#somatic flashbacks

Hello,

Somatic flashbacks/body memories are replaying of physical sensations that happened during a traumatic event. So things like feeling hands and weight on you both sound like they could absolutely be flashbacks.

Body memories/somatic flashbacks don't have to be as extreme as the actual sensation of penetration but can be pain within the genital & pelvic area if you experienced sexual assault that included pentration. But it does have to be directly correlated to a traumatic event.

Indistinct feelings could also be emotional flashbacks, emotions are often somatic so you can feel general pain when stressed or nausea when disgusted. Certain emotions can also just be felt somewhere for example whenever I'm anxious I feel like I have a sore throat.

Trauma can also cause non-distinct pain, headaches, nausea etc due to the chronic stress state our body is pt in. this extended to even health conditions like hives.

If you have more questions don't hesitate to send it in!

Be Blessed,

hi! first i want to say thank you for running this blog, its really kind of you and yall have helped me out a lot!!

on to my question, if you have sexual trauma is it normal to feel like the person is still touching you sometimes? i sometimes will just be vibing and suddenly it feels like theyre touching me again- if it is, do you have any ways to make it go away?

thank you-

benni

Hey there, Benni! Thank you so much for the kind words, I speak in behalf of all the mods when I say that knowing we've been able to help you absolutely makes our day. Now, I'll first answer your main question clearly, then we'll get to an explanation, and them some advice:

Yes, it is normal. I'd go as far as say it's normal.

A term that's already well known for people who read on trauma and trauma disorders is flashback. What is not as well known about them, though, is that there are many different kinds of flashbacks. Without getting too technical, flashbacks are re-experiencing the sensations from the traumatic event resurface: these can range from emotions, to sounds, to, yes, touch. Absolutely normal.

For advice, you can go about it in many ways. Some people try dealing with them like any other flashbacks: reminding yourself the sensations aren't real, and ride them out. Others try to define what the triggers are and avoid them. You can also experiment with grounding yourself; seeing as though they are physical sensations, stimulating your senses may help, with different textures, sensations, and stimuli. It may work!

I've been experiencing an increase in somatic flashbacks lately. I'm not sure why, but they're happening almost daily, they're very tiring, and they completely incapacitate me for a solid 20-30 minutes at a time due to the pain; I can't move and can barely speak when they're happening, along with the obvious pain-response symptoms like increased breathing and heart rate, which aren't fun to deal with either.

Do any of the mods have experience or advice on dealing with somatic/physical flashbacks? The grounding methods I use for the other types of flashback (eg emotional) don't work so well on these ones.

Hi there,

Physical flashbacks can be really difficult to deal with and can cause a lot of distress. I'm so sorry you're dealing with them. Know that you're not alone in this.

When a somatic flashback occurs, remind yourself that you are safe. Read the time and date and look at a calendar to ground yourself into the present. Remind yourself that what you're feeling is real, but it is not happening right now.

When you're not in the moment, you can work on your mindfulness. This can help your baseline of stress and make it easier to calm your body down during a physical flashback.

Grounding can help stimulate your body in a different way. Shocking yourself into feeling something other than the flashback can help calm your system down. These are called counter-sensations. Here and here are some grounding exercises. Some of my favourites for somatic flashbacks are holding ice, eating sour candy, squeezing my muscles from bottom to top, wiggling my body, taking a hot shower, or taking a freezing shower.

Here are some breathing exercises. Practice these even when you're feeling regulated so it comes easier when you're having a flashback.

Make a self care box to calm yourself down as well. This can include sensory toys, a notebook and pen, candy, something soft, or anything else that offers you comfort and regulation.

Wishing you well.