There is no certain time that a woman spends in the post abortion syndrome stages. Some stages may continue a few days, or weeks and some may last years. There is also changing levels of intensity that women will experience with these stages.
 Stage 1 - numbness, apathy
Women reported feeling a sense of disassociation with the abortion plans, things like 'calling the clinic', or making other arrangements seem to have been done “in a fog”, like it was someone else doing it.
Denial and numbness can last for weeks or even years. Women can be having problems in their lives, and having problems with their physical and mental health like sexual dysfunction, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, relationship problems, low self esteem, depression.
Stage 2 - starting awareness
At this stage women feel a bit sad and uncomfortable when thinking of the abortion. They try to avoid babies, pregnant women, baby related sections in stores, and discussions of prolife/choice issues.
Stage 3 - full awareness
This stage starts with awareness of the reality of the abortion procedure, followed by extreme sadness, depression and grief. Women may think over the aborted fetuses, the pain the fetus may have felt. They may think of themselves as a 'murderer', that’s why they may punish themselves with abuse of drugs or alcohol, not eating or eating too much.
Stage 4 - beginning anger
In this stage, women are still experiencing the symptoms and behaviors in Stage 3, but are now becoming more aware of anger. Women feel anger towards the certain people forced her abortion. This can make her life difficult, because her episodes of anger can now isolate the people who can recognize her actions, and who can help her seek treatment.
Stage 5 - anger or severe depression
Lots of self destructive behaviors can appear in the anger stage such as drinking, illegal drugs, casual relationships, carelessness in activities of all sorts, disassociation emotionally from existing children and family, overeating, anorexia, bulimia and other self-harming practices like cutting.
Some women have a depression, where instead of feeling anger, and having self-destructive behaviors, they fall into deep depression, have difficulty getting out of bed, have difficulty performing normal daily self care, feel completely hopeless, express a wish to die and join the baby, don't eat, or eat too much.
Stage 6 - beginning resolution stage
Woman begin to realize that she needs help to resolve her feelings about the abortion.
Stage 7 - forgiveness stage
As the woman begins therapy, she begins to deal with all her feelings and issues about the abortion. She examines what happened to her, how it affected her life, and works on finding forgiveness for herself and the others involved.
Stage 8 - beginning peace
Woman begins to feel resolved with her personal feelings and losses, getting through the majority of the grief stage.
Stage 9 - full peace
Women have totally forgiven themselves, the man involved and anyone else who they felt contributed to their abortion.
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