PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a mental health condition that involves experiencing or seeing a traumatic event. If you suffer from PTSD, you might experience emotional distress, anxiety, nightmares, intrusive thoughts and flashbacks. The PTSD flashback is a concern that may people have. These can take over their life and invade every corner of your life, too. If you or a loved one struggle with a PTSD flashback, our Southeast Addiction Center team wants to help you work through them and better manage them. You can reach out to us for assistance with flashbacks or other PTSD-related symptoms today.

Defining a PTSD Flashback

A PTSD flashback is just one of the many symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that you might have. These flashbacks involve memories, thoughts and feelings related to the trauma you witnessed or experienced. 

During these flashbacks, you might feel that you are right in the situation where or when they happened. It can be tough to focus on anything that is happening in the moment when you have a PTSD flashback. There are many things that can trigger this type of flashback, as well. 

What PTSD Flashbacks Look Like

A PTSD flashback can show up in your life in so many ways. It can affect you psychologically,, emotionally or physiologically. Some of the things that you might notice with flashbacks if you have PTSD or trauma-related issues include:

  • Feel like you are reliving the trauma 
  • Thoughts about the trauma take over your mind
  • Fear that you will be in another similar traumatic experience
  • Nightmares about the trauma which can cause exhaustion and fatigue
  • Feeling like you are losing control of your life and of the present
  • Dissociating from reality due to trauma triggers
  • Hyperarousal (sweating, rapid heart rate, shakiness, high alertness, fast breathing, etc.)
  • Feeling anxious, agitated, numb, fearful, sad or having a flat-affect

Do you experience any number of these symptoms? If so, you may be having PTSD flashbacks. Luckily, there are professionals here at Southeast Addiction Center who are trained and experienced in helping people to overcome these flashbacks and other post-traumatic stress related issues. 

What Causes PTSD Flashbacks 

As noted above, there are numerous things that can cause or trigger a PTSD flashback. If you have gone through a life-threatening, scary, accidental or abusive event, you may have PTSD flashbacks because of that event. Some of the specific causes of many people’s flashbacks include:

  • Long-standing trauma such as violence, abuse, neglect, etc. 
  • Intense or severe accidents such as a car accident
  • Terrorist attack 
  • War
  • Natural disaster
  • Family history or personal history of trauma 
  • Family health disorders or challenges
  • Trauma-related work such as mental health professionals, correctional officers, or military personnel 
  • Not having good coping skills or social supports 

Have you been a part of any traumatic event? If so, we don’t want you to worry. Our team can help you to work through the memories, thoughts and feelings regarding these events. That way, you can stop having the event impact your life so much. 

PTSD flashback

How PTSD Flashbacks Might Impact Your Life

As just noted, a PTSD flashback may be impacting your life in many negative ways. It can affect your relationships, routines, personal needs, work and so much more. Some of the common ways that a PTSD flashback influences a person’s life include:

  • Isolating them from social interactions
  • Trouble focusing at school or work
  • Not remembering details of the event (as a self-protection measure)
  • Feeling helpless, suicidal or hopeless
  • Anxiety and/or depression
  • Schedule and routine challenges
  • Engaging in self-harming or self-destructive behaviors (such as cutting or drinking alcohol)
  • Emotional numbness
  • Avoiding anything related to the trauma (people, places, things, etc.)
  • Sleep difficulties (restless sleep, nightmares, trouble falling asleep, etc.)
  • Lack of self-confidence
  • Disconnected feeling from others who you were previously close to
  • Not having interest in hobbies or other activities
  • Eating disorders

It can be very tough to deal with any PTSD flashback. However, you don’t have to go through this on your own. Our Southeast Addiction Center team is here to help make things better in your life.

Getting the Help You Need for PTSD Flashbacks

Have you been dealing with PTSD flashbacks? Maybe, it is a loved one of yours that deals with post-traumatic stress disorder. Either way, there are some great ways that you or your loved one can get help for PTSD flashbacks and other post-traumatic stress related issues. Some of the best options include:

  • Getting help from friends and family
  • Turning to a religious or spiritual network (ex. Higher Power)
  • Talking to a doctor to manage physical and/or mental health symptoms
  • Going to therapy (group, individual, nutrition, etc.)
  • Doing grounding exercises (ex. 5-4-3-2-1 method is a great one)
  • Setting up and sticking to regular routines
  • Taking care of yourself (ex. reading books, learning new things, doing something relaxing every day)
  • Welcoming positive changes into your life
  • Avoiding using drugs and/or alcohol
  • Getting help to stop self-harming or self-destructive behaviors
  • Making sure your loved ones are aware of what you are going through, so they can support you in your recovery

These are just some of the many things that have helped millions of others work through and overcome PTSD flashbacks. Now that you have these tips, you can also use them to start improving your state of mind, thoughts, feelings and overall lifestyle. 

Treating PTSD Flashbacks 

Remember, you are not alone in handling the PTSD flashbacks. Here at Southeast Addiction Center, our team is trained and ready to help treat any PTSD flashback issues. Some of the treatments that we offer to help treat post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms include:

  • Dialectical behavioral therapy or DBT
  • Cognitive processing therapy or CBT
  • Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy 
  • Other trauma-informed care treatments 
  • Various other recovery services

Are you ready to start having fewer PTSD flashbacks? If so, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team about these treatments today. We are ready and willing to help you work through any of the post-traumatic stress symptoms you are having including the PTSD flashback issues. 

Overcome PTSD with Help Today

It can be extremely tough to deal with a PTSD flashback, especially if you are trying to do so on your own. The good news is that you don’t have to keep going at this problem by yourself. Here at Southeast Addiction Center, our team can help you to overcome PTSD. 
Contact us today to begin working through PTSD flashback and other post-traumatic stress related issues.