How To Help Ptsd Flashbacks

Professional Ptsd Flashbacks Treatment

Its important to reach out for help if you have PTSD. Serious PTSD is not generally something you can handle on your own. Both psychiatrists and psychologists are equipped to help with this mental illness. Ideally, you should seek professional PTSD flashback treatment from someone who specializes in trauma-related illnesses.

In addition to one-on-one treatment, there is often group therapy available for PTSD treatment.

According to Understanding and Treating Unwanted Trauma Memories in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, some of the aspects of the psychological treatments for PTSD flashbacks include the following:

• Updating trauma memories:addresses the disjointedness of memories of the worst moments of the trauma from information that gives them a less threatening meaning by:
• Identifying the moments during the trauma that create the greatest distress and sense of nowness
• Identifying the personal meanings of these moments
• Identifying updating information that puts the impressions the patient had at the time or the problematic meanings into perspective
• Actively linking the updating information to the hotspots in memory, for example, by bringing the hotspot vividly to mind and simultaneously using verbal reminders, images, incompatible actions or incompatible sensations to remind the patient of the new meanings

Its also important to note that anything that treats PTSD in general, will typically also diminish the effects of PTSD flashbacks. These types of therapies include:

Talking About The Trauma Can Be Important

• Allow the person to talk about what happened, even if they become upset. Just be calm yourself and listen carefully getting upset too doesnt help.
• Dont insist on talking if the person doesnt want to. They may need time to be alone with their thoughts. Tell them you are there to listen whenever they feel ready.
• Reassure them you care and want to understand as much as possible about what happened to them. They may say you cant possibly understand what they went through and shut you out. If they take this approach, they risk becoming isolated from their support networks. Be patient and see what else you can do to help.
• Try to make sure there is someone else they can talk to if they dont want to talk to you about it.
• If there are some difficult decisions to be made, talk about the situation with the person and help them to identify the different options. However, dont make the decision for them. Also, if it is only a short time after the traumatic event, suggest that it might be a good idea to wait a little longer before making a decision.

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What Happens During A Flashback

When we think about flashbacks, many people will immediately think of a soldier reliving his time in battle. It is undoubtedly an excellent example and one that, due to its cinematic nature, is readily understood. However, PTSD can take affect anyone who has gone through a terrifying or life-threatening event. In fact, the National Institute of Mental Health estimates that nearly 7 percent of adults in the US will have PTSD in their lifetime.

When learning how to cope with flashbacks, its good to know something about how they work. Think of a flashback as a faulty memory. Our brains create memories using two sets of information. First, theres the emotional content or how the event made you feel. Second is the context, such as where you were, what you were doing, with whom, and so forth.

With a healthy memory, youre able to process both of these sets of information without a problem. With a flashback, theres an overflow of emotional content and a lack of context. It causes the user to experience incredibly vivid, even life-like sensations without the ability to distinguish whether its something that happened in the past or is happening right now.

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What Are The Signs & Symptoms Of Ptsd

Most kids and teens with PTSD will:

• have upsetting thoughts of the trauma
• have bad dream or sleep problems
• have bad memories, called flashbacks, that make it seem like the trauma is still happening
• avoid things that remind them of the trauma
• be more easily startled, scared, or anxious
• feel more moody, sad, angry, or not enjoy things as before
• not remember some parts of what happened

Younger children may show more fearful and regressive behaviors They may re-enact the trauma through play.

When symptoms like these happen in the first days and weeks after the trauma, it may be called an acute stress reaction. Doctors diagnose PTSD when symptoms last longer than a month.

Living Without Traumatic Flashbacks

As you learn to apply this technique, you can appreciate that, just as with any other skill, it requires instruction and practice, and it is never mastered perfectly. Using your self and/or your therapist as a coach is helpful.As you think about this exercise and about the original event, you may find that the original meaning of the event that you experienced changes. This is quite normal, and even desirable. After all, you do not want your entire life to be determined only by painful memories of specific events in the past.If the flashbacks were a significant problem for you in the past, then living your life without them will feel quite different and unfamiliar. You might find that it feels strange at first not to be distressed by them any longer. Some people feel guilty about no longer suffering from painful flashbacks. If this is the case, you will probably need to talk about this problem with your therapist. Be assures that you can learn to feel comfortable without painful flashbacks.

