[Lily5473]

Something really strange happened in my last T session. I've been having a difficult time since I experienced a loss which brought up a lot of traumatic memories and then some more stuff got piled on. I've also had a very busy week and did not have time to deal with it all. So I was very anxious coming into my T session. While I was sitting there it was like all of a sudden I felt like there was someone in the room. Then I experienced the most intense fear I've ever felt. I tried desperately to calm myself and keep my composure. Then in my head I started hearing my mom screaming in my head. A sentence I've never heard before but it's kind of like I recognize it. I wanted to leave the session and storm out, but forced myself to stay. My T doesn't know and I plan to tell her but I have no idea how to make sense of it and I'm terrified it will happen again. Help!

Is it possible it was a flashback of some kind?

[WikidPissah]

It does sound like a flashback...or an echo of a memory. I have had similar things happen to me, and it's so confusing and scary that I can barely talk.

I hope you can tell your t about it.

[stopdog]

I have had the same sort of thing happen. I would label it a flashback.

[SkinnySoul]

Are you sure it wasn't an auditory hallucination? Did you remember or hear her voice?

[Lily5473]

Originally Posted by SkinnySoul

Are you sure it wasn't an auditory hallucination? Did you remember or hear her voice?

That's a good question. I 'heard' it in my head. If that makes sense. So I don't really know if I heard it or remembered it. It wasn't clear, it was vivid. But the sentence did seem familiar to me, like I've heard before I'm just not sure where/when. That being said, I'm leaning towards that I remembered it. I'm not sure what auditory hallucinations are like, but I'm sure my mom's voice wasn't coming from my ears. Also, she wasn't speaking to me, she was speaking to someone else, trying to prevent them from doing something bad.

[SkinnySoul]

Originally Posted by Lily5473

That's a good question. I 'heard' it in my head. If that makes sense. So I don't really know if I heard it or remembered it. It wasn't clear, it was vivid. But the sentence did seem familiar to me, like I've heard before I'm just not sure where/when. That being said, I'm leaning towards that I remembered it. I'm not sure what auditory hallucinations are like, but I'm sure my mom's voice wasn't coming from my ears. Also, she wasn't speaking to me, she was speaking to someone else, trying to prevent them from doing something bad.

If it wasn't coming from your ears, maybe it was kind of a memory.
I asked about hallucinations because you mentioned something about feeling like someone was in the room with you. Was it just a feeling? Did you see/hear something that wasn't there?

I'm not a shrink, but I think you really should tell your T about it.

[Perna]

I would first try to separate out fear of being afraid versus fear of what happened. I would also realize that, since what happened was all in my head, it is like a dream, not happening "out there" in the real world and it cannot hurt me; it is something of mine and I have no reason to be afraid of myself. It is thoughts and feelings in my own self.

The first part, fear of being afraid is important too; avoiding things that make us afraid just teaches us to be afraid of being afraid. I use to do that and it has taken a long time to be able to ignore the fact I am afraid and look instead at what it is that is making me afraid. If you just react to the fear of fear, you can't get to the "what is it?" part and hopefully resolve it by getting the answer to that.

[Sabra]

Originally Posted by Lily5473

That's a good question. I 'heard' it in my head. If that makes sense. So I don't really know if I heard it or remembered it. It wasn't clear, it was vivid. But the sentence did seem familiar to me, like I've heard before I'm just not sure where/when. That being said, I'm leaning towards that I remembered it. I'm not sure what auditory hallucinations are like, but I'm sure my mom's voice wasn't coming from my ears. Also, she wasn't speaking to me, she was speaking to someone else, trying to prevent them from doing something bad.

Good morning,

Typically, auditory hallucinations come from outside the head, i.e., from the TV, radio or other external source. Internal "hearing" can be flashback, a memory, different ego state, or an alter in DID. My guess, even if it wasn't directed towards you, it's important.

Regards,
Sabra

Yes, a flashback.

[WikidPissah]

Originally Posted by Sabra

Good morning,

Typically, auditory hallucinations come from outside the head, i.e., from the TV, radio or other external source. Internal "hearing" can be flashback, a memory, different ego state, or an alter in DID. My guess, even if it wasn't directed towards you, it's important.

Regards,
Sabra

This is not true. Inner or exterior voices can be considered auditory hallucinations. They can even be pictures in your head instead of words. The difference between a memory and a "voice" is the origination. The voice may go on to speak coherently to you and even engage you in conversation. You yourself are not responsible for it and you have no idea what this voice is going to say next.

[tinyrabbit]

I sometimes find my T speaks and it arrives in my head as him shouting.

I hope you can talk to your T about this.