Understanding Somatic Flashbacks and How to Manage Them
When we think of flashbacks, we often picture vivid, memory-based experiences where our minds replay moments of trauma. These are the kind depicted in movies—dramatic scenes where past and present blur into one. But past trauma doesn’t always manifest in visual or memory-based ways.
As Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, explains, the impact of trauma isn’t experienced only in our minds but also stored in our bodies. Often, trauma lingers in the body and re-emerges through physical sensations. This is known as a somatic flashback, a powerful phenomenon that can leave individuals feeling disoriented, overwhelmed, and emotionally unmoored.
Somatic flashbacks can manifest in various ways, and each person's experience may be different. Some common examples include physical sensations such as tightness in the chest or stomach, racing heart, shortness of breath, dizziness, or shaking. Others may experience emotional flashbacks, which can involve intense feelings of fear, shame, anger, or sadness without any apparent trigger.
If you’ve experienced intense physical sensations tied to past trauma—or know someone who has—you may wonder what’s happening and how to cope. This post dives into what somatic flashbacks are, how they show up, and, most importantly, practical steps to help you manage them.
What is a Somatic Flashback?
Imagine you’re sitting with a friend, enjoying a cup of coffee, when your attention is caught by an adult yelling at a young kid who you assume is their child. You instantly feel afraid, smaller, and younger… maybe your throat feels tight and it feels hard to breathe. This adult is not directing their frustration towards you, you are safe, and logically, you know this. Yet your body tells a different story.
A somatic flashback occurs when the body “remembers” a past traumatic experience, even if the mind doesn’t supply a clear memory. While visual or emotional flashbacks replay events in your consciousness, somatic flashbacks translate trauma into physical sensations. These might include pain, pressure, nausea, or even feelings like suffocation, but they vary widely between individuals.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a leading expert on trauma and author of The Body Keeps the Score, explains, “Trauma is not just an event that took place in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.” The body holds on to the fragments of experiences too overwhelming for the mind alone to process.
Somatic flashbacks are not psychotic episodes - it’s your body’s way of signaling unresolved hurt. While these sensations can be deeply unsettling, they are part of your body’s attempt to process past pain.
Recognizing Somatic Flashbacks
One of the challenges of somatic flashbacks is identifying them. Because they don’t typically come with an accompanying story or memory, recognizing a somatic flashback for what it is requires some awareness. Here are some common signs that may indicate you’re experiencing one:
Unexplained Physical Sensations: Feelings of pain, pressure, choking, or numbness in specific parts of the body that have no current medical explanation.
Body Memories: Sensations that seem to recreate aspects of a traumatic event.
Connection to Triggers: Instances in which the sensations occur following exposure to a specific environment, sight, smell, or sound that may subconsciously remind your body of past trauma.
Disconnection: A sense of detachment from the present moment.
It’s essential to rule out medical conditions before attributing physical experiences to somatic flashbacks.
How to Cope During a Somatic Flashback
If you recognize that you’re experiencing a somatic flashback, the first step is to remind yourself that this is your body’s response to a past event—not a present danger. Here are actionable steps to manage somatic flashbacks in the moment.
1. Ground Yourself in the Present
Your body may feel like it’s in a past moment where you quite literally were not safe. But your mind can gently remind it of the safe present moment. Grounding techniques can help reorient you back to reality.
Look Around: Identify objects nearby, focusing on their color, texture, or shape. Name them out loud if it helps (“This is a green mug. This is a wooden table”).
Feel the Now: Push your feet into the floor while sitting or standing, alternating pressure from side to side, from heel to toe. Give yourself a firm hug. Hold an ice cube or place a warm cloth on your face or neck.
These can bring you back into your body in a non-painful, present way.
Use Discrimination: Reassure yourself by identifying differences between your current environment and the traumatic past (“I am in my home” “I am an adult, not a little kid”).
2. Focus on Your Breath
A history of traumatic experiences can convince your body that it’s unsafe even when there is no tangible threat. This can lead to shallow breathing or even breath-holding. Using intentional breathwork can signal safety to your nervous system.
Try the 4-6-8 technique—inhale through your nose for 4 counts, hold your breath for 6 counts, and exhale slowly through your mouth for 8 counts. This engages the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you calm down.
Pair your breathing with a soothing thought or affirmation, such as, “I am safe now” or “This will pass.”
3. Try Mindfulness or Imagery
Once grounded, you can practice mindfulness to move through the experience. Rather than being consumed by the sensation, imagine yourself as a curious observer.
Pretend you’re a scientist studying the sensation. Where is it located? Is it sharp or dull? Moving or stationary? By focusing objectively and engaging curiosity, you create emotional distance from the sensation.
Use imagery to transform the sensation. For example, if it feels like tightness, picture yourself unraveling it like a tangled thread until it disappears.
4. Give It Time
Somatic flashbacks, while intense, typically don’t last forever. Even if nothing seems to help, focus on staying oriented in the present and breathing. Remind yourself, “I am triggered right now. This will end. This is just my body processing something old.”
Long-Term Strategies for Healing
While these techniques can help manage flashbacks in the moment, healing long-term requires addressing the root trauma. Here are ways to support your emotional and physical well-being.
Trauma Therapy
Body-Based Practices: Yoga, martial arts, and dance/movement practices can help you reconnect with your body and release tension.
Community Support: Connecting with others who understand trauma can help you feel less alone. Look for trauma-focused support groups or online forums.
Self-Compassion: Be gentle with yourself on this healing journey.
If you want to learn more about my work as a somatic therapist you can do so here.
Please share this with someone you know and who may benefit from the information shared.
May your days and week be filled with whatever you are most needing,
Ellen