Unpacking Emotional Flashbacks: How Do Triggers Affect Our Mental Health?

Understanding Emotional Flashbacks and Triggers

Survivors of childhood trauma often face emotional flashbacks and can be triggered by current events. This is not due to any fault of our own; rather, it is a consequence of C-PTSD, which affects most childhood trauma survivors.

Emotional flashbacks are intense emotional states that transport us back to earlier traumatic experiences, often without the accompanying visual or narrative memories. These flashbacks can feel overwhelming, as if the past is happening in the present, triggered by seemingly minor or unrelated events. Understanding and managing these experiences is essential for emotional healing and resilience.

What Are Emotional Flashbacks?

Unlike traditional flashbacks that replay explicit memories, emotional flashbacks are primarily emotional in nature. They may manifest as sudden, overwhelming feelings tied to unresolved past trauma. These flashbacks often occur without a clear sense of why they are happening, making them confusing and distressing for the individual.

Julie shares:

I don't know what came over me. As I entered my apartment building the other day, two neighbors were chatting and didn't respond when I said hello. I got furious with them and decided they are real snobs, not worth being friends with. I had baked some cookies which I was going to bring to one of them later that day but decided she did not deserve it. I was so angry. It took me a long time to calm myself down. Luckily I didn't express my anger towards them at the moment, but I couldn't get myself to bring the cookie as I had intended.

As Pete Walker explains: https://www.psychotherapy.net/article/complex-ptsd

"...emotional flashbacks— [are] sudden and often prolonged regressions ("amygdala hijackings") to the frightening and abandoned feeling-states of childhood. They are accompanied by inappropriate and intense arousal of the fight/flight instinct and the sympathetic nervous system. Typically, they manifest as intense and confusing episodes of fear, toxic shame, and/or despair, which often beget angry reactions against the self or others."

Common signs of emotional flashbacks:

• Sudden Emotional Swings: You might feel intense waves of anxiety, shame, or despair seemingly out of nowhere.

James recalls:

I don't know why I get so anxious every time my boss comes into our section of the office. She is actually pretty nice to me but there is something that overwhelms me when she appears...I think it's the look on her face...

• Feeling "Small": A sense of being helpless, powerless, or overly vulnerable, as if you are reverting to a younger version of yourself.

Janet reports feeling like a little child every time she has a doctors appointment. She can never remember her questions and can't find her voice when the doctor seems to be critical of ways in which she is neglecting her health

• Physical Symptoms: Increased heart rate, sweating, or a sense of dread

Ron shares: I don't know what came over me. I was in this stupid driver safety review course and when the instructor asked me a simple questions, I went blank. My heart was beating so fast. I was sure everyone could hear it thumping.

• Disproportionate Reactions: Reacting to minor situations with exaggerated emotions or behaviors.

Diane recalls: I hate when I over-react in situations. I was on line in the supermarket when someone cut ahead of me and put their food items on the check out counter. I couldn't control myself. It was as if I was consumed by this fire in the pit of my stomach and I started yelling at them. I then noticed they had a dis

abled child with them and the check out clerk was doing them a favor. I was so mortified. Why do I always over react?

Emotional flashbacks often stem from unresolved childhood trauma or prolonged exposure to stressful environments. They are a hallmark of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

(C-PTSD).

Common Triggers

Triggers are stimuli that activate emotional flashbacks. They can be subtle or overt, external or internal, and often vary greatly between individuals. Identifying these triggers is a key step in managing flashbacks effectively.

Examples of common triggers include:

• Interpersonal Dynamics: Conflicts, criticism, or a perceived lack of validation can mimic past experiences of rejection or abandonment.

Michael shares: Whenever my partner is late for a date, even 5 minutes, I immediately worry he won't show up or is thinking of breaking up. It sounds crazy but I can't help but feel this way.

• Sensory Cues: Certain smells, sounds, or physical sensations can unconsciously remind the individual of a traumatic event.

Tina recalls: I don't know why the music around the holidays puts me in a bad mood. I know it's meant to spread cheer and good vibes but I guess it just takes me back to childhood when the holidays were a nightmare.

• Tone of Voice or Phrasing: A sharp tone, specific words, or even nonverbal cues like a particular look can evoke past feelings of fear or shame.

Zoe is not sure what it is about her new teaching aide but she feels a great deal of shame every time her aide asks her a question. She feels like her answers are not good enough and that she should know more than she does.

• Power Imbalances: Interactions with authority figures or situations where one feels a lack of control can act as reminders of earlier vulnerabilities.

"It never fails" Sally shares. Whenever I go into a government office, I feel like two cents, even if I am just dealing with a clerk and they are half my age. I feel really dumb."

Triggers often operate below conscious awareness, making it challenging to connect them to the emotional response. Keeping a journal of flashback experiences and potential triggers can help create patterns that lead to greater self-understanding.

How to Cope with Emotional Flashbacks

Managing emotional flashbacks requires both immediate strategies to calm the nervous system and long-term practices to build resilience. Here are practical ways to navigate these intense emotional states:

1. Recognize the Flashback: Awareness is the first step to reclaiming control. When feeling overwhelmed, we can remind ourselves, "This is a flashback. These feelings are from the past and not my current reality." Naming the experience can help create distance between us and the emotion.

