ends and the love that never dies. However, for some women, motherhood might be challenging in ways they did not expect, forcing them to choose between having an abortion and keeping the child. The debate over abortion is an ardent and polarizing issue as there are those who believe that all humans including those unborn should have a right to life, and on the other side of the spectrum are those who believe it should a woman's right to choose whether she wants an abortion or not. This topic relates to Gwendolyn Brooks's poem, "The Mother", where the author describes the painful thoughts, heartbreak, and awful feelings that a woman experiences after having an abortion. Brooks lays out a helpful framework for understanding the difficult situation of facing unplanned pregnancy. In "The Mother", a woman recollects her inner conflicts as she laments over the guilt of having had an abortion and the future she never gave her would be child. Brooks's poem provides insight into the research which reveals how abortion affects women morally, psychologically, and religiously.