What is a flashback, why does it happen and how is it different from an ordinary memory? Practical steps to come back to the present when the past replays.
A neighbour in your block of flats is having building work done. As you go down the stairs, a faint smell of concrete dust reaches you and in an instant everything changes: your heart pounds as if it will burst out of your chest, there is a roaring in your ears, and images of that night years ago appear before your eyes. For a few seconds, perhaps a few minutes, you forget where you are. When you come back to yourself, you find you are gripping the banister tightly, sweating and shaking. This experience is often called a flashback: a traumatic memory coming alive as if it were being lived again right now, instead of being remembered as an event that belongs to the past. In this article I look at what this experience is, why it happens, how it differs from an ordinary memory and what can be done in those moments.
What Is a Flashback?
A flashback, sometimes also described as "re-experiencing", is when the memory of a traumatic event is experienced together with intense emotions and physical reactions, as if that moment were happening again. The person does not simply remember the event; they see it, hear it, smell it and feel it in their body.
These moments of re-experiencing can vary in intensity:
- Mild form: The person is aware of where they are, but experiences a wave of intense fear accompanied by an image or sound that suddenly comes into their mind.
- Moderate form: The person briefly loses contact with their surroundings; they do not hear what the person next to them is saying, as if they are "back there".
- Intense form: For a few minutes the person may behave as though they really are inside the event; they may try to hide, run away or protect themselves.
Not every moment of re-experiencing is visual. Some people only hear a sound again, some smell a scent, and some relive pain or pressure they felt in their body during the event. It is also possible for no image to appear at all, and for only the terror, shame or helplessness felt at the time of the event to come back suddenly with its full weight. This last kind is sometimes called an "emotional flashback" and is common in people who were exposed to difficult experiences over a long period in childhood.
Why Do Flashbacks Happen?
To understand why this happens, we need to look at how the brain records memories in moments of danger. An ordinary memory, such as a breakfast you had last weekend, is stored in our brain as a story with a beginning, middle and end that carries the label "this happened in the past".
During a traumatic event, however, the brain's alarm system runs at its highest level. Focused on survival, the brain records the details of the event not as an orderly story but in sensory fragments with a heavy emotional charge: a smell, a colour, a sound, a sensation in the body. The label "past" cannot be attached firmly enough to these fragments.
As a result, when a stimulus appears that is reminiscent of one of these fragments, the brain may perceive it not as a memory but as a danger present right now. The alarm system kicks in again and the body repeats the response it had at the time of the event. This is why the reaction cannot be stopped by willpower and is not the person "overreacting"; it is a mechanism of the brain that is trying to protect you but has got the timing mixed up.
A flashback is not the past coming back; it is the brain not yet having fully learned that the past is over.
Tiredness and stress lower the threshold
The same person might experience nothing in response to the same smell on a day when they are well rested, yet have an intense episode of re-experiencing at the end of a sleepless and tense week. Lack of sleep, hunger, illness, pressure at work or a family argument raise the overall alarm level of the nervous system. When the alarm is already high, even a small reminder can be enough to cross the threshold. This is why recovery involves not only working with the memory but also reducing the body's general load: regular sleep, not skipping meals and short rest breaks during the day can reduce the number of unexpected moments.
What triggers these moments?
Triggers are sometimes obvious and sometimes completely unclear. A smell, a song, a certain tone of voice, a particular time of year, a bodily sensation, even a certain colour of the sky can set this process off. People often only realise what happened afterwards. Recognising triggers is an important part of coping with these moments.
The Difference Between a Flashback, a Memory and a Hallucination
Many people who feel as if they are reliving the past carry the worry, "I think I'm going mad." That is why knowing a few distinctions can be reassuring.
Ordinary memory: You know you are remembering. The event belongs to the past; remembering it may be upsetting, but the body does not react as if it is in danger.
Intrusive memory: The event comes into your mind when you don't want it to and is disturbing, but you still know where you are right now.
Flashback: The memory is overlaid on the present. For a while the person feels as if they are living in the past, and the body reacts as it did at the time of the event.
Nightmare: Dreams relating to the event or reminiscent of it; they happen during sleep.
Hallucination: Seeing or hearing something that is not actually there; it can arise for a variety of reasons. A flashback, by contrast, is the memory of an event the person really lived through.
In these moments some people may feel as if they are outside their body, or as if they are watching their surroundings like a film. I describe these experiences of detachment in detail in the article on derealisation and depersonalisation.
On the other hand, if there are experiences of seeing or hearing things that cannot be linked to a specific event you lived through and that are becoming more frequent, fluctuations in consciousness or fainting-like episodes, these need to be assessed by a doctor. Making this distinction is not your job; when in doubt, consulting a professional is the safest course.
Re-experiencing in Everyday Life: Who Is Affected?
Re-experiencing is one of the most distinctive signs of post-traumatic stress reactions, but it is not seen only in people diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. It can arise after experiences such as an earthquake, an accident, an assault, war, a sudden loss, medical procedures or prolonged violence.
Let us say a woman who suffered violence in her marriage years ago has now built a safe life. In her new home, when she hears a key in the front door in the evening, she suddenly freezes; her ears roar and she sees the hallway of her old home. Even though her husband is a loving man coming home from work, her body has recorded that sound as the herald of a danger from years ago. If she hides this reaction out of shame, the situation can become even more isolating.
