First and foremost, it’s important to recognize the overturning of a nearly 50-year precedent protecting the right to abortion for what it is: a traumatic event. The loss of human rights and freedom of choice over one’s “own” body is traumatic. When one experiences such a loss, especially one that they themselves had no control over, it strips away the feeling of safety and security. It is only natural to feel anxious, worried, overwhelmed, rage, or all of the above in response to this event.

What we do in response to our many emotions will look different for each person. Some people may write to their state legislators, while others may march and protest in the streets. You may feel inclined to donate to organizations that protect human rights and women’s reproductive health. Others may take the time to educate themselves and start discussions within their workplace, friend groups, or family. Others may jump to begin planning their departure from the US to live in a different country for fear of their rights being further stripped away. Others may silently process the news on their own, feeling overwhelmed with what to do next. And while we each have our biases and may see the benefit and importance of one response over another, there are valid reasons for why we may respond, feel, and act in the way that we do in the face of devastating world events.

The lack of safety and fear of uncertainty leads to a stress response within our bodies. Our biological stress response is our brain’s means of keeping us alive. Our stress response is automatic; the alarm system in our brain, the amygdala, goes into hyperdrive putting our emotional brain, known as the limbic system, in control. This shuts down your prefrontal cortex, the decision-making part of your brain, and leads you to reflexively act in whatever way your brain thinks will help you survive the current situation…

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