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Understanding Flashbacks

Our support worker, Rhiannon, has pulled together this blog post on flashbacks. Flashbacks are a common occurrence for survivors of trauma, and survivors of sexual trauma are no different. In this post she explains what flashbacks are, how to manage them, and how they can fit within your own healing.  

[Read time: 3-4 mins]

What are Flashbacks? 

Flashbacks are a memory of a frightening experience and can be very distressing. They tend not to be like an ordinary memory, but more an unexpected intrusion in which you feel like you are “reliving” the events. It can feel almost as real as when it originally happened. They can last from a few seconds to a few hours and can happen at any time, anywhere, and often occur without warning, regardless of how you are feeling – whether you’re feeling low, tired, anxious, happy, calm, or relaxed. They can be triggered by anything that reminds you of what you experienced: someone who looks like your abuser; a voice; music; a TV programme; colours; tastes or smell.

Types of Flashbacks

Flashbacks can occur in many forms which include visual, auditory, and sensory.

Visual flashbacks are of your experience and can be like watching a single slide from a slideshow, a snapshot, or photograph that flashes repeatedly like a video clip. Not everyone’s flashbacks are visual.

Auditory flashbacks take the form of words, phrases or sounds that you associate with your experience. These sounds may either be in your head or voices around you. Sometimes a flashback can occur in response to hearing voices that tell you to do things, such as harm yourself or someone else. Hearing voices can be very frightening.

Sensory flashbacks can be accompanied by intense feelings, such as shame, anger, physical sensations including numbness or feeling like you are being touched when no-one is there. These are known as “body-memories” which may have been felt at the time of your experience. Sensory flashbacks can also strongly affect your sense of smell and taste.

Will they ever stop?

You are not going mad; your mind is trying to make sense of what happened and is remembering feelings, sounds, and images which were too traumatic to cope with at the time they occurred. Flashbacks are a healthy sign that you are now ready to process the trauma you experienced, they are a part of the healing process. They should decrease in frequency and intensity as enough memories of your experience return. This will allow you to move forwards along the path to healing. If you can understand why flashbacks occur, they might not be so frightening.

Managing Flashbacks

• Tell yourself this is a temporary and normal reaction to what you experienced. Remind yourself that you have survived this experience and that you are not being hurt in the here and now.
• Ground yourself in the present moment – look around you and note what you can see, hear, touch, feel and taste (the five senses grounding technique).
• Keep an elastic band around your wrist and ‘ping it’ to try and bring yourself back to the here and now.
• You may find it beneficial to carry something small in your pocket, like a shell, stone, or personal effect which you can hold or rub when a flashback occurs.
• Try to allow part of yourself to remember the past. Take long deep breaths as the memory emerges. As much as you can, don’t fight the flashback. However, it may often feel too much to cope with, and so it is helpful to have techniques to ground/distract yourself so that you start to feel safer.
• If you start experiencing a flashback whilst having sex with your partner, you can stop and take time to relax.
• If the flashback occurs whilst you are out, try to get yourself to somewhere that you feel safe and concentrate on your breathing.

Flashback Halting Protocol

Right now, I am feeling (name your current emotion)

________________________________________________________________

 

And I am sensing in my body (describe bodily sensations)

________________________________________________________________

 

Because I am remembering (name event by title/number only)

________________________________________________________________

 

At the same time, I am looking around where I am now in (current year)

________________________________________________________________

 

Here (the place where you are)

________________________________________________________________

 

And I see (describe what you see around you)

________________________________________________________________

 

And so, I know (name trauma by title, code word etc)

________________________________________________________________

 

Is not happening to me anymore.

Healing and Flashbacks

It may be useful to write down the flashback or talk about it to someone you trust. Reliving memories can be tiring and emotionally draining. It may take hours or even days until you feel okay. Try to do something that makes you feel good and reward yourself for all your hard work – make yourself a hot drink or listen to your favourite music.

Remember to be patient; it takes time to heal, and flashbacks are part of your healing. You cannot stop them from happening, but you can do things to lessen the control and effect that they have on your life. You have let yourself remember a traumatic experience and that takes courage and strength.

If you live in Ayrshire and have experienced sexual violence our support staff can help you. You can contact us on 01563 544686, by email admin@starcentreayrshire.org or by using our online form.