Or think of a young man who, at sixteen, witnessed his father having a heart attack at the dinner table. Years later, at a bayram (religious holiday) meal, when a relative coughs and clutches his throat, the young man suddenly leaps from his chair, his hands shaking and the sound of an ambulance in his ears. While the others at the table look on in surprise, he steps out onto the balcony in shame. Nobody asks what happened, and he doesn't explain. This silence makes the experience a little heavier each time.
These experiences can affect a person's everyday life in different ways:
- Narrowing life to avoid triggers: certain streets, places, films, people
- Withdrawing from social life for fear of the same thing happening on public transport, in a work meeting or in a crowd
- Intense tiredness, headaches and restlessness lasting all day after an episode
- Being unable to explain to loved ones what is happening, and being misunderstood
What Can You Do to Come Back to the Present During a Flashback?
In those moments, the aim is to convey the message "You are safe now; this happened in the past" to the brain through bodily and sensory routes. The steps below can help in those moments.
1. Name what is happening
Say to yourself, silently or out loud: "This is a flashback. I am remembering something terrible, but it is not happening now." Writing this sentence on a piece of paper in advance and carrying it in your wallet or on your phone makes it easier to reach even in the hardest moment.
2. Say today's facts
"Today is 23 October. I am in my own home. I am 34. That event happened years ago." Saying the date, the place, your age and a few things around you out loud anchors your mind to the present. Naming five objects you can see around you and their colours does the same job.
3. Use your senses
Strong sensory stimuli such as splashing your face with cold water, holding an ice cube, smelling a strong scent (for example mint or lemon cologne) or pressing your feet into the floor can draw your attention from the past to the present.
4. Slow your breathing
Making the out-breath longer than the in-breath supports the body's calming system. Doing this without forcing it, for a few cycles, is enough.
5. Make room for afterwards
Once the moment has passed, the body may feel tired and fragile. A warm drink, a short rest or talking to someone you trust can help. Instead of criticising yourself with "It happened again, it's never going to go away", try to meet yourself with "I got through a difficult moment."
6. Keep a record
Noting when, where and with what stimulus these moments began helps you, over time, to recognise your triggers and be prepared for them.
7. Agree on a signal with loved ones in advance
In settings where you often struggle, such as crowded family gatherings, agreeing on a simple signal with someone you trust can be useful. A word or a hand gesture can mean "I'm struggling right now and need to step outside for a few minutes." In this way you make space for yourself without having to explain, and you know you are not alone.
When Should You Seek Professional Support?
Having flashbacks in the first weeks after a traumatic event is very common, and some of them may ease over time. However, it is important to get support from a professional in the following situations:
- Flashbacks have continued for more than a month or are becoming more frequent
- Fear of re-experiencing is making you avoid going to work, going out or seeing people
- In those moments you sometimes behave in ways that put you in danger (for example in traffic)
- You are trying to suppress these experiences with alcohol or other substances
- You have felt hopeless and low for a long time
If you have thoughts of harming yourself, call 112 (emergency services) without waiting. Where sleep and day-to-day functioning are markedly disrupted, an assessment by a psychiatrist is also important.
How Are Flashbacks Addressed in Therapy?
The first step in therapy is to understand together what these experiences are and why they arise. When a person learns that this experience is not a sign of madness but an understandable response of the brain, shame and fear can ease considerably. Next, grounding and emotion-regulation skills similar to those above are practised, so that the person can return to the present more quickly in difficult moments.
In trauma work based on cognitive behavioural therapy, the traumatic memory is addressed within a safe framework and at the person's own pace. The aim is to help the memory, which is stored in fragments with the label "it's happening now", turn into a story with a beginning and an end that belongs to the past. Along the way, meanings attached to the event, such as "It was my fault" or "Nowhere is safe", are also examined. Gradually approaching triggers helps the brain relearn that these stimuli no longer mean danger.
There are other approaches used in working with traumatic memories too. EMDR, for example, is one of the well-known methods in the field; I discuss what it is, for information purposes, in the article What is EMDR? You can find out how we work in situations where intense fear and avoidance are to the fore on the anxiety and panic page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does having flashbacks mean I'm going mad?
No. This experience is a common reaction after trauma, linked to a traumatic memory not having been sufficiently processed in the brain. The person feels as if they are reliving an event they really went through. It is possible to understand this experience and to work with it.
I don't fully remember the event, but my body reacts. Could this be a flashback too?
Yes, it could. Some moments of re-experiencing contain no images; they are felt only as an emotion, a bodily sensation or a wave of fear. Events experienced at a very young age or under intense stress in particular may not be remembered as a clear story, but the body can carry their traces. Making sense of such experiences together with a professional is helpful.
What should I do if someone next to me is having a flashback?
Speak in a calm, slow voice, say their name and remind them where they are and that they are safe. Avoid sudden touch; if you want to touch them, ask first. Once the intense moment has passed, give them some water, let them rest for a little while and don't press them to explain what happened.
Do flashbacks go away completely over time?
For many people, the frequency and intensity of these moments decrease markedly over time, especially with appropriate support. They may occasionally reappear during stressful periods or on meeting a strong trigger; however, as the person learns to cope with them, the past stops running their life.
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Eda Erkan Alapala
Klinik Psikolog. İstanbul Kent Üniversitesi Klinik Psikoloji Tezli Yüksek Lisans mezunu; bilişsel davranışçı terapi, çocuk merkezli oyun terapisi ve çocuk-ergen psikoterapisi alanlarında eğitimlerini tamamlamıştır.
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