Psychoeducation · Trauma reactions
Unwanted memories and reliving what happened
Memories can come back without warning. Sometimes it may feel as if you're back there.
You don't choose when a memory or feeling rushes back. It doesn't mean you've returned to the past.
What is it?
Unexpected images, body sensations, or strong feelings may come up. For some people it's a brief reminder; for others it may be much more intense. If it feels as if you're reliving what happened, this may be called a flashback. Not every unwanted memory is a flashback.
How can it happen?
Sounds, situations, or feelings that resemble something from the trauma may set off memories and body responses quickly, without you intending it.
Supportive words
A strong memory doesn't erase everything that has changed since then.
A memory may be coming back strongly. If it helps, I can look at what's happening around me now.
What it does not mean
A strong memory or feeling returning doesn't mean you've lost all the changes you've made. You don't have to force it to go away.
What it might feel like
“It was more than remembering. For a moment it felt as though I was there again.”
Background and sources
One of the central symptom types of PTSD.
These sources relate to the topic. The explanation is independently edited educational content, not a clinically tested intervention.