I learned here at DS PTSD to take over the counter melatonin as a sleep aid. Sleep's my most basic defense against flashbacks getting away from me.

Welcome to the forum, Angie.

Any flavor of stress, physical and/or emotional, seems to worsen my flashbacks. Insufficient or poor quality sleep is pretty high on that stress list. Might even be the baddest girl on the list. I often think that poor sleep causes my dreams to leak into my day. Like daydreams with nasty breath.

I make them stop by working my therapy program. I have been building that program for enough years that I am sleeping much better and my flashbacks are closer to normal memories, however ugly they may be.

What have you tried so far?

Because when we are tired, bone tired, the gates are too heavy to keep up om place. The flashes tumble over and out.
We are here. I have spent a lot of time here sorting mine. They are now just the boxed dioramas, not gone. Just put where they belong, put up and away. So there is room to fill with something better. What you like is a good place to start. For me it's drawing and music. For you, if your not sure there is adventure in finding out too.
Gentle hugs.Jewell

I like to use lavender massage oil on me and have a lavender essential oil in a warmer going at night. Helps me be calm and get to sleep. before that I was taking zolpidiem to get to sleep because I couldn't fall asleep for the longest time.

Tired and stressed brains are vulnerable brains, is how I understand it. I am often in that state. Gentlest healing to you.

listen to music without words hugs minnie