Basic Advice For Dealing With Flashbacks ?

[bluebeard]

Hello everyone

Can someone direct me to a basic guide to dealing with flashbacks and triggers ?

Many Thanks

PS......I have been moved onto sertraline and fluanxol as my meds

Best Wishes

 

[BrazenBull]

I just sit alone somewhere and do some deep breathing and try to relax, sometimes i repeat "Nothing bad is going to happen again, everything is going to be fine" over and over in my head, or I distract myself with something like reading, playing video games, watch something or listen to some music, I used to take drugs, i quit that though
Sometimes triggers and flash-backs really bite me in the ass though and i either get real angry or i get the hell away, without much thought. :x im never sure what to do then.

 

[Kintsugi]

Here are some articles that Anthony posted. They have helped me.

[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/stressor-vs-trigger-what-is-a-trigger.13912/[/DLMURL] (Stressor VS. Trigger)
[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/triggers-the-core-root-before-symptoms-are-activated.13861/#post-213834[/DLMURL] (Triggers--the Core Root Before Symptoms Are Activated)
[DLMURL]http://www.ptsdforum.org/c/threads/what-is-a-flashback-a-flashback-is.13876/[/DLMURL] (What is a Flashback)

The articles above have helped me to better understand what is happening during triggering moments as well as flashbacks.

Thankfully, I almost always only get stuck in flashbacks when I'm heavily dissociating for long periods of time. Usually if I haven't dissociated (when I say dissociate, I mean all of my senses are completely muted and I am paralyzed by this effect) in a while, I don't get flashbacks the first 2 or 3 times I start up again, but after a few goes I usually begin to dissociate and then slowly become consumed by a flashback before I can do anything to stop it. I have combated these flashbacks by combating dissociation. Unfortunately, my most effective grounding technique is smoking cigarettes. >.< I don't recommend this.

However, there are several other ways to ground yourself, and I find these tools of being present invaluable to helping with triggers, flashbacks, and dissociation. I think a lot of it has to do with focusing on your surroundings: bare facts. I am in a room. The walls are white. X, Y, and Z people are here. This is what they look like. This is what they are doing/saying. There are seven items on the coffee table: a, b, c, d, e, f, and g..." etc. Stressors do not generally go away by just staying mindful and present and aware of my current place and condition, because they are just that: stress. It's just stress that makes everything else harder to cope with appropriately. Triggers, however, bring you back, as do flashbacks, as I'm sure you know. If you are being triggered or you are flashing back, you are not being mindful and present, because you are going back in your mind to your trauma(s). When you feel yourself going back, do whatever will help you to stay in the moment. Sometimes a relaxing drive will help me shake off what I'm feeling if I am continually triggered over a period of time, whatever the cause may be. I think that identifying triggers as triggers is very helpful, but I also believe that you can still have ways to cope even if you don't know exactly what is triggering you. Driving forces me to be aware that I am in a state of transition, movement--I am not static, the way I feel when going back mentally/emotionally to my trauma. I do not recommend driving if you are having serious problems flashing back or dissociating, and of course if your trauma is car-related, this is unhelpful!

I hope that this has helped to lend you some clarity. Good luck.

 

[BrazenBull]

Ohh thanks i didn't see these
this is a big help

 

[bluebeard]

Thank you both very much xx

 

[Linda Strawberry-Coloma]

I hold ice cubes sometimes.

 

[AzureMind]

Empowering words help me....."You're bigger than this" "Come on dude, you've been here before....ride it out".....things like that....it sounds dumb but evey now and then, I just say it to myself in my head until I calm down....otherwise I dissociate, and that's not good....as a matter of fact, dissociation isn't really all that good when it's THIS bad for me....so just stick to the words, mantras, and whatever else helps to ground you....integrating the trauma is all about integrating it, rather than fleeing from it.....but ain't I the pot callin' the kettle black?! :roflmao:

 

[Vee Lagrome]

I am working on communicating this with my husband for additional support, but he knows anytime I become suddenly withdrawn and have a sudden change in mood that I'm most likely experiencing a flashback or disassociating, so when he sees it, he'll try to keep me in the present by talking about current news, our plans for the day, or something relevant to the here and now. When I'm by myself, I will redirect my attention to current events or immediate goalsor I may even recite the date and time if I'm having trouble.

