Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsUnderstanding FlashbacksUnderstanding DissociationCoping Strategies for Flashbacks and DissociationSeek Treatment
Table of ContentsView All
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Table of Contents
Understanding Flashbacks
Understanding Dissociation
Coping Strategies for Flashbacks and Dissociation
Seek Treatment
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Flashbacks can be common in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Many people with PTSD struggle to cope with flashbacks and dissociation, which may occur as a result of encountering triggers that remind them of the traumatic event they experienced.
Flashbacks and dissociation can be incredibly disruptive and unpredictable. This is particularly true when people are not aware of their triggers. However, you can take steps to better manage and prevent flashbacks and dissociation and stay in the present.
Flashbacks are one of there-experiencing symptoms of PTSD. In a flashback, you may feel or act as though a traumatic event is happening again.
A flashback may be temporary and you may maintain some connection with the present moment. Or you may lose all awareness of what’s going on around you and be taken completely back to your traumatic event.
People with PTSD may also experiencedissociation.Dissociation is an experience where you may feel disconnected from yourself and/or your surroundings.
Similar to flashbacks, dissociation may range from temporarily losing touch with things that are going on around you, kind of like what happens when you daydream, to having no memories for a prolonged period of time and/or feeling as though you are outside of your body.
Know Your Triggers
Identify Early Warning Signs
Flashbacks and dissociation may feel unpredictable and uncontrollable. However, there are often some early signs that you may be slipping into a flashback or adissociative state.For example, your surroundings may begin to look fuzzy or you may feel as though you’re losing touch with your surroundings, other people, or even yourself.
Flashbacks and dissociation are easier to cope with and prevent if you can catch them early on. Therefore, it’s important to try to increase your awareness of their early symptoms.
Next time you experience an episode, revisit what you were feeling and thinking just before the flashback or dissociation occurred. Try to identify as many early symptoms as possible. The more early warning signs you can come up with, the better able you will be to prevent future episodes.
PTSD Early Warning Signs
Learn Grounding Techniques
As the name implies, grounding is a particular way of coping that is designed to “ground” you in the present moment. In doing so, you can retain your connection with the present moment and reduce the likelihood that you slip into a flashback or dissociation. Grounding can be similar tomindfulness.
Grounding techniques use the five senses (sound, touch, smell, taste, and sight).To connect with the here and now, do something that will bring all your attention to the present moment.
Turn on loud music.Loud, jarring music will be hard to ignore. As a result, your attention will be directed to that noise, bringing you into the present moment.
Bite into a lemon.The sourness of a lemon and the strong sensation it produces in your mouth when you bite into it can force you to stay in the present moment.
If you notice that you’re slipping into a flashback or a dissociative state, hold onto a piece of ice. It will be difficult to direct your attention away from the extreme coldness of the ice, forcing you to stay in touch with the present moment.
Grounding Techniques for PTSD
Enlist the Help of Others
Make sure that the person you bring with you is also aware of your triggers. They should know how to tell when you are entering a flashback or dissociative state, and how to respond to help you.
Research suggests that PTSD reduces social support resources, but that having strong social support helps lessen the impact of the condition.Reaching out for help and building your support network are essential when dealing with trauma-related symptoms.
In the end, the best way to prevent flashbacks and dissociation is to seek out treatment for your PTSD. Experiencing flashbacks and dissociation may be a sign that you are struggling to confront or cope with the traumatic event you experienced. Treatment can help with this.
Psychotherapy
There are several different types of psychotherapy that can be helpful for treating PTSD and reducing symptoms of flashbacks and dissociation. Some of these include:
You can find PTSD treatment providers in your area through theAnxiety Disorder Association of AmericaandUCompare HealthCare. TheInternational Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD)also provides a list of therapists who treat trauma and dissociation, along with other resources.
Medications
There are no FDA-approved medications specifically for the treatment of flashbacks or dissociation. However, some prescription medications may help people manage symptoms of PTSD. These include:
If you or a loved one are struggling with PTSD, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
If you or a loved one are struggling with PTSD, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat1-800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
Dissociation After Trauma May Indicate Increased Mental Distress in the Future
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhile the experience can vary for each individual, for many, it feels like living through the traumatic experience all over again. It’s much more than a memory—it also involves feeling the same emotions and sensations that accompanied the trauma itself.A person who is having a flashback may have thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, and physical reactions that feel very real.If someone you know or love is dealing with a flashback, there are a couple of things you can do to help. Make space for them to talk about their experience, be a good listener. Don’t be judgmental. Learn their triggers to help prevent further flashbacks. Respect their personal space. Look out for warning signs.
Frequently Asked Questions
While the experience can vary for each individual, for many, it feels like living through the traumatic experience all over again. It’s much more than a memory—it also involves feeling the same emotions and sensations that accompanied the trauma itself.A person who is having a flashback may have thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions, and physical reactions that feel very real.
