Severe flashbacks

[Eliza]

Hello,

I don't know what to do with myself. Since the attack in Barcelona, I have had constant flashbacks from the Westminster attacks. I'm trying to avoid the news but I constantly overhear conversations about it. We have newspapers at work and there are images across all the front pages.

I'm in a constant state of hyper vigilance - when I'm walking around I feel like my legs will give way I'm so shaky. It's not even just when I see the news or the papers, even when I should be perfectly relaxed, sitting at home or in my office, I feel like I am back on the bridge again, the same feelings come back, the same panic and fear. It's awful.

I don't know what to do.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

When I had severe flashbacks, I ended up having to go to a Trauma Specialized Hospital Unit (Sheppard Pratt Trauma Disorders Unit).

 

[Deleted member 8714]

@Eliza gentle :hug::hug::hug: if you can handle them.

I'm not a survivor of a terrorist attack, though I'm no stranger to triggers and resultant flashbacks. Here's a thread on myPTSD about Grounding Techniques. These should help you better cope with the triggers and flashbacks and hypervigilance.

 

[Eliza]

Thank you for your replies.
I'm in counselling at the moment, but I feel like my counsellor doesn't take my flashbacks seriously. He tends to spend most of the session talking about anxiety in general and my family/career etc, then for like, 5 minutes at the end, he asks about my flashbacks and how I am coping.
I am on the waiting list for CBT, so hopefully that will help a bit more!