One of the top issues and symptoms of PTSD and CPTSD is Flashbacks. Like many psychological events, these experiences come in a spectrum from the benign Deja vu to the ferocious being dropped back into a hellish memory. It wasn’t until I had an extreme flashback that I finally understood the horrific power that past events can have over the mind and body.

I first started noticing before counseling that I sometimes had an emotional reaction to a small event that was like 50 times what the event was actually about. I called it “powder kegging.” An extreme reaction to a small issue. It was one of the things that prompted me to finally seek counseling. My “over reacting” was getting seriously in my way of living. Some people call these smaller events triggers, since a relatively small event sets off a massive reaction. Triggers blend into flashbacks. Triggers are important to understand and identify to help with defusing them or learning to avoid situations that set off a trigger.

The flashback I had was triggered by an argument followed by a visual stimulus from childhood that setoff a tough 20 or 30 minutes of my family trying to convince me I was now safe and the abuser dead. I felt the terror, saw images from my past and was emotionally the little girl that was terrorized then, and I was the adult woman being terrorized now.

I am listing below a variety of articles I have found on flashbacks and triggers. I do not read every single link to these links. I read the main article….information seems good I share it here. If you follow the links, it is your responsibility to decide if this information is right for you. Next few posts, I will address different things that can help or ease this symptom of PTSD/CPTSD.

Triggers and Flashbacks

https://www.ptsduk.org/what-is-ptsd/understanding-ptsd-flashbacks-and-triggers/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/conquer-fear-flying/201408/is-what-you-are-feeling-flashback

https://www.rainn.org/articles/flashbacks

https://artherapyinternational.org/blog/flashbacks-and-triggers-ptsd-symptoms/