New Study: Direct Link Between Abortion and Mental Health Problems

LifeNews.com ^ | November 28, 2008 | Steven Ertelt

[SErtelt]

Washington, DC -- A new research study featuring numerous controls and a national data set finds a link between abortion and psychiatric disorders. The study directly contradicts the report the American Psychiatric Association released in August claiming abortion causes no mental health issues for women.

The research team found induced abortions result in increased risks for a myriad of mental health problems ranging from anxiety to depression to substance abuse disorders.

Ultimately, the authors write that abortion is directly "responsible for more than 10% of the population incidence of alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, drug dependence, panic disorder, agoraphobia, and bipolar disorder" among all Americans.

[wagglebee]

Moral Absolutes Ping!

Freepmail wagglebee to subscribe or unsubscribe from the moral absolutes ping list.

FreeRepublic moral absolutes keyword search
[ Add keyword moral absolutes to flag FR articles to this ping list ]

[baa39]

We need to break down the type of disorders, as causation is different in each one. Just for example, bipolar disorder, a genetically inherited mood disorder, cannot be “caused” by an abortion or by any traumatic experience. However, if one has bipolar disorder, certainly an abortion could trigger a depressive, manic, or even psychotic episode or series of episodes over the years, induce rapid-cycling, or any other number of problems that exacerbate the bipolar condition.

Contrast that with PTSD. You can easily imagine how a perfectly “normal” person with no predispositions to “mental” illness, no previous ailments, would suffer trauma (with effects of depression, anxiety, panic, insomnia, and even suicidality), due to the long-range guilt or shame or regret of destroying her child. This is also how agoraphobia can develop. Without treatment or some means of resolution (perhaps religion), these symptoms would likely intensify over time.

[ga medic]

I think it is also much for likely for a young woman who is suffering from mental illness, depression or substance addiction to have unprotected sex, and end up with an unwanted pregnancy also. I haven't had a chance to read the journal article sent by hocndoc yet, but it looks like it explores the subject more thoroughly. Obviously, an abortion is a traumatic event and could trigger all kinds of responses, but I think there is more to it than just that.

[baa39]

I agree with you. These are really two different areas to study and clarify: What kind of woman has an abortion? (What are the REAL reasons?) What are the effects short and long term?

Your idea does point to abortion being pushed on women who are possibly the least able to cope with the trauma of it, if we were to establish that they probably already have either psychological or mental problems — or another large contributing factor is women who have been sexually molested, they are more likely to be sexually promiscuous. I’m not making any moral judgments why, that is just the statistic. So a woman who is emotionally vulnerable and already possibly in a more desperate state, gets convinced to kill her child, and it’s easy to imagine the results would be life-long and devastating.

I think this particular study is good in showing there are connections, but obviously I concur with you it’s not the definitive word on cause and effect and the why’s where-for’s.

[fortunecookie]

A new research study featuring numerous controls and a national data set finds a link between abortion and psychiatric disorders.

Wow. No surprise to many of us, but good to have such an encompassing study back it up.

The study directly contradicts the report the American Psychiatric Association released in August claiming abortion causes no mental health issues for women.

The APA has really caved to feminazis, even just in the last decade or 2 alone.

[Bellflower]

If someone has an abortion with “these types of problems” to begin with you can be sure it can send them over the edge. This is speaking from one who had ministered for years to people with great psychological problems and in their past was abortion. Ask those who are pretty far gone and you will often hear yes to “have you had an abortion”.