Flashback hangover

[Saywhat]

Does anyone know what I mean? I don't have many flashbacks about things I remember. Instead, I get what I call emotional flashbacks, where I'm flooded with the emotion and it's tied to something that's always been in my head but I don't have a memory associated with it, and then I feel hungover, like you might feel after being hit by a truck or recovering from a serious illness. It usually goes away in about two days, and then I forget all about having felt that bad until the next time.

 

[Kintsugi]

I have these. I'm still reeling from a full-fledged (total immersion) flashback from last week. I felt sick as a dog for 2-3 days. I have therapy hangovers, too, if it gets really intense.

 

[Joan]

Definitely have flashback hangovers. :(

 

[ladee]

Definitely... just as you described.... it is exhausting... hate it.

 

[mumstheword]

I never had a word for it before, but yes, definitely! Getting over one now.

 

[MyWillow]

I mostly have dissociative flashbacks in session. Can’t hear, see, speak, move and then have no memory. But physically I feel smashed, slammed, shattered and sometimes it’s all I can do to stand up. I’ve had that hangover feeling last for a week. Much much worse when I’ve tried to fight the flashback in frustration. Learning to breathe through it. Still smashes me but not quite as badly.

 

[Saywhat]

Wow. Thank you everyone. I had no idea that other people have this, too.