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Getting Professional Help For Ptsd

If you suspect that you or a loved one has post-traumatic stress disorder, its important to seek help right away. The sooner PTSD is treated, the easier it is to overcome. If youre reluctant to seek help, keep in mind that PTSD is not a sign of weakness, and the only way to overcome it is to confront what happened to you and learn to accept it as a part of your past. This process is much easier with the guidance and support of an experienced therapist or doctor.

Its only natural to want to avoid painful memories and feelings. But if you try to numb yourself and push your memories away, PTSD will only get worse. You cant escape your emotions completelythey emerge under stress or whenever you let down your guardand trying to do so is exhausting. The avoidance will ultimately harm your relationships, your ability to function, and the quality of your life.

Why you should seek help for PTSD

Early treatment is better. Symptoms of PTSD may get worse. Dealing with them now might help stop them from getting worse in the future. Finding out more about what treatments work, where to look for help, and what kind of questions to ask can make it easier to get help and lead to better outcomes.

PTSD symptoms can change family life. PTSD symptoms can get in the way of your family life. You may find that you pull away from loved ones, are not able to get along with people, or that you are angry or even violent. Getting help for your PTSD can help improve your family life.

Talking About The Traumatic Event

Many people unfortunately keep their traumatic events a secret from everyone in their lives. This is unfortunate because the secrecy maintains the idea that participation in the traumatic event was shameful and even unforgivable. The person bearing the secret memory can think that he or she could never be accepted or loved if anyone ever found out about the traumatic event. Although it is wise to consider who can handle knowledge of the event and who cannot, to keep the event an absolute secret from everyone reinforces the idea that any participant should feel shame, even if that participant was a victim. It is useful to bear in mind that professional therapists maintain confidentiality, and are ideal for the purpose of unburdening yourself of painful secrets. The very act of talking about traumatic events, so that you do not feel alone with them, is helpful to you.

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How To Actually Help Someone With Cptsd

First, the bad news: You cant MAKE a person with complex PTSD change..

You cant make them heal. You cant make them learn about the adult effects of abuse and neglect in childhood, and you cant even make them admit theres a problem.

But the good news is there are things you can do to help a loved one accomplish all these things themselves without being controlling or judgmental .

Im going to give you five tips for how you can genuinely help another persons healing, and at the same time help yourself to enjoy more kindness, less chaos, and more closeness with this person you love, whos still struggling with trauma symptoms.

If you ARE the person with CPTSD, this is for you too, to give you words to ask for what you need, and to share when you need to give the people who care about you a roadmap for what actually helps you to continue the healing you are undertaking.

If youre the person who wants their loved one to change, heres the thing: What actually helps them is probably not what youre doing now, even though thats counter-intuitive. If you are pressuring them, it could even be delaying their healing. Ill explain why below.

I get at least one letter or comment every day from someone who is hurting because of a loved ones CPTSD behavior things like being shut down and cold, or flying into rages and saying cruel things that are out of character.

First, theyre probably right. It probably is CPTSD and their loved one needs to change.

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Additional Westchester Ny Therapy Services

From my Scarsdale therapy practice, I want to bring peace and contentment to all types of individuals and families. This is why I provide therapy for adults, therapy for teens, and other specialized techniques such as EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy. In fact, I can support anyone in the state through online therapy in New York. If you want to explore these options further, lets connect!

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What Happens In Your Brain During A Ptsd Flashback

Haunted by nightmares unable to shake memories of explosions, death, and visions of war veterans can struggle with these images, even while awake. Many experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and anger confused about how to make sense of what they have witnessed. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder often makes it hard for soldiers to return to normal life.

Although people often associate PTSD with veterans affected by the horrors of war, the condition can develop in anyone who has experienced a dangerous, shocking, or life-threatening event such as rape, childhood abuse, or a serious accident. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, PTSD will affect 6.8% of U.S. adults in their lifetime. With gun violence on the rise in the United States, survivors of mass shootings and those who reside near a mass shooting might also experience these symptoms, as fireworks can often sound like a gunshot.PTSD is defined by symptoms like panic attacks, depression, and insomnia, but one of the most characteristic and debilitating symptoms of PTSD involves flashbacks, the feeling of re-experiencing a traumatic event. During 4th of July festivities, fireworks the sound, the smell, the smoke in the air can trigger flashbacks to those suffering from combat related PTSD, or PTSD related to gun violence.

