I accidentally said, “Also, it has been proven that “young girls” use “abortion” as a form of birth control.” I MEANT “It has been proven that most “young girls” DO NOT use abortion as a form of birth control.” Sorry.

But, a number of studies have shown that “severe emotional distress” after an abortion is indeed quite rare. (Reagan’s Surgeon General quit because Reagan wanted him to “prove” that abortion caused severe emotional stress and depression in most or all women, it COULDN’T be proven and the man was pushed out of his position, because he wouldn’t LIE for Reagan.) Yes, it happens some of the time, usually in women who have a propensity towards depression anyway (which means that if the abortion hadn’t triggered the Depressive Episode, something else would have.)

Most women feel sad when they abort for a short period of time, but relieved. There is NO Universal depression in most women.

Of course, if you want to look at depression as “costly,” you could take the “cost” of treating post partum depression, which effects about 20% of mothers, (women who CHOSE to continue their pregnancies) often effects them for a lifetime and is VERY expensive to treat (plus they still have all the child rearing costs, medical bills, pediatrician bills, also.) I have been treated for depression started by a bout of PPD, since 1989, after my second child was born. Years of antidepressants, therapy, “Alternative” medicine, chiropractic, basically anything to help. Chances are, I would have suffered a Major Depressive episode anyway, but childbirth caused a depression as, if not more expensive than the same you suffered from an abortion. AND it is MUCH more common to suffer PPD than post abortion depression.

I would never have NOT had my children to avoid the depression, though. They are the Joy of my life (but having them was MY choice.) My choice was the best one for me, and even though it triggered an event (and a lifetime of issues) similar to the ones your abortion did, it doesn’t mean MY choice of having my kids was the WRONG one.

Also, Marie, in your situation, you allowed someone to manipulate you into doing something it appears you didn’t want to do. (Most women who have abortions make their OWN choices. That’s why they call it “Choice.”)

THAT alone could cause your depression, even if there was no abortion. HOW do you know, if you had continued the pregnancy, you wouldn’t be stuck with a child with no father, bills you couldn’t pay AND the Depression on top of it? Answer: You don’t know, but the chances are, you probably would have had PPD as well. (As if an abortion supposedly triggered a lifetime of depression, you are predisposed to it, and having the baby would have most likely cause more and more severe depression.) Which, as you were talking about “costs” would have been much more expensive than what you already are dealing with AND you’d have a child with no father….

My guess is the fact that you did what you did to “keep a man” has more to do with your depression than the fact that it was an abortion.

I hope you can find the strength to heal and the courage to do so.