Help!! Having flashbacks, so scared

[Smile]

I thought I’ve had flashbacks before but what I’ve experienced over past few days… this is NEW & scary as all hell :(

No strength to go into details (not sure it’s necessary anyway?).

Just looking for help/advice/ANYTHING that’s helped you regulate after flashback is over. I have no control over it happening but I’m having such a hard time coming fully back to the present & not being petrified.

Thanks & hope your all doing well :)

 

[Survivor3]

Sorry that your going through that. Nasty. I was having flashbacks today for about 1.5-2 hours. It's very scary and exhausting. I try and eat some food and focus on happier thoughts to calm down. Listen to music or watch something on tv.

 

[Smile]

Sorry that your going through that. Nasty. I was having flashbacks today for about 1.5-2 hours. It's very scary and exhausting. I try and eat some food and focus on happier thoughts to calm down. Listen to music or watch something on tv.

I’m so sorry you had such a hard day :(((

I can’t. When it’s over I’m discombobulated for like 24 hours. Tried watching something but kept having to rewind because I couldn’t focus so I got frustrated & stopped.

 

[Survivor3]

I take naps aswell sometimes during the day. Do you have a therapist or someone you can talk to about your flashbacks?

 

[Ireusa]

Emergency therapy appts, journaling, distracting, keeping busy: cleaning, cooking, playing with kids, physical activity, taking a shower, eating spicy things...
I'm sorry you're struggling.

 

[maybe]

I started creating "feel" memories to pull back from. I started going hiking and finding cold waterfalls to walk in and "feel" the water. And "feel" the cold water run over me, splash over me, and hit my face. So, if I recognize or someone else recognizes me dissociating or having a flashback they place ice or cold water on my skin and help me "come back". Today it rained and I just let it hit me. It feels so good to "feel" things in nature around me because they are real and present. Worth a shot maybe.

 

[Friday]

Just looking for help/advice/ANYTHING that’s helped you regulate after flashback is over.

There’s a lot that is “just” practice.

Meaning each and every single time I can summon the strength to? TRYING to get back to baseline is actually what helps me the most, and the fastest. Rather than any single method or skill set. It’s the attempt more than than substance that pays off. The more I do it, the more the pattern becomes automatic, the less energy I have to spend, the easier it gets, the faster it gets, the more self confident I feel, the less energy it takes, the easier it gets, the faster it gets, the more self confident I get… the less any of it bothers me / affects my life.

It’s one of those double edged swords.

Yep. Panic attacks, flashbacks, etc. are brutal. And if I’m only have either rarely? The recovery can take daaaaays. But when I’m having them many times a day? It’s a problem that only afflicts me for minutes or moments, just because I’ve gotten slick and self assured with dealing with them.

 

[8888]

I'm sorry to hear this. For me grounding exercises are helpful. Here's an article on grounding that my therapist sent me:
Grounding 101: Featuring 101 Grounding Techniques! — Beauty After Bruises
I hope the flashbacks subside soon.

 

[coraxxx]

I'm sorry you're going through this. The actual very jumping ones are very difficult to manage. Honestly when I'm feeling it's rampaging to something out of control I sometimes take an anti anxiety pill and it cuts the worst but not all. And I can't do that every time it happens when it's too often.

But for the recovery I try to do things that make me have to drive my attention towards something else. Just anything I know isn't triggering. Complicated but boring. Uncomplicated and boring. Something hectic and unrelated. Stuff I know cannot be triggering by any means. It varies depending on time so it's difficult to know. Chatting with friends about their life of cooking or self care stuff helps, baths showers creams cleaning stuff having a walk, anything as long as I haven't a timeframe set on it.

From a certain moment I know I have worse times in the days or certain situations and stress. It's a mix between paying attention to what's around you and what's inside you. Gently taking yourself from the inside to the outside. All normal. You can have objects or things that are only destinated to show things are normal. If that thing is here then it means situation X no longer is true. Hope it helps.

 

[Widow_of_one]

I feel scattered and I just don’t out any reassure on myself. Whatever my dominant alter wants: popcorn for diner! Great! I play mindless video games, I journal, and remind myself that my hornet has been incredible I have gotten over other horrific fbs and this will be no different. I try to say out loud what I am grateful for: example, I am grateful for 2 el ones that work, I am grateful for my job, I am grateful that I didn’t die from covid, I am grateful that I have two good knees, I am grateful my teeth! Having a FB makes me focus on “the bad” I try to switch my focus to all that is good. I have a list of rewards I’ve experienced since I started having flashbacks so I look at that:

I no longer am afraid of elevators filled with people.
I am no longer fiends with N, H and some others who intentionally dragged me down!
I can take a train ride anywhere!
I don’t feel watched while in the shower!
I now can use both hands.
I am clearer in terms of organization.
I am better at seeing people who are bad seeds.
I go to Grantlmorris website and read the list that states how some people (me included) have “gotten back” long lost skills: math, directions, etc.

in my online journal I search for “rewards” so that I can “be stimulated to rmeber” the good in all this and there is a lot of good!

I clean! It has a triple benefit: a clean house, burn calories, and keeps my mind off of things.

mostly FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCT, if you need to sleep then sleep; if you want to walk them walk. Listen to what’s in your head and body - it is a great practice to where you are going by experiencing healing fbs: peace.

 

[Smile]

I didn’t go into detail so I will now because I’d like to know if what I had was a flashback or something else.

the trigger was rain and thunder. Out of nowhere (I was in middle of washing my hands for goodness sake!) my eyes closed & I was transported to a horrible & scary traumatic memory. Felt like forever but probably lasted 30 seconds?

I wasn’t HERE or PRESENT. When it was “over” and my eyes opened there was a mirror in front of me and I looked at myself and my eyes were so red from crying and there were tears streaming down my face.

I have no recollection of crying & it must of started before the flashback (?) because my eyes don’t get raw and red that fast. Unless… it lasted longer than 30 seconds?

just looking for answers. I’m so afraid of the next one because the weather forecast is for thunderstorms for the next week :(

 

[Widow_of_one]

I didn’t go into detail so I will now because I’d like to know if what I had was a flashback or something else.

the trigger was rain and thunder. Out of nowhere (I was in middle of washing my hands for goodness sake!) my eyes closed & I was transported to a horrible & scary traumatic memory. Felt like forever but probably lasted 30 seconds?

I wasn’t HERE or PRESENT. When it was “over” and my eyes opened there was a mirror in front of me and I looked at myself and my eyes were so red from crying and there were tears streaming down my face.

I have no recollection of crying & it must of started before the flashback (?) because my eyes don’t get raw and red that fast. Unless… it lasted longer than 30 seconds?

just looking for answers. I’m so afraid of the next one because the weather forecast is for thunderstorms for

Yes but sounds like an “advanced flashback” with memory loss. There isn’t anything to be frightened about. Just know that over the course of time you will see more snd more parts of the flashback when you are ready. When your eyes was it “voluntary” or done “involuntarily”?