What Is The Key Feeling In Your Flashbacks And How Do You Cope?

[NovemberStar]

I've been wondering if it's common for different flashbacks to highlight one particular feeling, and if the feelings you experience within the flashback vary?

And how do you cope with them?

Do you find some flashbacks are easier to deal with than others, because they have different feelings associated with them?

Mine have increased a lot in the last few days (lucky me). The trauma behind them I still don't know the full story - I don't know what happened; only how I felt in the immediate aftermath. Lately, the over-riding emotion and feeling I get from the flashback is suicidal and self harm urges.

Some of the flashbacks (all from the one incident) I feel incredibly depressed, hopeless, or afraid. But these ones, whatever feeling it is in them, just leaves me wanting to die.

Which makes it hard to cope with them.

 

[Justmehere]

Do you mean flashbacks or intrusive memories or both?

For flashbacks, when I have them, I'm totally in the memory of the trauma and I usually feel like I'm about to die - I feel fear. Then when it's over I feel a mix if feelings about the flashback. For intrusive memories, it's a lot of mixed feelings. Mostly despair, shame, horror, and fear.

I hate them all. :( I'm sorry things have been rough for you lately too .

 

[Kas_Can_Fly]

Fear and shock/horror/confusion. My now self feels disgust, sickness and mental pain but it it's all largely disconnected and distant. Mostly I feel fear and distinctly unsafe.

 

[KwanYingirl]

Flashbacks leave me feeling trapped and suicidal. Once they're done then the fear and shame come aknockin'. The trapped feeling has caused me to develop phobias and I am targeting resolving those so my world isn't so small- you know-me, myself, and I.

 

[darrenS]

I have both flashbacks and intrusive thoughts from multiple traumas , the last few days have been a lot better , except for some short periods. The thing that helps me the most is being aware that the best thing to do is to talk to people, firstly i will go to chat here and just talk to people, what i try to do is not focus on the flashback or intrusive thought but rather find a good memory and at the same time strike up a conversation in the chat room or even outside with my neighbor. But all in all, i use several grounding techniques to bring me back to the here and now, when an intrusive thought thats centered on abuse comes in, i keep a written note that reminds me the more i think about it, the more i give credence to my abusers, they may have taken my past , but they will not take my future. There are times when i go right down, but i always keep hope in the back of my mind. I find im more vulnerable when im sitting around thinking about it, so i find anything to divert my attention, i know at times its so bad it does seem impossible , but never give up and at the same time , make sure you have adequate support networks , even if it means coming to this site and chatting with people , we are all in a similar boat and will happily support you through this in any way we can

 

[RussH]

My flashbacks are emotional. It is a deep overwhelming grief and pain.

 

[darrenS]

i understand, they are absolutely horrible, as my flashbacks are both. however even in the deepest pain i am aware thats somethings "not right" and luckily that alone helps me eventually find and do something, anything to stop them, this at times takes days. I have found that diet and exercise along with therapy and certain strategies to keep me laughing and at the best to manage my symptoms, that I will find the tools . I sincerely hope you get the space to manage it and keep it at bay

 

[NovemberStar]

I have both - the flashbacks are thankfully very very brief (one or two seconds) but I really really am BACK THERE. They come with no warning, no identifiable trigger. One second I'm in the now, the next I'm back 30 years, then back to the present. I can have them on and off with 30 seconds or a minutes or two inbetween them, over and over again.
Both flashbacks and intrusive memories (the image and the awful emit ins, but not feeling 'back there') leave me feeling suicidal / depressed / afraid / hopeless.

Guess I was just curious if the feeling from the flashbacks differes, depending on the feeling in the original trauma that the flashback brings up? Ie - if in the trauma I had felt terrified, I'd feel terror; that I'm currently feeling suicidal during and after them because i was feeling suicidal during the original trauma. Of course, I felt all those things on that day from that event (whatever the hell it was).

I find it helps working out as much as I can about them and why they happen - ow ledge is power and all that.

Sometimes I am able to not fight them and just let them come and go - I do find they makes the. Easier to cope with BUT I don't feel I can control my reaction to them - I can't consciously decide to 'let them come and go' - not yet anyway.

 

[Whirlwind]

Interesting question....some of mine are returning memories and the resultant shock and emotions...others...are circumstantial...something today throws me back in time and while valid, I react from the past. These seem to be the worst for me...I can feel trapped, suicidal and it can spur old repeat dreams intensely. This type seems to linger for me, I forget that in the here and now I can just leave or do something, its like before...trapped in the country...alone and isolated. Terrifying.

But I have another kind too...these don't feel bad, I get a wave of wanton...something....my therapist has coined it counter phobia...but it feels wonderful in a way. I do my best to channel this one...but I like it truth be told, the rest I can do without. but this one....ohhh, the things I have seen and done. Irresistable :)

So I guess all symptoms aren't bad?

Take care, Whirlwind

 

[ghotiff]

My flashbacks are emotional only and almost always fear. My main frustration is that I can't determine if the fear is justified (so I need to do something to protect myself) or if the fear is just a flashback.

 

[shell]

Depending on the flashback it can be fear, terror and a feeling of doom.