I think you're doing all you can and it's normal for this to happen. It happens to me too, for lots of things I've been thru. Perhaps it will become less frequent as time passes. I know it will from experience, but in times of stress the imagery will recur more often. Sometimes the imagery can take on symbolic meaning of its own. You'll know when you're under stress as it will recur to represent similar situations. I think the best thing to do is recognise it as part of the tapestry that makes up you once you've done all you can thru professional help. Keep looking forward!
Flash Backs
by hopelesslystained 14 Replies latest jw experiences
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rebel8
The answer depends on what you mean by "flashbacks".
Flashbacks is a medical term meaning re-experiencing a specific traumatic event (intrusive recollection) and you can't stop the re-experiencing. It is something your brain does to you against your will and is beyond your control. You lose touch with reality and time during the re-experiencing.
It is totally different than just an old memory popping into your head during the day or while you're sleeping. Example--a war vet with PTSD is in the grocery store and has a flashback. He believes he's in the jungle and starts hiding in the produce section and shooting people with an imaginary gun.
If you just mean upsetting memories or dreams, that is something different. Which do you mean?
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Julia Orwell
Good point. I have PTSD and know how debilitating it can be. I thought the ot was more about annoying and disturbing recollections and dreams rather than reliving terror or looping out when something reminds you of it. For instance, I can't watch certain movies and medical shows because they remind me. Hell, even star trek once sent me into a full on PTSD episode! I certainly hope it is more a matter of unpleasant recollections- I by no means wish that, but it's better than PTSD.
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rubadubdub
exwhyzee wrote:
The more one runs an event over in ones mind, the more firmly embedded it becomes in the circuitry of the brain. Make a point of dismissing these unwanted thoughts as soon as you notice you are having them. Shoo them away like one shoos' away flies at a picnic.....don't go there anymore. Replace these thoughts with ones you would rather think about....change the channel to something more upbuilding. Soon you'll be adept at recognizing them when they first occur and you will gain the ability to short circuit these episodes before they go far enough to spoil your day.
hopelesslystained, I experience nightmares and PTSD flashbacks as well. I have learned that what exwhyzee wrote is very true. The more we retell the story to ourselves or others the more embedded the story becomes. (Sometimes I have to take a break from the newbie intro posts for this reason.) I have learned to tune into my body for cues. As others have said stress and exhaustion put you in a weakened place emotionally and psychologically. Also, loneliness is a factor for me.
Conscious connection is key-- Connection to people that are healthy for you, connection to causes that empower you and connection to your physical world (nature). Physical activity is key. Connection to your inner world is key. This where mindfulness comes in. You can take an eight-week course in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction by a practitioner trained at the University of Massachusetts, USA where the program originated for pain control under Jon Kabat-Zinn. You can order his audio course online. Some hospitals have clinics that run this course. It is evidence-based. It helps tremendously. Also, some Yoga studios have practioners that run the course a couple of times a year.
I took workshop in mindfulness by Elisha Goldstein. He wrote a book called The Now Effect. If you buy his book on an E-reader like Kindle, there are links to guided mindfulness practices within the book. He has YouTube videos as well. If you go to http://elishagoldstein.com/ you can register for Daily Now Moments, which are daily reminders for practicing minfulness. The reason this helps is that you need to get out of your mind and into your body. Practicing Yoga, Qi Gong or Tai Chi will get you in your body through meditative movement. Mindful (staying in the present moment with non-judgemental awareness through all five senses) walks outdoors are healing, calming to your mind and body both.
One concept about the flashbacks and thoughts about the flashbacks is not to resist them. I used to resist them and try to push them away, and it didn't work. What does work is to acknowlege them; don't resist them or try to change them, just let them float by as if a cloud in the sky. Acknowlege what you are feeling emotionally and the physical sensations present in your body at that momoent. Here is where some reading about Radical Acceptance comes in. Tara Brach has books and audio prgrams that are very helpful. You can read about Radical Acceptance and trauma at http://www.tarabrach.com/articles/trauma.html
These are self-help measures. I know you didn't ask for referral to a professional, however, I hate to leave out that Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidence-based-treatment for trauma (meaning health insurances tend to be cooperative about paying for these treatments.) I went to a practitioner for three visits, and she told me I was not ready for EMDR. You need to be able to envision yourself in a safe place on your own, and I couldn't do that. She referred me to DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy), also evidence-based. DBT is intensive-- one individual and two group therapy sessions per week (with homework assignments) for four months. There are four modules-- Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Relationships. I have found DBT to be of tremendous help. You can Google EMDR and DBT for more information.
Regarding nightmares-- I find it helpful to unwind and destress for the last hour before bedtime. No late night news reports, no crime solving or ER/hospital type TV shows, because they put you in an anxious state of mind. (Actually no TV or online reading/posting is recommended before bed, due to light stimulation issues.) Yes, your brain works things out in when you sleep, but not priming your brain with problems to work out or things that make you anxious right before you go to bed will help.
Lastly, if you do have PTSD, you can learn to recogize when you are being triggered before you go into an anxiety/panic attack or dissociate. Again, awareness is developed by mindfully tuning into your body. Initially, you will need to simply remove youself from the situation as quickly as possible. As you heal, you will be able to use"grounding" techniques to help keep you in your body and out of your head in these situations.
I hope this helps, and wish you well (((hopelesslystained))). Honestly, I would change your user name. Labeling yourself in that way will not help you to heal.
Feel free to PM me,
Rubbity
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zed is dead
Complex PTSD causes emotional flashbacks like you describe. Get counseling for it, and some cult exit professional counseling. It helped me greatly.
zed