It’s time to deep dive into what many trauma survivors describe as their least favorite symptom of C-PTSD. Interestingly, however, the majority of these survivors wouldn’t be able to explain what a body flashback actually is.

That may sound strange, but it actually makes sense considering body flashbacks are not a widely recognized or well-understood phenomenon. They are even frequently misdiagnosed and overlooked by healthcare providers who are unfamiliar with the symptoms of C-PTSD. Do not worry, however, because you’re already ahead of them by learning what they are with this article. Let’s dive in…

So, What Are Body Flashbacks?

A body flashback is a physical response to a traumatic memory in individuals with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD). It shows up as physical sensations like sweating, shaking, tense muscles, and a rapid heartbeat. As you can imagine, the combination of these sensations can make you feel incredibly overwhelmed and that is why body flashbacks are often confused for something else. Think about it - if you are left feeling emotionally distraught after a body flashback, you might understandably mistake it for a panic attack. However, the key difference here is that panic attacks can occur in various situations and are not necessarily related to a past traumatic event.

However, we can use this knowledge to our advantage! Once you understand that the body response comes first, then you have more control over your resulting emotional response. Personally, I am now at a point where I can “watch” my body flashback, knowing that it will pass and it doesn’t need to be escalated by my mind racing, too.

(That technique took me a while to learn and required practice, but it’s one of the successful techniques covered in our free “6-Step Guide to Heal From C-PTSD” if you’re interested in signing up!)

But Why Do C-PTSD Patients Have Body Flashbacks?

Strangely enough, it’s your body’s attempt at keeping you safe so have compassion for yourself, if you can! These physical sensations are the body's response to perceived danger, which is triggered by a traumatic memory. In simple terms, the body is responding to the traumatic memory as if it were happening in the present moment, and you may even feel as though you’re experiencing the traumatic event all over again.

In pre-historic times, this response will have been life-saving because it would have allowed you to fight the threat, or run to safety.

Unfortunately, it's not so useful at 3 in the morning when you’ve just awoken from a bad dream. In those cases, there’s absolutely nothing to be afraid of but your body can’t quite understand that.

So What Can I Do To Help Myself?

Let’s be honest, even though body flashbacks are your body’s way of trying to keep you safe, they can be distressing and disruptive to daily life. Perhaps you’re avoiding certain situations, places, or people that trigger you because of them. What's more, if you don’t understand your body flashbacks, or you can’t stop them, it would be no surprise if you started to feel anxious and depressed.

Fortunately, all hope is not lost. Body flashbacks are a common symptom of C-PTSD and that means there are tried and tested methods to alleviate them.

The most effective treatment for body flashbacks is by treating the cause itself. That means specialized trauma-specific therapies which help you process your traumatic memories so that when you are exposed to a stimulus, you are no longer triggered. Therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) have been shown to be effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of body flashbacks.

If you aren’t ready to dive into therapy (it can be a long and expensive solution, for sure), the least you can do is use coping strategies for managing body flashbacks when they occur. That includes leveraging resources like fast-acting grounding techniques, using your safety kit, and building your resilience.

Another great way to alleviate body flashbacks is by talking to others who experience them and trying techniques that work for them. That's why blogs like these are great because they are written by trauma survivors who can give advice on methods that actually worked for them. Even if you choose not to try any of the techniques, at the very least, it shows you that you aren’t alone and these are totally normal symptoms that survivors of trauma experience. And that, my friend, is calming in itself.

Whatever you decide to do next, you’re at the first step of healing by taking the time to understand body flashbacks. Think about it - if you don’t understand what you’re dealing with, you won’t be able to employ effective tools to manage them!

In the meantime, we are here for you every step of the way.

Love From,

The C-PTSD Support Kit Team

Disclaimer

Please visit our disclaimer which applies to anything we produce on any Platform.