I am sorry you are experiencing these flashbacks. I know they are scary too, and they are intrusive. They are really "not" happening to hurt or punish you either, the way to finally get them to stop is to understand that they are unresolved traumas and they will come over you like a wave that you really cannot stop, but, instead know they come in, crest and always receed. Then you can find your way to the present and work in understanding these flashbacks, recognizing they are not happening now and what they mean and to talk about them. As you do this, they will get weaker and weaker and will only be a memory that you have finally processed.

Your brain is showing you where you have been "hurt" so you can finally resolve it. Typically a flashback comes in small pieces so the brain doesn't get too overwhelmed. What is scary about it is how one never realized this could happen or that past trauma's could come forward this way. Actually a good way to weaken them is acknowledge them with yes, I remember, that did happen, it was scary but I survived it and it is not happening "now".

Our brain stores experiences in different places too, so it takes time for a past trauma to come out so you can finally verbalize it all and put it into a story you can talk about with your therapist. What eventually comes out is a complete story of not only how you were hurt, but how that challenged you to where you struggled with dealing with some kind of series of hurts where you did not get the help you needed. It takes time to work on whatever your consistent theme of emotional challenges you had in your past. And you will find yourself needing to talk about something several times as something new comes forward. It can sound like you are telling the same story over and over but your brain is slowly adding new pieces that you need to repeat and add into the story, that is "normal" and it is important to be "patient" with this process.

This stage of PTSD is a challenge because a person can experience a trigger that brings out a flashback and have a hard time explaining it. It is intrusive and inconvenient, but, just part of a process that needs to take place so you can finally process whatever is there. Often people complain of struggling to sleep too, even being afraid to sleep at times, but these intrusions will ease up as you continue to acknowledge and work through whatever comes forward, and it is not because you are bad or wrong either, this is "normal" to PTSD and working through it towards healing. This is when you also need to learn to develop a part of yourself that is willing to listen, be caring, and understanding while you experience these things coming forward looking to finally be resolved and processed.

You are welcome to come to this forum and talk about whatever you need to talk about or vent too. You deserve support for this and not to feel alone with it too. You are going to get through this, so be patient and self caring and self comforting and share as you need to.

((Gentle Caring Supportive Hugs)))
OE