Dealing With "snapshots"

[Jen93]

I'm usually good with managing flashbacks-when I feel them coming on. Then I can get myself to a safe place and cry it out.

The problem for me is what I call "snapshot/slideshow" flashbacks. They are visual and come in pictures. It flickers like a projector from scene to scene, and in between I'm in reality. By the end I'm so confused I don't know what the hell is going on in my classes. There are no emotions, no tears. Just "who the hell are these people? I want my mom."

Also all I can say during this is "huh." I can't vocalize "I'm in distress right now." Or "help me" when I'm like this. It comes out of the blue and I don't know how to manage these kinds. I don't even know if I'm explaining it right or if it sounds completely crazy.

Any help would be appreciated a lot though. Tips that work for you with this kind of flashback, or y'know, advice. Thank you in advance.

 

[ButterflyBean]

I'm at a place where I can't vocalize my feelings in therapy, so I had this idea to cut out circles with feelings on them and glue them to popsicle sticks. It worked pretty well in my session, so I wonder if you could do something like that to show someone during these episodes? Doing something physical, like holding up a stick or handing someone a piece of paper, might bring you back to the present as well. Just a quick thought. Good luck!

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

I like @HollyBeans27 's suggestion of the popsicle sticks. I also think maybe having some key phrase already written out might help. You could just point to something like the ones you mentioned: "I'm in distress" or "Help me". I have an index card that I carry around that says "I can't talk right now, but I can answer yes or no questions or maybe write" and another that says "I need to leave the situation" so that when I feel stuck, I can seek help in other ways. I haven't tried them out in the "real world" yet, but I have them just in case. I did write out a note requesting help the other day in a setting that wasn't therapy and it helped me to be able to then start talking.