Many people use the word “flashback” when they’re retelling a story or a memory. It’s natural to mentally return to a positive time in your life, such as a heartfelt moment with your parents or a milestone, such as your wedding day. But, unfortunately, negative flashbacks are also common, especially if you’ve experienced trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after a person experiences or witnesses something traumatic. When a person perceives a situation, experience or circumstance as scary or shocking, it can impact their spiritual, emotional and mental well-being.

Symptoms of PTSD can include pervasive negative feelings, concentration issues and hypervigilance. But one of the most common symptoms is flashbacks. By gaining a better understanding of what a PTSD flashback often entails, you can determine if you’re experiencing recurring flashbacks. We’ll also discuss when you should seek treatment for PTSD.

6 signs and symptoms of a PTSD flashback 

A PTSD flashback can look different for everyone. While some people experience them as an intrusive thought, others may have one when a particular setting or sound triggers it. 

How do you know if you’ve had a PTSD flashback or if they’ve become a recurring instance in your day-to-day life? Here are six signs and symptoms of a PTSD flashback to be aware of:

1. Seeing related imagery — One of the main components of a flashback is the vivid imagery of your trauma. Flashbacks are not just vivid memories; they are experiences where the person feels as though the traumatic event is occurring in the present moment.
2. Recognizing related smells or sounds — While visuals are powerful, your other senses can contribute to PTSD flashbacks as well. Many people will hear a word or sound that’s related to their trauma. They may also recognize smells that are associated with the traumatic memories.
3. Physical sensations — As many types of trauma have instances of physical pain, such as abuse, bullying or assault, it’s possible to feel like you’re in pain during flashbacks that mirror what you experienced in that moment. You may also feel like someone is touching you, even if no one is.
4. Anxious bodily reactions — Feeling intense anxiety is one of the key symptoms of a PTSD flashback, often mimicking the symptoms of a panic attack. This can include physical signs that come from the brain’s “fight-or-flight” response, including sweating, trembling and a racing heartbeat.
5. Dissociation — Many people dissociate from themselves or their surroundings when they experience a PTSD flashback. It’s possible to feel unaware or confused about where you are. You can also feel disconnected from your own body, thoughts and feelings. Mild dissociation can include detachment from your surroundings, while more severe forms include losing awareness of your identity.
6. Intense negative emotions — While mood changes are common in people who are living with PTSD, flashbacks often cause sudden, intense negative emotions that overtake your whole body, often mimicking the feelings you had at the time of the trauma. This may feel like pervasive feelings of fear, anger or sadness.

PTSD flashbacks can vary in duration, sometimes ending after just a few seconds, or going on for hours. The intensity of the symptoms can also vary from person to person. Many signs can be a trigger for the flashbacks themselves, like hearing a sound that brings you back to that moment.

It’s also worth noting that not everyone with PTSD will experience flashbacks. However, they are common in people diagnosed with the condition. In one study, a group of PTSD clients experienced flashbacks from 19% of individual stimuli. 

What to do if you experience the signs of a PTSD flashback

Whether you experience mild signs of a PTSD flashback every once in a while, or you have intense symptoms on a regular basis, it’s important to seek the right treatment to manage and reduce PTSD flashbacks. If left untreated, the flashbacks can worsen in severity, become more frequent or interfere with your everyday life.

Whether you’ve already been diagnosed with PTSD and are experiencing flashbacks as a new symptom, or you’re just at the beginning of your mental health journey, be sure to talk to your health care providers about your concerns, including your physician, therapist or psychiatrist.

Treatment for PTSD often involves a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Medication can help reduce your symptoms, including flashbacks, by adjusting your brain’s chemical imbalances that are contributing to them. It’s important to note that not all people with PTSD will require medication. Medication is typically aimed at managing specific symptoms, such as severe anxiety, or when the symptoms are severe enough to prevent effective therapy.

Therapy plays a large role in learning how to manage PTSD flashbacks by developing coping mechanisms when you come across a trigger. A therapist can help you learn immediate coping strategies for managing a flashback, such as breathing techniques, mindfulness, and using a “grounding” object, which can help bring someone back to the present. There are a variety of physical therapy approaches that can address PTSD, including cognitive behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. 

At Lightfully, our Precision Care Model provides a personalized treatment plan of integrated interventions that are drawn from different evidence-based psychotherapies. For example, our clients with PTSD may benefit from interventions such as exposure and arousal reduction.

Our goal is to treat you as a whole person, beyond your PTSD. Our levels of care consist of data-driven and whole-person-centered care provided by deeply compassionate experts.

Change is possible. When you’re ready to take the first step, reach out to our Admissions Concierge Team. We’ll take the next steps together, toward the fullest, brightest version of you.