Flashbacking ?

Photo credit: Suzy Hazelwood

Flashbacks are overwhelming feelings that bring us back to the "abandonment melange" (thank you Pete Walker for the accurate description) of fear, depression, and/or self-hate, self-disappointment, and self-abandonment.

Trauma is felt in the body. 

So are flashbacks. 

Sometimes you know you are in a flashback. However, most of the time you don't know, and only realize you were in one the next day or even the week after. 

Mindfulness, yoga, tai-chi, and those types of practices that bring you back to the present moment will help you become aware of your emotions and feelings, as well as of your flashbacks.

There are no easy answers for flashbacks. 

Befriend mindfulness. 

Keep track of your state. 

Manage your state. 

The healthier you are the better. Flashbacks tend to appear more and more when you are not exercising, eating unhealthy foods, and/or drinking alcohol. 

The reduction of flashbacks is a "manual" process that requires intent, patience, and self-compassion.

This process becomes "automatic" with practice. Learning about triggers, flashbacks, and dissociation is the first step.

More on that in today's videos. English & Spanish.