What is Flashback?
Some smells, sounds, tastes, images, places, situations or people can create memories of emotional or psychological injury, creating a feeling that it happens again and again. For example, if you experienced the traumatic death of your beloved person, some people, songs, smells or places can cause these painful memories if you hit an accident while driving, the room itself may initiate a sensitive flashback.
For a person, the following states are characterized by obsessive memories:
- Anxiety
- fear
- Depression
- Anger
- Strong fear or sadness
? To all this emotional palette, a painful feeling of shame and helplessness is mixed, because a person is trying to take similar experiences under control and every time he does not succeed. The man is confused due to the fact that he often does not know when or where the flashback happens until it happens once again.
Why do Flashbacks come back and again?
To date, it is known that in the emergence of obsessive memories, the almond-shaped body (almond) and hippocampus are played, which are part of the limbic system. ✔ Hindaline is associated with emotional memory - especially with the formation of memories associated with fear. This department evolved to ensure your survival, encoding the memories of past dangers that you have experienced that you find out and responded to these threats if you see them again.
✔GipPocampa is another part of a limbic system that is strongly associated with memory acts as a historian / keeper of the archive of the brain. It catalogs all the various details of the experience - type: Who was there, where it happened, and at what time of the day it was - in one connected event, which you can consciously remember as a specific episode. In your usual daily life, almond and hippocampus work together to turn your experience in long-term memories.
However, during the traumatic event, this system works in a different way.
- Since you are in danger, your body is configured to battle or fly / running (Fight or Flight) The almond-shaped body is activated, and the hippocampus is suppressed. From an evolutionary point of view, it makes sense: processes related to the construction of holistic memory are depreciated in favor of paying attention to direct danger. As a result, your memory varies.
- When the threat passed, you stay with a strong, negative emotional memory of the experience, but you may have a clear memory context context. In other words, you can learn to associate individual types, odors and sounds of events with danger, but not able to clearly remember the sequence of events.
- Later, if you encounter things that remind you of a traumatic event, for example, with a smell that was present at what happened, your almond-shaped body will restore this memory and responds, which is strongly signaling that you are in danger, automatically activating your flight system (runoff ) or battle. That is why during the flashback you start sweating, your heart is pounding and you breathe hard - your almond launched a chain reaction to prepare your body to respond to a threat.
It is usually when the almond feels a possible threat, your hippocampus begins to act and compares this threat with information from past memories to determine if you really have in danger. But, due to the fact that the hippocampus did not function properly during traumatic experience, the context memory for comparison was not saved and the feedback system does not work, the hippocampus "cannot tell your almond" that the situation is different and you are out of danger. And since the memory is restored without context (for example, where or when experience happened), you can feel that traumatic experience happens again and again, as if for the first time.
Despite the fairly clear picture of flashbacks, there is still no one understanding in their classification. Thus, in the international classification of MKB-10 diseases and in DCM -5, at least two types of obsessive memories are preserved: one as an integral part of PTSD and the second as an integral part of other disorders (OCP, BPR, ORD, etc.).
Nevertheless, the principles of self-help with such states are similar, simple for the development and about them should be considered more.
In this article, we will look at several practical steps that can help you take control of your emotional memories:
Self-pressure, internal dialogue, muscle relaxation (theses)
1. Tell me: "I have memories."
Feelings and sensations that you experience are memories of the past that you cannot hurt you.
2. Make clarity: "I'm afraid, but I am not in danger!
You are safe, here, in the present and the present is reliably separated from your past.
Z. Remember about your rights and borders.
Remind yourself that you should not allow anyone to mock you; You are free to leave dangerous situations for you and protest against unfair behavior.
4. Talk to your inner child
Your inner child should know that you unconditionally love her / him - that he / she can come to you for comfort and protection when she / he feels lost and frightened.
5. Sorry old thoughts
If in childhood you have experienced fear and feeling of endless loneliness, remind yourself that the future is safer, if only because you now have options. Be sure that this memory will be held as passed before.
