Normally, memories come with a sense that they happened in the past. Flashbacks can be different. When a flashback is triggered, the memory may not be connected to the information that says, “This has already happened. It’s over now.” Because this information is missing, when the memory is activated, the brain experiences it as “this is happening now.”
This can also make flashbacks feel much more vivid than ordinary memories. For example, if you are eating a piece of chocolate cake right now, you can smell it, taste it, and feel its texture. If you remember eating chocolate cake last week, the memory is usually less vivid and more distant. Flashbacks can feel more like the first experience than the second, which is one reason they can seem so real and immediate.
This page is part of the What Is Dissociation? section of the CommuniDID site, which explains how dissociation works and why it develops.
Explore related topics:
- Questions about dissociation
- Why Can Trauma Survivors Feel Disconnected from Their Own Experiences?
- Try This When a Flashback Hits
- This Sense Can Interrupt Flashbacks
- Why Do Flashbacks Feel Physically Real?
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