I think sunshine had some great suggestions in her post. :)

 

[AzureMind]

I'm gonna look into that Vee....much needed....and thanks! :)

Ya know, with all this crap going on in my life with school, work, family stuff, you'd THINK that I'd have no time to "conk out" lol WHEN did I become such a flake!!? lol

I just try to laugh at it....it's really all you can do!! I made it through the first time, and I'll make it through EVERY time!

 

[Tinyflame]

Ya, all things considered it's not so 'terribly odd' to have 'reminders'- triggers, FB's etc, to occur.

I find like Azure Mind said, except for if I'm physically sick (also, etc), what I 'do' or 'feel' follows what I think, and how closed I am/ how much I isolate makes it worse and harder to 'bounce back'/ see it in perspective, or just appreciate it's the past and a FB etc is just a 'happening', carry on. To be in the 'present'.

 

[Redfern]

Ya, all things considered it's not so 'terribly odd' to have 'reminders'- triggers, FB's etc, to occur.

I find like Azure Mind said, except for if I'm physically sick (also, etc), what I 'do' or 'feel' follows what I think, and how closed I am/ how much I isolate makes it worse and harder to 'bounce back'/ see it in perspective, or just appreciate it's the past and a FB etc is just a 'happening', carry on. To be in the 'present'.

Hello everyone

Can someone direct me to a basic guide to dealing with flashbacks and triggers ?

Many Thanks

PS......I have been moved onto sertraline and fluanxol as my meds

Best Wishes

Hi there, well down below there seem to be a number of responses which are all helpful..

I've just joined this site and there seem to be so many people who dissociate which I guess I put down to logging off for me..before my PTSD kicked in badly I seemed permanently dissociated it was a tough time (4 months post being run over) - then just as I thought I got better and flashbacks started...and then they got really bad..I've never had drugs because I wanted to experience it all so I knew if I was getting truly better or worse...4 yrs later they are all better, the flashbacks feel like uncomfortable memories now by comparison...for me I don't like crying in front of people and my flashbacks were physical and so I would be knocked over by them, or would feel sick, heart raced, breathing went a wry, the pain of the knocks and breaks I would relive being run over and my body would curl in the direction that I toppled in the crash (I was sent up and over and onto a car and off it) I could feel the flying through the air, I can feel bumps (and I would jolt) I could see the driver through the glass, I could feel the tarmac I woke up on etc...and so it goes on..and like many PTSD sufferers mine have gone onto another period of life that I found very hard when a child...and now I relive those emotions as if there are still continuing...so the point of saying all this? Learn your triggers so you can be prepared for a reaction and learn not to be scared by the reliving of a flashback or upsetting memory. You'll get through it, they pass and the more you let them go over you the sooner you'll be out the otherside. Its just your body trying to put the pieces back together again or grieve as you didn't get a chance prior..so for me I need to be alone (although early on I couldn't control them like I can now and so you don't always get a choice in the matter and I still don't) but breathe, it depends on how bad they are, sometimes you can't do two things at once, but they will pass. You need to be easy on yourself and don't put yourself into stressful situations (whatever they may be) as they will feel more stressful than normal given the amount of adrenaline going round you and the fact you're primed for a 'bad' event.
Try to note when you get flashbacks - eventually you'll make connections - some you can avoid - but some you can't so just go with the flow when they come..just don't try too hard to distract yourself in your life, keep going with positive things , structure etc, but give yourself time to heal, youll be more balanced for doing so, the mood swings will be easier to manage and learn to recognise the onset of what I call heady days, on those days do less, and do things that suit you more or make you feel good. Friends, family or alone, being in the park, watch animals, whatever - just ask what you want to do that will make you feel better and do it...you have to be kind to yourself...

I hope this helps...

 

[bluebeard]

many thanks !!!