6. Feel what you are in an adult body
And you have allies, skills and resources for your protection, which you have never had in childhood. (Sensations: small, fragile, defenseless - characteristic signs of Flashbek.)
7. Relax
The stores launches to your "head" excitement / numbness and a feeling of "dropping".
- Try to relax the muscles of the face and the shoulder belt (compressed muscles send false danger signals to your brain).
- Sad deep and slowly (delaying your breath, you also feed the danger signals to your brain).
- Slow out: A hurry causes the brain reaction by the type of "struggle or running"
- Find a safe place to relax and calm down:
Put, sit more comfortable if you have the opportunity - take it off.
8. Resist the sharpness and catastrophization of your inner criticism.
- Lighten the technique of stopping negative thoughts.
- Make up and learn a list of your achievements and positive qualities.
- Will a personal experience of experiences and dispute automatic thoughts and disappointing beliefs.
9. Let's release emotions - let yourself grieve.
Memories are opportunities for the liberation of old, non-selected feelings: fear, pain and loneliness. The possibility of emotional reacting is working in the past experience of helplessness and hopelessness of your inner child. Healthy sorrow can turn your tears into care and love for yourself, and anger into powerful self-defense.
10. Practice safe relationships and create your support network.
Do not allow you to isolate you. The feeling of shame that you are experiencing does not mean that you have committed or make shameful actions. Inform your loved ones about obsessive memories and ask them to help you catch me and feel your experiences in a safe and trust.
11. Learn to determine the types of triggers that lead to obsessive memories.
In the fight against memories, the key value is in prevention. Memories are often caused by any reminder of a traumatic event, such as meeting with certain people, visiting certain places. Determine the specific things that cause flashback is very important because knowing your triggers, you can try to limit your interaction with them, or if it is impossible (which is often), prepare for them, inventing the ways of consolation with your reaction to them.
I draw your attention to the fact that the triggers need to know, but constantly avoid them cannot be used as in this case the usual avoidance can develop, which only worsens the general condition.
12. Find your early warning signs
Memories may seem unexpected, unpredictable and uncontrollable.
However, there is no less, there are often some early signs that can indicate you that perhaps you are immersed in Flashback. Flashing memories easier to overcome and prevent if they can be found at an early stage.
It is possible to change in certain emotions, thoughts or behavior that we often miss sight. Check if it matches your experience, but remember that all people have early symptoms and signs are unique.
Changes in your thinking
"I no longer care about my treatment, therapy, fight flashback."
"I can't do anything. I will never get better."
"All do not care about me and what I do. What is the point to continue?"
"I am a little upset. This should mean that I'll be in deep depression again."
Changes in your mood
"Recently, everyone acts on the nerves."
"I just don't feel happy, even when I am next to the people I love."
"I'm starting to nervous and worry."
"My mood changes quickly. In a few minutes I can move from the feeling of happiness to the feeling of depression and fright"
Changes in your behavior
"I just have no strength to take care of myself in the morning. I did not wash for a few days."
"I no longer want to be among the people. I'd rather break one / one."
"I drink more alcohol (smoke, we use psychoactive drugs) to weaken my feelings a little."
"I noticed that I became less conversation than before."
Try to identify as many early symptoms as possible. The more warning signs you will notice, the better you can prevent future episodes.
Rethink your memories (instead of imprisonment)
Estimation is the ability to detect, confirm and heal your wounds from the past associated with cruel appeal, disregard or tragedy. They may also indicate the need for development and change. And although sometimes they can be very unpleasant - they do not need to be afraid. The best way to cope with them is to act!
Contact professional help to specialists trained with injury. The maximum effect can be achieved with proper diagnosis and an integrated approach. Be patient to a slow recovery process. This process takes time. The intensity, duration and frequency of flashbacks will decline over time and, although this process is not linear and often resembles the well-known formula "step forward, two steps ago," you can get rid of flashbakes. And this is in your power.
Thank you for your attention.
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