Brittany’s Story
Texas
“I really felt like I had no control over anything in my life and started spiraling when I saw my pregnancy test. Like, literally everything I had planned for just disappeared in an instant. I felt stuck in this loop of worst-case scenarios. I went through [one of] the blog sessions, and it made me stop and breathe. I wrote down my biggest fears and then I focused on what’s actually within my control. Instead of spiraling, I try [to remind] myself I can make a plan and I can get support. For the first time since I found out, I actually believe that!!”
12 am, Saturday
Google search on iPhone: “pregnant early twenties what to do”
Brittany had just walked across the stage with her diploma in hand, excited about her move to a new city and starting her first real job in marketing. She had a spreadsheet for apartment hunting, a playlist for her commute—and a pile of student loans to start paying off.
Then she found out she was pregnant.
Her first reaction was numbness. Then it was panic. How was it possible for her life to end right when it had just started?
Brittany could see the termination email from her job, the looks on her parents’ faces, the long lonely nights alone while her friends hung out without her. More images of worst-case scenarios flooded her brain, so she grabbed her phone and typed in a desperate Google search.
One of the sites that popped up looked tailor-made for her: Explore your pregnancy options online in a private, judgment-free space.
She clicked on it. She opened the first session she saw.
Five minutes later, Brittany’s heart rate was slower. The images crowding her mind faded. She set down her phone and picked up a notebook to start a list: “Resources to Look into.”