If someone you know or love is dealing with a flashback, there are a couple of things you can do to help. Make space for them to talk about their experience, be a good listener. Don’t be judgmental. Learn their triggers to help prevent further flashbacks. Respect their personal space. Look out for warning signs.
11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brewin CR.Re-experiencing traumatic events in PTSD: new avenues in research on intrusive memories and flashbacks.Eur J Psychotraumatol.2015;6:27180. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v6.27180Stein DJ, Koenen KC, Friedman MJ, et al.Dissociation in posttraumatic stress disorder: evidence from the world mental health surveys.Biol Psychiatry. 2013;73(4):302-312. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.022Ehlers A.Understanding and treating unwanted trauma memories in posttraumatic stress disorder.Z Psychol. 2010;218(2):141-145. doi:10.1027/0044-3409/a000021U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Trauma reminders: anniversaries.Northcut TB, ed.Cultivating Mindfulness in Clinical Social Work: Narratives from Practice. Springer International Publishing.National Institute of Mental Health.Post-traumatic stress disorder.Wang Y, Chung MC, Wang N, Yu X, Kenardy J.Social support and posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021;85:101998. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101998U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.PTSD basics.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Medications for PTSD.RAINN.Flashbacks.Mind.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). January 2021.Additional ReadingLinehan MM.DBT Skills Training Manual. 2nd ed. Guilford Press.
11 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brewin CR.Re-experiencing traumatic events in PTSD: new avenues in research on intrusive memories and flashbacks.Eur J Psychotraumatol.2015;6:27180. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v6.27180Stein DJ, Koenen KC, Friedman MJ, et al.Dissociation in posttraumatic stress disorder: evidence from the world mental health surveys.Biol Psychiatry. 2013;73(4):302-312. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.022Ehlers A.Understanding and treating unwanted trauma memories in posttraumatic stress disorder.Z Psychol. 2010;218(2):141-145. doi:10.1027/0044-3409/a000021U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Trauma reminders: anniversaries.Northcut TB, ed.Cultivating Mindfulness in Clinical Social Work: Narratives from Practice. Springer International Publishing.National Institute of Mental Health.Post-traumatic stress disorder.Wang Y, Chung MC, Wang N, Yu X, Kenardy J.Social support and posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021;85:101998. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101998U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.PTSD basics.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Medications for PTSD.RAINN.Flashbacks.Mind.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). January 2021.Additional ReadingLinehan MM.DBT Skills Training Manual. 2nd ed. Guilford Press.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Brewin CR.Re-experiencing traumatic events in PTSD: new avenues in research on intrusive memories and flashbacks.Eur J Psychotraumatol.2015;6:27180. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v6.27180Stein DJ, Koenen KC, Friedman MJ, et al.Dissociation in posttraumatic stress disorder: evidence from the world mental health surveys.Biol Psychiatry. 2013;73(4):302-312. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.022Ehlers A.Understanding and treating unwanted trauma memories in posttraumatic stress disorder.Z Psychol. 2010;218(2):141-145. doi:10.1027/0044-3409/a000021U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Trauma reminders: anniversaries.Northcut TB, ed.Cultivating Mindfulness in Clinical Social Work: Narratives from Practice. Springer International Publishing.National Institute of Mental Health.Post-traumatic stress disorder.Wang Y, Chung MC, Wang N, Yu X, Kenardy J.Social support and posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021;85:101998. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101998U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.PTSD basics.U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Medications for PTSD.RAINN.Flashbacks.Mind.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). January 2021.
Brewin CR.Re-experiencing traumatic events in PTSD: new avenues in research on intrusive memories and flashbacks.Eur J Psychotraumatol.2015;6:27180. doi:10.3402/ejpt.v6.27180
Stein DJ, Koenen KC, Friedman MJ, et al.Dissociation in posttraumatic stress disorder: evidence from the world mental health surveys.Biol Psychiatry. 2013;73(4):302-312. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2012.08.022
Ehlers A.Understanding and treating unwanted trauma memories in posttraumatic stress disorder.Z Psychol. 2010;218(2):141-145. doi:10.1027/0044-3409/a000021
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Trauma reminders: anniversaries.
Northcut TB, ed.Cultivating Mindfulness in Clinical Social Work: Narratives from Practice. Springer International Publishing.
National Institute of Mental Health.Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Wang Y, Chung MC, Wang N, Yu X, Kenardy J.Social support and posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.Clin Psychol Rev. 2021;85:101998. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2021.101998
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.PTSD basics.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.Medications for PTSD.
RAINN.Flashbacks.
Mind.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). January 2021.
Linehan MM.DBT Skills Training Manual. 2nd ed. Guilford Press.
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