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Remember
flashbacks are a
normal response to a traumatic experience.

Information about flashbacks

Many people who have experienced sexual abuse, rape or any other traumatic event can go on to experience flashbacks.

Flashbacks are a memory of a frightening or painful experience, which occurred either in childhood or adult life.  It tends not to be like an ordinary memory, but more a sudden and unexpected intrusion that are usually experienced as a single slide from a slide show, a snapshot or photograph that flashes repeatedly or like clip from a video.  

They often occur in an instant and can be accompanied by intense feelings or physical sensations known as “body memories”, which may have been felt at the time of the original abuse.

Not everyone’s flashbacks are visual and take the form of words and phrases or sounds that were heard in the past.

Flashbacks can happen at any time, anywhere and can often occur without warning.

Smells, words or phrases can act as a trigger and that can, instantly or maybe sometime later, provoke a memory which feels as real as when it originally happened and can be as frightening.

Sometimes a flashback can occur in response to the survivor hearing voices that tell them to do things i.e. harm herself or someone else.

Some Ideas about how to cope with your flashbacks

Try to remind yourself that it is not happening now, it belongs in the past.  It may be useful to look around you and take note of what is happening in the here and now.

You may find it reassuring or grounding to carry a stone or something familiar and comforting in your pocket that you can stroke, hold or rub when a flashback occurs.

Some women keep an elastic band around their wrist and ping it to try and bring them back to the here and now. 

Try to take slow, deep breaths to steady your breathing.  This can help prevent a panic attack.

If the flashback occurs whilst you are out and about try to get yourself to somewhere that you feel safe and secure.

If you are wakened by a flashback, also known as a “night terror”, try writing it down, then go and have something warm to drink, watch some TV, listen to music or do something else that you find relaxing. 

If this is a new memory it may be useful to write it down or tell someone you trust - though it can be painful to speak about, talking it over with someone can help aid the healing process.

If you self harm/injure in response to a flashback try to take some precautions to minimize the longer term harm that you might do to yourself (see leaflet on Self Harm/Self Injury).

Keep a list of appropriate people you can contact in the event of experiencing a flashback.

It may be useful in the short-term to avoid known things that trigger flashbacks, although none of us can control when they occur.  However be careful not to create “no-go” areas as this can lead to your world becoming smaller and smaller.  Sometimes feelings created by different places or situations need to be faced - again this can help with the healing process.

Child sexual Abuse - Rape and/or Sexual Assault - Impact of rape and/or sexual abuseInformation for family and friends- Information for workers - Flashbacks - Personal Safety - Police and Courts - Possible signs of child sexual abuse - Ritual Abuse
Self-harm - Sexual Harrassment at Work - Suicide -