2. Practice Self-Compassion: Being gentle with ourselves. It is important to understand that emotional flashbacks are not a sign of weakness but a natural response to unresolved trauma. We can speak to ourselves as we would to a close friend: "It makes sense that I feel this way. Once I was not safe but I am safe now."

3. Grounding Techniques: Grounding helps anchor us in the present moment. Techniques include:

   • Physical Grounding: Holding a cold object, pressing our feet firmly into the floor, or focusing on a texture in the surrounding environment.

   • Mindfulness: Using our senses to observe our surroundings—naming five things I see, four things I feel, three things I hear, two things I smell, and one thing I taste.

   • Breathing Exercises: Slow, deep breaths can calm the fight-or-flight response. Try inhaling for four counts, holding for four counts, and exhaling for six counts.

     
     

     

     
     

4. Seek Support: Emotional flashbacks can feel isolating, but support can make a significant difference. In childhood we did not have adults to whom we could turn. Trusted friends, family members, or therapists can provide validation and a sense of safety. RRP (Relationship Recovery Process) https://www.instagram.com/rrptherapists/?hl=en groups for childhood trauma survivors offer both a space to receive support and engage in a process of long-term healing from childhood trauma.

   
   

5. Develop Long-Term Strategies: Healing from childhood trauma takes time and effort and can reduce the frequency and intensity of flashbacks over time. Consider:

   • Therapy: RRP groups (https://www.instagram.com/rrptherapists/?hl=en)

     offer healing opportunities for trauma survivors. In addition, modalities such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and somatic experiencing, can help address the root causes of trauma.

   • Self Care: Prioritize sleep, exercise, and balanced nutrition to support overall well-being.https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729

   • Mind-Body Practices: Activities like yoga, meditation and mindfulness practice can help regulate the nervous system and foster a sense of safety in the body.

6. What to Do During a CPTSD Flashback: A Step-by-Step Guide

   If you are experiencing a CPTSD flashback, try this Flashback Halting Protocol, developed by Babette Rothschild (2000) and modified for the emotional flashback.

   
   

    Say the following sentences filling in the blanks, following the instructions:

   • Right now I am feeling ______ , (name the current emotion, usually fear or shame)

   • and I am sensing in my body ______ , (describe current bodily sensations in detail),

   • because I am remembering ______ .

   (similar feeling from childhood)

   • And, at the same time , I am looking around where I am now in ______ (say the year),

   here ______ ,(name the place where you are)

   • and I can see ______ ,(describe some of the things that you see right now, in this place),

   • and so I know ______ ,(name the emotional flashback again)

   is not happening now/anymore.”

   
   

   • Repeat as many times as needed until you remember where you are and when.

   
   

7. Pete Walker: 13 Steps for Managing Flashbacks https://www.pete-walker.com/13StepsManageFlashbacks.htm

The Cost of Not Recognizing Emotional Flashbacks

Failing to recognize and address emotional flashbacks can have significant consequences for mental and emotional well-being. When these flashbacks go unmanaged, they can perpetuate cycles of emotional pain and negatively impact various areas of life, including relationships, work, and physical health.

• Strained Relationships: Emotional flashbacks can lead to misunderstandings, heightened conflicts, or withdrawal in personal and professional relationships. Partners, friends, and colleagues may misinterpret the intense emotional reactions as disproportionate or unprovoked.

  Charles and his wife have continual arguments about what he said/she said. He is sure she has criticized him while she maintains that he is hearing a very different message than what she says. They are both hurt and frustrated by their continual arguments.

• Chronic Stress: Prolonged exposure to unresolved emotional flashbacks can contribute to chronic stress.

  Sue is constantly exhausted by the roller coaster of emotions she feels on practically a daily basis. She often has to take time off of work and limit her social life because of the time it takes her to recover from the continual highs and lows.

• Self-Esteem Issues: The recurring feelings of shame, helplessness, or inadequacy associated with flashbacks can erode self-confidence and reinforce negative self-perceptions.

  Kevin is sure he is "too much" and that no one will really want to be in a relationship with him. This is what his family told him growing up. He still sees himself this way.

• Avoidance Behaviors: To minimize the risk of triggers, individuals may avoid situations, environments, or relationships that could otherwise contribute to personal growth and fulfillment. This avoidance can limit opportunities and create a sense of isolation.

  Anne worries that she is becoming more reclusive as a result of her fear of rejection. She is noticing that she anticipates that people will not want to spend time with her and is avoiding social situations for fear of being left out. She doesn't know what to do to stop this behavior.

Recognizing emotional flashbacks and learning to manage them is not just about alleviating immediate distress—it’s about reclaiming a sense of agency, fostering healthier relationships, and building a foundation for a more resilient and fulfilling life.

Moving Forward

Understanding emotional flashbacks and their triggers is a crucial step toward healing. While these experiences can feel overwhelming, they are also an opportunity to connect with and heal deep-seated wounds. With the right tools and support, we can build a life rooted in safety, resilience, and self-compassion.

Recovery is not linear, but every small step brings us closer to wholeness.