Flashbacks from childhood?

[iliketea]

Hi, I posted this in a different part of the forum, might have got missed, wondering if anyone else has experienced this?
I had a vivid flashback memory of something that one of my parents did to the other. Not sure if you call it a flashback, I hadn’t remembered this thing had happened. Not been on my radar at all as an adult, I know I always say my childhood narrative doesn’t involve physical violence – but now I’m not too sure. My child whacked me by accident in the same place and it was like I was in a film – complete colour memory flash to my mum and dad and actually feeling the pain that was felt – remembering I could feel the pain at the time, and it was the same as I felt when my child did it to me by accident. What I do with this? I mentioned it to the CBT therapist and she just acknowledged what I said, but then moved swiftly on as I tried to talk. I can’t ask anyone if this did happen as no-one is alive. There isn’t anyone I can ask from the past. I feel strange. I’m not sure if the high intensity CBT is making me start to remember things from when I was young. Or is it being away from the abusive relationship for a certain amount of time. I don’t even know if it matters, or what the relevance of it is, or anything, I just don’t know what to make of it flashing up like that.
Any flashback experts out there? Is this a flashback or just an unlocked memory? Is there a difference?
Thanks.
x

[Hazydayz]

💕 feeling for you

[Teaandcats]

Sounds like an intrusive though – a real memory that you don’t want to remember or that causes you distress and hurt, that bang will appear when you’re feeling relaxed, stressed or overwhelmed. Flashbacks generally have a physical or somatic element to them – you’ll feel the same touch on your body that you did back then, or you will, in that moment, actually be re-living the event.
It might be ‘unlocked’ or simply your mind is now able to process this thing that happened because you have the (metaphorical) space now. Because you’re away from your abuser, in a space place and getting support, you mind can risk the memory coming up.

When it happens, take a really deep breath in, hold it for 5 seconds, then blow the breath out (make the same shape you would to whistel) for as long as you can. It’ll slow the stress hormone release your body naturally will be doing and gice you something else to focus on which helps you to not spiral into panic.

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