Free · 4 min
Flashbacks, and coming back to the room
What is happening, and a way to orient without going into the memory.
A flashback is the nervous system treating something old as if it is happening now. It can be images, sounds, smells, body sensations, or a sudden age you feel. It can also be a blank, or a rush with no picture at all.
You do not have to finish the memory for it to pass. The task is orientation: where are your feet, what year is it, what is in this room that was not there then.
A short sequence
If you can, plant your feet and name the place out loud. Look for colours. Feel something with a temperature. Remind yourself, in plain words, that a memory can be very loud and still not be the present.
If you dissociate, start with your eyes. Pick one object and describe its edges. Stand up only if that feels steady.
Afterwards you may feel ashamed or exhausted. That spike of shame is common and it is not evidence that you did anything wrong. Drink something, sit down, and do not review the content of the flashback unless you are with a therapist and you have chosen to.