I have overcome my flashbacks. I did remember my past so I didn't understand why I had the flashbacks. So after a flashback I really thought about what it showed me.
And I could hears sounds in my flashback and saw details in it too. I was very frightened because I didn't understand them. But then I realized that the sounds were triggers that I always had, and did not know it.

One of the things that I had a flashback about was doors. I could see the doors and I was running through them. I happen to be in the place where the doors were in my past. I could hear the doors slamming and I had remembered why. I was trying to get away and I was very frightened. I was very unaware that the sounds of doors upset me. And if I was sleeping and a door would open I would really startle. And I also would get very angry at the sound of doors, I even would fill with rage. I had never connected the sound with the feelings before. Not until I had the flashback.

Now everytime I hear a door I know that I have to concentrate on not getting upset.
But before I had no idea that it brought on anxiety and even anger suddenly.

I don't think that one should be afraid of flashbacks. When it happens try to remember that it is not happening now but try to see what is there that may be triggers you are unaware of. People with PTSD often have many triggers that they are unaware of. So there is information in the flashbacks. Tell yourself not to be afraid of them, it is a flash of memory that is brought on by a trigger of that experience. The idea is to remember consciously that you are not there anymore and you are just working on acknowledging it and then you can learn how to consciously
overcome it.

When you return to your past there is a lot of information in that past that you never had time to reason with. Now, in therapy, you are going to consciously reason with it and realize that it was in your past and at the time you were unable to either defend yourself or understand the situation. That is why we call it Trama.

It is so important to become consciously aware that it is not happening now and you were startled by something, or someone, and you are now addressing it on a more conscious level, a level of reason. It is like you are now a Guardian of yourself and you are finding ways to become stronger and know that past cannot hurt you anymore. Say to yourself, I AM NOW MY GUARDIAN AND I AM GOING TO OVERCOME. It is a conscious effort, you are no longer going to be frightened or be ashamed of anything in your past. It is in the past and you are making sure that any thing there is not going to be triggered in your day to day life.

Many people get the wrong idea about flashbacks. And the purpose of letting out your past is to GRIEVE IT and OVERCOME IT, it is not about being re traumatized.
When we have bad things happen there is always something we can learn from it, believe it or not. But we cannot learn if we continue to run. We must now face it and GRIEVE IT and overcome it. Many people feel ashamed, embarrassed and frightened to open up and talk about their past. But, once you do that, you will grow from it and NOW BE A STRONG GUARDIAN FOR YOURSELF. It is about building strength, not being ashamed or embarassed. And you must realize that it was not your fault even if you may think in some way it was. You are now ready to take the bull by the horns and overcome it and learn how to work your life better in spite of it.

It has to be a CONSCIOUS EFFORT TOWARD STRENGTH, not shame and fear.

It can be very much like the water in the Wizard of OZ that destroyed the wicked witch. One you see what is there, you can picture yourself taking a bucket of water and pouring on that memory and think of it shrinking away to nothing. Because NOW, you are taking control.

You can either train your brain to continue to be afraid or ashamed, or you can train yourself that it is over, you have seen it, you see the triggers and you are going to move on. You have more power than you think.

Open Eyes