flashbacks are so real

When I have flasbacks, about four a day I am so frightened as I am suffering the abuse all over again I try to ground myself but I go into another world, I hide in cupboards, I think they will hurt me all over again and when its over I don't know how I got there and feel mad , have I lost it?

Hi Victory,

You definitely haven't lost it. What you're feeling is rational for someone who's been through abuse and has PTSD, it's just your minds way of getting you to protect yourself coming into play. Do you see anyone about the flashbacks and how you're feeling?

I have just started psycodynamic therapy, I never thought therapy would be so hard, I spent years thinking I was burying my abuse, but now it seems impossible to do. My whole world has fallen apart I have lost my job because of ptsd, I am isolating myself as I want to be alone. Sometimes my flashbacks come out of the blue and I can't get to control them.

If you feel it's making things worse, maybe you need to try a different method of therapy? It shouldn't be making you feel even worse. I'm sorry things aren't going great with losing your job, that's really terrible. Unfortunately the only way to ever control the flashbacks in part is to continue with therapy and if it's neccessary, go to the doctors also.

Please try not to isolate yourself too much, it only makes things worse and I know that as I was the same. The second I started to live my life again things got better.

Thank u for that, there is a small shift to want to start taking care of myself, so I will need to find out how to do that! My therapist is very good I think it is because I am finding it hard to face things. I find I try to rationalise everything that's happened, because it happened over a period of eighteen years and became progressively worse I have lost who I am , one day I am one person then the next I am someone else, but none of them feel comfortable.

I'm glad your going to try, it's so important! Even if it's just doing little things that usually make you happy, for me it's going to the gym or watching live music I find it really helps to take my mind off things and often prevent flashbacks because my mind is already busy.

It's always difficult to bring up all the old memories to try and combat them and it can be too much sometimes. If you will it will work well for you and this is just the rough patch of it then persevere and see how it goes. If it's not working then ask your therapist if you can try something else maybe

It will take some time but i'm really hoping that you'll get to a place where you can feel comfortable again. Definitely continue to post back on here though or feel free to PM me anytime too.

Hi I have just seen my psyc dr, I told her how bad I was feeling with dissasociating and feeling like I am nobody, or who I am, unfortunately I broke down I felt very weak about this, but this is the first time I am feeling anything. To help relieve symptoms she has added a drug called Pregablin has anyone heard of this and if it is helpful?

Hello Victory...

I'm sorry to hear you are struggling with these flashbacks a lot lately...

Did you try the drug the doctor prescribed you yet? Have you noticed it's effects yet?

It is very hard to go through flashbacks frequently- I sympathise with you with this.

Hi I am going to give up with terapy and stop my meds I can't do it coz I am too scared I have tried but now I know I have no future I must be a complete failure

What are you afraid of? You are definitely not a failure and you have a future, I promise you that.