{"id":29907,"date":"2015-11-19T11:36:26","date_gmt":"2015-11-19T19:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/?page_id=29907"},"modified":"2015-11-24T14:56:11","modified_gmt":"2015-11-24T22:56:11","slug":"flashbacks","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.goodtherapy.org\/blog\/flashbacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Flashbacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AFlashbacks <\/strong>are sudden, involuntary, and vivid memories of past personal experiences. In many cases, these powerful memories are closely linked with traumatic<\/a> events.<\/p>\n

Understanding Flashbacks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Flashbacks are psychological phenomena during which a person relives a past event or fragments of a past experience. They generally occur involuntarily,\u00a0abruptly entering\u00a0an individual\u2019s awareness without the aid of premeditation or conscious attempts to recall the memory<\/a>,\u00a0and they may be intense. As flashbacks involve past events, they may have no relevance to what is happening at present.<\/p>\n

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Find a Therapist<\/a><\/h2>\n\t
\n\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\tAdvanced Search<\/a>\n\t<\/form>\n<\/div>While people often\u00a0associate flashbacks solely with visual information, other senses such as smell, taste, touch, and hearing may also be actively involved in the episode. Flashbacks can\u00a0elicit a wide array of emotions<\/a>. Some\u00a0flashbacks are\u00a0so intense, it may become difficult to\u00a0distinguish memory\u00a0from current life\u00a0events.<\/p>\n

Conversely, some flashbacks may be devoid of visual and auditory memory and may lead a person to\u00a0experience feelings of panic<\/a>, helplessness<\/a>, numbness, or entrapment. Many individuals\u00a0report the onset of flashbacks after surviving a near-death experience or another\u00a0traumatic situation.<\/p>\n

Who Might Be Affected by Flashbacks?<\/h2>\n

Those with posttraumatic stress<\/a> may experience flashbacks as a recurring symptom of the condition. Posttraumatic stress may develop after exposure to military combat<\/a>, sexual abuse<\/a>, physical\u00a0abuse<\/a>, emotional\u00a0abuse<\/a>, or potentially fatal events such as a car crash.<\/p>\n

In addition to PTSD, other mental health conditions such as depression<\/a>, acute stress<\/a>, and obsessions and\u00a0compulsions<\/a>\u00a0are associated\u00a0with the development of flashbacks. The use of some drugs\u2014such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)\u2014may also increase the likelihood of a flashback occurring.<\/p>\n

Flashbacks and Mental Health<\/h2>\n

Flashbacks may have a profound impact on a person\u2019s mental health. Due to the emotionally charged and uncontrollable nature of flashbacks, affected individuals\u00a0may find their ability to carry out everyday activities is diminished. Loss of function may lead to a decrease in quality of life, which in turn may be a contributing factor for mood<\/a> issues such as anxiety<\/a> and depression.<\/p>\n

The psychological distress caused by flashbacks may be more immediate. Feelings of helplessness, powerlessness, confusion, and disorientation may often follow a flashback. An individual may become caught up in the flashback and\u00a0scream, cry, show fear<\/a>, or exhibit other behaviors\u00a0that might lead\u00a0to\u00a0shame<\/a> and embarrassment<\/a> after the episode.\u00a0\u00a0These behaviors may damage self-esteem<\/a> and create tension in interpersonal relationships.<\/p>\n

The Science behind Flashbacks<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While the exact causes of flashbacks have not yet been identified, neuroscience and neuroimaging investigations have revealed\u00a0information about how they occur. Neural scans of individuals experiencing\u00a0flashbacks show that specific brain areas, such as the mid-occipital lobe, primary motor cortex, supplementary motor area, and regions of the dorsal stream, are highly activated during the episode. Current research also suggests that factors such as stress, food deprivation, and temporal lobe<\/a> seizures may play an important role in the onset of flashbacks.<\/p>\n

Coping with Flashbacks<\/h2>\n

Some people\u00a0may isolate<\/a> themselves emotionally in order to survive the aftermath of\u00a0a highly\u00a0traumatic events. However these survivors may find that the previously isolated thoughts, emotions, and body sensations are still expressed in the present\u2014sometimes many years after the conclusion of the crisis. At times, it may even seem as if intrusive memories and sensations come\u00a0from nowhere.<\/p>\n

By working with a qualified therapist<\/a>, many people develop an increased ability to\u00a0cope effectively with flashbacks. In addition to providing further education on flashbacks, a\u00a0therapist can\u00a0help a person in treatment\u00a0gradually unearth and address the source of the trauma\u2014ensuring that previously repressed thoughts, emotions, sensations, and actions are expressed in a safe, healthy environment.<\/p>\n

A therapist can also teach those in treatment various coping\u00a0mechanisms. These may include:<\/p>\n