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Flashbacks and/or bad memories

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
Does anyone here suffer, or have suffered from bad memories or flashbacks?
You need not go into detail about them if you dont want to, but, do you have any methods of being able to control them? Does art help? What about other ways like being with other people?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes, I don't know what I do to cope with them, just ride it through really.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    :chin: Coping with flashbacks or bad memories can be incredibly difficult. Sometimes, it is hard to know when one will surface, and they can be really terrifying experiences. If you want to cope with them, you need to shift the focus of your mind onto something completly different, like:

    Focusing your thoughts on something you really like or enjoy doing.
    Counting outloud or Naming all the things you can see around you.
    Running as fast as you can - it also gets rid of the adrenaline surge.
    Touch things around you - really try to ground yourself.
    Hold tightly onto an ice cube - if avaliable.
    Talk yourself out of it, by telling yourself, "it's okay and you are going to be okay."
    Concentrate on your breathing - practice deep, slow breaths - in and out.
    What about other ways like being with other people
    - This can be helpful to you; but scary to them. But, one thing I would suggest, is if smeone is with you and they understand what is going on - try asking them to hold your hand or gently rub the back of your hand - its a good way of grounding yourself.

    If you are experiencing flashbacks, I would reccomend that you try to get some counselling to look at the underlying issues surrounding them and that could also be a helpful way of learning how to cope with them more effectively.

    - Hope that helps :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Talking about the painful memories that causes the flashbacks and the nightmares is a very helpful and cathartioc experience, but it is one that takes an awful lot of guts and courage. I see a therapist three times a week, and there are some things that even now I can't bring myself to say to her, they are that painful.

    It gets easier, it honestly does, it is just so daunting at first and it takes so much courage.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Plenty. I divert attention from them by surrounding myself with people and doing things. Most problems are at night if, and only if, I'm alone. In this situation, I generally practice a type of self-stimulating technique which gets me to get a grip on things. The technique usually goes along the lines of thinking/saying "get a grip, you fucking psychopath".

    Ololo. That's just what I imagine I'll do if I ever get any problems like many suspect I will. I never really 'care' about anything really. Mostly all of any bad memories I have are from childhood, so are not really important.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i used to....alot.

    meditation is what helped me, it cleared my mind of everything inculing flashbacks. i still get them from time to time, like when i'm depressed or angry or in a bad situation that i may have been in before.

    meditate! it sounds stupid but just try it.
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