The world suddenly shifts. Your heart races, your breathing quickens, and in an instant, you're no longer in the present moment but thrown back into the past. The sounds, images, and feelings of trauma wash over you with an intensity that makes it feel like it's happening all over again. If you've experienced these overwhelming episodes, you're likely dealing with PTSD flashbacks.

As an online counsellor also working face to face with clients in the Reading area, I've supported many people through the frightening and disorienting experience of flashbacks. While they can feel utterly overwhelming, there are effective strategies to manage them and reduce their impact on your life.

Understanding PTSD Flashbacks

Flashbacks are more than just memories—they're an experience where your brain and body react as if the traumatic event is happening in the present moment. They can be visual, where you see images from the trauma; emotional, where you suddenly feel the same emotions; or sensory, where you experience physical sensations associated with the traumatic event.

Unlike ordinary memories that we recognise as being from the past, flashbacks temporarily hijack your nervous system, making it difficult to distinguish between then and now.

Recognising When You're Having a Flashback

Being able to recognise the early signs of a flashback can help you respond more quickly:

• Physical signs include a racing heart, rapid breathing, muscle tension, sweating, or feeling frozen.
• Emotional indicators might be sudden overwhelming fear, helplessness, rage, or shame that seems disproportionate to your current situation.
• Mental signs often include confusion, disorientation, or feeling disconnected from your surroundings.

Immediate Coping Strategies

When you feel a flashback beginning or in progress, these techniques can help bring you back to the present:

• Grounding techniques help reconnect you to the present moment.
• Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method: name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
• Breathing regulation can calm your nervous system. Try inhaling slowly for a count of 4, holding for 4, and exhaling for 6.
• Self-talk reminds your brain that you're safe now. Phrases like "I am safe. This is a memory. I am here in [current year] and the danger is over" can be tremendously helpful.
• Physical reorientation such as feeling the weight of your body in the chair, touching something cold or textured, or splashing cool water on your face can help bring you back to the present.

Creating a Flashback Safety Plan

Developing a personal safety plan can provide a roadmap when you're too overwhelmed to think clearly:

1. Write down your personal triggers and warning signs
2. List your most effective grounding techniques
3. Include supportive people you can contact
4. Add reassuring statements to read
5. Keep copies of this plan in accessible places

Consider creating a grounding kit with items that engage your senses—perhaps a scented item, something with an interesting texture, a sweet to taste, or a meaningful photo.

Supporting Long-term Healing

While immediate coping strategies are essential, working toward long-term healing is equally important:

• Trauma-focused therapies like EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, and sensorimotor psychotherapy can help process traumatic memories, reducing the frequency and intensity of flashbacks.
• Regular self-care practices build resilience and regulate your nervous system, making it less vulnerable to triggering.
• Learning about how trauma affects the brain can help you understand your experiences and reduce self-blame.

When to Seek Professional Help

While self-help strategies are valuable, professional support is often essential for healing from PTSD. Consider seeking help if:

• Flashbacks are frequent or severely disruptive
• You're using substances or unhealthy behaviours to cope
• You're having thoughts of harming yourself
• You feel stuck or unable to move forward

As a counsellor specialising in trauma, I understand how isolating and frightening flashbacks can be. If you're struggling with PTSD flashbacks and want support in managing them, I'm here to help.

Don't hesitate to reach out and schedule a session. Together, we can work on understanding your flashbacks, developing personalised coping strategies, and processing the underlying trauma. Your journey toward healing begins with understanding these experiences and finding the right support to help you reclaim your sense of safety and well-being.