I have PTSD and secondary PTSD.

When I started therapy things would trigger memories of my past, some of which I had buried so deeply I didn't have a concious memory of them and some which had happened when I was so young I didn't have the words to deal with them. For me the flashbacks were physcial -- I spent a lot of time in front of mirrors looking for bruises and welts. The worst ones were of being sodomized as a toddler. If I wasn't dreaming it, I was sitting around feeling it and feeling crazier than ever cos all I had was the sensations.

My T used EMDR and the flashbacks seem to have abated for the most part. What I know about EMDR seems to suggest it is the cure for PTSD. When we have the trauma that lays down the memories for PTSD it doesn't get stored in our brains like other things do - instead it is stored in such a way that it remains current. EMDR lets you reprocess the trauma without being too traumitized and gives you the ability to distance yourself so that you can heal. After a few sessions I was able to use bits of it to self calm and stay in the moment.

EMDR was developed and used to help Vietnam vets. If you plug it into your search engine you can read more about it.

~D~