Does anybody deal with flashbacks or triggers?
I have both pretty often. I can be just at work or something and boom, I get hit with a flash of some memory right in my face. Or sometimes I'll be fine and something I see or hear or even smell will send me to a moment 30 years ago and I find it hard to remind myself that it's not happening now.
I know this forum is for anxiety, but it sure would be nice to find a few people who could relate.
Thanks,
Cindy
The Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about
Is it always the same event? Have you ever looked into PTSD?
I would think there should be a progression on how we should react less each time. Each time it comes up, it should make us less nervous than the last time. Talking about it would help, too.
You have described enough for it to be my professional opinion that you may have PTSD. I recommend you speak to your doctor/therapist about this if you have not done so already.
Whilst they share many similarities and PTSD can cause social anxiety, what you've described indicates anxiety caused by specific trauma(s). This needs to be treated. It will significantly improve your life if you deal with this with the help of your doctor/therapist.
Weird thing for me is I get more flashbacks/nightmares when I'm happy how my life is going. When I'm depressed I rarely get them. One more thing making getting better harder.
Thanks guys. I am in therapy and they are lessening. And I agree with CityofAngles. I get more when things are going right. My therapist says when things calm down in my life, my inner self decides it's time to remember things and deal with them. But it's not fun at all. Especially if it happens at work.
The Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about
chantellabella
I'm glad I'm not the only one. Once my life was going really good and I had a nightmare about being raped by a biker gang. That sort of killed the positive wave I was riding.
Yeah, it's hard to ignore something like that.
The Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about
Once in a while, yes. Definitely not as bad nowadays than it used to be, but when I do experience flashbacks and triggers today, it feels just as uncomfortable as the last one.
There are times periods of time where I'd have nightmares where I'd "relive" the events that have traumatized me, and most of the time that feels just as bad for me personally because everything feels SO real![](images/smilies/classic/mellow.png ":\")
I've been experiencing triggers and flashbacks recently,
My therapist has been helping me with memories that have been suppressed but I now can remember things, things that were just terrible but hopefully in time I will do better. My panic attacks we think are from trigger memories of harmful things in the past...
Thanks GrumpyCatFan and davidjvista1 for sharing your experiences. Flashbacks and triggers are really annoying, huh? And people look at you like "why are you upset? It's not happening now?" They can't see that even though it isn't truly happening on the outside, your body is making it happen right in front of you. Body memories bring fear, anxiety and sometimes terror for me and it's hard to explain to people that somehow, yes, it's happening to me right now. At least in my body and mind.
The Hokey Pokey IS what it's all about
I suffer from PTSD.
Living with PTSD is no fun at all. In my circumstances I feel as I constantly live in fear. Multiple reasons for this disorder and constant fear of getting hurt. Triggers that come from so many area's in a what should be normal day. typical things such as comments people make, something on the television, articles in the newspaper. Without the ongoing issues in your own head, or anniversaries of such events.
I've got to the stage where I feel the fear is unbearable, living that way on a day to day basis is horrific. It makes it so hard to be able to calm down and have a normal day, the slightest thing triggers you and before you know it you are full blown out of control and either in or heading for a panic attack. Then I'm ready to flight, get away from everything, close myself off, shut down. Even though in a strange way Im hurting myself by closing off, the thought of coping or dealing with a situation you fear is petrifying.
On the otherhand, where do you turn? People dont want to listen to your problems, or you are looked upon as being crazy. Its hard to believe that anyone can even relate or understand whats going on in your head. How do you turn off constant fear? Bla.. it all sucks..
The hardest thing of all... is knowing that there is no way to remove these issues from your life. Hopefully we can learn to cope better and when or if I do, lets hope coping will last forever.
I do not receive any money for promoting this resource and I think it's a great resource for people who suffer from PTSD, want to get help but feel daunted by the whole task of getting that help. This resource is made by one of my inspirations in psychotherapy, Andrew T Austin. Andrew's work is well know and respected in psychotherapy circles and well respected by the clients he sees.
It's not a cure and it's not a substitute for finding a therapist/talking to your doctor about the issue. But if it helps people on here so much the better:
http://www.posttraumaticstressdisorder.tv/
Yes I experience flashbacks a fair bit, the triggers are usually out of the blue as mentioned. I also have PTSD related nightmares a fair bit, they can put me in a bad mindset the following day because I usually recall my dreams.
The flashbacks can also be trained to get smaller reactions. Anything like overcoming anxiety takes time and patience.
My PTSD came from my bad church experience. I fear the same issues when I encounter new people.
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