Flashbacks
What are flashbacks?
Flashbacks are vivid and frightening memories that come into your awareness suddenly and catch you by surprise (unlike when you deliberately choose to think about). They are often visual (you see them), but can also come in different forms, like being able to smell, hear, taste, or feel (an emotion or a body sensation) an aspect of a memory.
There may be an obvious trigger (something very similar has reminded you), or it can feel like it comes from out of nowhere (but often there is some kind of subtle reminder). The reminder may be of an actual event, or a dream or hallucination. Flashbacks make you feel like you're reliving the experience all over again, as it if is happening now rather than is something that happened in the past. You may feel like you have little or no control over them.
Is it common to have flashbacks?
If you remember what happened to you before you became ill/ injured and had to come to Intensive Care, you might have vivid memories of that. Patients often describe strange and disturbing hallucinations and dreams during their time in Intensive Care, which can leave them feeling confused and frightened. Also, you may have felt suspicious at times or had distressing beliefs, eg wondering if the staff and your family members were perhaps trying to harm you in some way. These things are upsetting and are often a source of flashbacks.
It is very common to have flashbacks. Most people will have flashbacks at some point, and this can be upsetting and confusing. For many people, this fades naturally with time. There is no fixed ‘timeline’ for when flashbacks stop, but as people recover physically, they can do more, mood tends to improve and flashbacks tend to reduce in frequency and intensity, and their ‘emotional charge’ lessens.
Why am I having flashbacks?
Flashbacks are a common, normal, predictable, and explainable response to traumatic experiences, and are not a sign that you are ‘losing your mind’. During situations that could be dangerous for us, we process information differently, especially if we are not fully aware of what is happening because we are unconscious. The mind repetitively replays memories in the form of flashbacks, firstly to try to help us to understand what has happened, and secondly to try to warn us be ready for future danger. This is a very instinctive human response beyond our control.
How long am I likely to have them?
For some people, the memory of these strange experiences fades with time and they don't cause them any great problem. Others, though, may continue to have them for weeks or months after they get home. If this is the case with you, speak to your GP about the possibility of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
What can I do?
Many people find it helpful to speak to family members and friends about their dreams, hallucinations, nightmares or flashbacks. It may be difficult to talk about this, as it can be upsetting, often difficult to put into words, might not make any sense at all, or you might worry that people think you're mad. You might also worry about upsetting other people as you may feel that they've been through enough. Remember that what you're going through is really common, and do try to speak about your experiences with your family and friends.
Do I need help?
Flashbacks, intrusive memories and distressing dreams that continue over a month may be symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Speak to your GP about your symptoms. He or she will refer you for treatment, if necessary.
You may also find reading this article helpful called Psychology Tools guide to critical illness, intensive care, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
If you feel you need help with this problem, see the separate article on getting help