How To Cope With Ptsd Flashbacks

For people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder , one of the hardest symptoms to deal with is flashbacks. Not only can they cause dramatic physical reactions, but they can also make the sufferer believe that they are experiencing the cause of their PTSD all over again.

But how does this happen? And is there a way to learn how to cope with PTSD flashbacks?

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When To See A Doctor

Many people experience symptoms after a traumatic event, such as crying, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating, but this is not necessarily PTSD.

Prompt treatment with a qualified professional can help prevent the symptoms from getting worse.

This should be considered if:

• symptoms persist for more than a month
• symptoms are severe enough to prevent the person returning to normal life
• the person considers harming themselves

psychotherapy and counseling, medication, or a combination.

Options for psychotherapy will be specially tailored for managing trauma.

They include:

Cognitive processing therapy : Also known as cognitive restructuring, the individual learns how to think about things in a new way. Mental imagery of the traumatic event may help them work through the trauma, to gain control of the fear and distress.

Exposure therapy: Talking repeatedly about the event or confronting the cause of the fear in a safe and controlled environment may help the person feel they have more control over their thoughts and feelings. The effectiveness of this treatment has been questioned, however, and it must be carried out with care, or there may be a risk of worsening of the symptoms.

Tip : Be A Good Listener

While you shouldnt push a person with PTSD to talk, if they do choose to share, try to listen without expectations or judgments. Make it clear that youre interested and that you care, but dont worry about giving advice. Its the act of listening attentively that is helpful to your loved one, not what you say.

A person with PTSD may need to talk about the traumatic event over and over again. This is part of the healing process, so avoid the temptation to tell your loved one to stop rehashing the past and move on. Instead, offer to talk as many times as they need.

Some of the things your loved one tells you might be very hard to listen to. Its okay to dislike what you hear, but its important to respect their feelings and reactions. If you come across as disapproving, horrified, or judgmental, they are unlikely to open up to you again.

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Triggers Of Past Trauma

In order to help cope with flashbacks, its very helpful to know what your triggers are. For example, being around certain people or going to specific places/events may trigger flashbacks of past trauma. I dont suggest you avoid these things, although people who have experienced trauma often do, I just recommend that try to learn what your triggers are so that youre better prepared to handle them.

Haunted by nightmares unable to shake memories of explosions, death, and visions of war veterans can struggle with these images, even while awake. Many experience feelings of anxiety, depression, and anger confused about how to make sense of what they have witnessed. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder often makes it hard for soldiers to return to normal life.

Talking To Your Loved One About Ptsd Triggers

Ask your loved one about things theyve done in the past to respond to a trigger that seemed to help . Then come up with a joint game plan for how you will respond in future.

Decide with your loved one how you should respond when they have a nightmare, flashback, or panic attack. Having a plan in place will make the situation less scary for both of you. Youll also be in a much better position to help your loved one calm down.

How to help someone having a flashback or panic attack

During a flashback, people often feel a sense of disassociation, as if theyre detached from their own body. Anything you can do to ground them will help.

• Tell your loved one theyre having a flashback and that even though it feels real, the event is not actually happening again.
• Help remind them of their surroundings .
• Encourage them to take deep, slow breaths .
• Avoid sudden movements or anything that might startle them.
• Ask before you touch them. Touching or putting your arms around the person might make them feel trapped, which can lead to greater agitation and even violence.

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Plan Ahead For Difficult Times

When your friend or relative is feeling well, it can be helpful to discuss with them how you can help if they become unwell or if a crisis happens. You could:

• encourage them to write a crisis plan
• discuss which symptoms you can look out for
• get to know their triggers and plan how to cope with them.

This can help them to avoid crises or manage them differently in future where possible. When having these conversations, make sure you also think about how much you can cope with and try to only offer support that you feel able to give. It is important to look after yourself too.

For more information see our pages on planning for a crisis, helping someone else seek help and advocacy.

Tips on helping someone who is experiencing a flashback

Flashbacks are vivid experiences in which someone relives aspects of a traumatic event. It can be hard to know how to help during a flashback, but you don’t need special training to support someone who is having one. It could help if you:

• try to stay calm
• gently tell them that they are having a flashback
• avoid making any sudden movements
• encourage them to breathe slowly and deeply
• encourage them to describe their surroundings.

See our sections on what flashbacks are and tips for coping with flashbacks for more information.