hey nightskye, i can feel ya ... i am not sure of what to suggest other than trying the distration that you are doing with the movie... and another distraction might be practice your breathing ... breath in on a count of 5... look at your fingers when you inhale... hold your breath for a second and then let the air out slowly on the countdown from 5 ... only do this a 3 or 4 times or you will get light headed... and you don't need that... are you taking medications for the flashbacks ... some of the calming ones? i do and they help me ... but they take about 20 minutes to get into your system... i am going to sit here a few more minutes and see if i can think of anything else... i know that trying visualization will help also... start thinking of something pleasant... perhaps the sound of a babbling brook or of the most beautiful sunset you have ever seen... i know this may sound not right... but it may help your mind to change gears a bit... good luck... i know that it is hard... if i can think of anything else... i will type it to you...

Thanks for your advice. The breathing helps a little, especially sense I haven't been breathing right sense they started. I am on an anxiety med but that doesn't really help... I don't really know if any of my multiple psych meds are for flashbacks. I will try the visualization thing. Thanks.

I know how you feel. I was severly abuised as a child and to this day when someone starts yelling or anything like this I go into like a panic mode. flashbacks are the worse and i feel your pain. I try to do deep breathing exercise and that its ok im not theyre. its hard to avoid them somethimes. My neighbors upstairs fight alot and in front of their kid it reminds me of my family as a child and sometimes i think about it and back to it and think god what is this child going to think when she is older. Have you done therapy though. I had gone through therapy to talk about it and learn coping skills. I hope that helps maybe.

I can relate, I know there are lots of strategic tools out there for flashback coping but learning tools means doing research (Google is your best friend), then you also have to practice them; eg. Role play how you would respond when triggered.
If people are yelling/fighting that I live with, I must take a walk ( leave the area for a while) or else I erupt in a rage (protector flashback). I hope you can find strategies that work for you. Keep in mind, it's like medication, you may have to try a few before you find what works.

My flashbacks have been horrible also lately.

Sorry to hear this. I am also rendered helpless with these flashbacks. It's been really traumatic. I can't stop playing them over and over. You are not alone.

At times, I feel like I can hear voices. Voices of the ppl in my head that I have had traumatic incidents with. It makes me feel paranoid but I know it's my brain trying to process all these thoughts.

hey John what do you mean when you say protector flashback? like a flashback to a protector figure? Sorry I just dont know all that much about flashbacks

Hi Nightskye7, I'm so sorry you've been having a tough time. Totally empathise with you, and think you're doing the right thing to be breathing calmly and trying to distract yourself. Also great you've got your boyfriend to support - makes such a difference to have that support.

My boyfriend and I made a strategy which has really helped with my flashbacks recently. At a time when I was feeling ok, we made a list of things which were really sensory and kind of simple tasks. They range from a hot bath and watching an interesting documentary online, to lighting scented candles and stuff. We made a box with all the things I need for it which I keep in my room. It has the things to do the list of tasks, numbers to phone if it all gets too much and some money in case I can't sort it on my own and I need to get a cab to get some more help.

I know it's not exactly rocket science, but I really like having a "go to plan" to go to when things are scary. If I do the whole list it take about an hour. If I'm still struggling by the end of doing it all, then that's when I know I need a bit more help. Something about the structure of it (and the fact we designed it together) reminds me that I'm in control and safe and supported....and in the present.

Hope this helps x

@twilight, more like flashback triggers a protector side of me that was created as way to cope.

ah ok thanks for clearing that up