A flashback is a psychological phenomenon in which an individual has a sudden, usually vivid, recollection of a past experience. The term is used particularly when the memory is recalled involuntarily, and/or when it is so intense that the person "relives" the experience, unable to fully recognize it as memory and not something that is happening in "real time". The medical term for the phenomenon is "hypnagogic regression".^{[citation needed]} Psychological science redirects here. ... For other uses, see Phenomena (disambiguation). ... Look up Experience in Wiktionary, the free dictionary This article discusses the general concept of experience. ...

Flashbacks are not necessarily episodic — that is, the re-experienced memories may not include specific identifying features (such as images and sounds) that were part of the original event or experience. Because there is a strong emotional component to memory as well, flashbacks can occur as a rush of feelings, emotions, and sensations associated with a traumatic event. This is especially true for young children who were lacking the cognitive abilities needed to define and characterize the trauma when they experienced it, but who may, nevertheless, relive all of the emotions associated with the traumatic event. In addition, those adult survivors of childhood trauma who have solely these emotional memories to draw on, also may experience them in flashbacks. Episodic memory, or autobiographical memory, a sub-category of declarative memory, is the recollection of events. ... Look up Emotion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Psychological trauma is a type of damage to the psyche that occurs as a result of a traumatic event. ... Look up Cognition in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A traumatic event is an event that is or may be a cause of trauma. ...

When they occur involuntarily, flashbacks may be due to a disorder such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (in cases of war-related trauma, physical or sexual abuse trauma) or Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (when a person has used psychedelic drugs). A mental illness or mental disorder refers to one of many mental health conditions characterized by distress, impaired cognitive functioning, atypical behavior, emotional dysregulation, and/or maladaptive behavior. ... Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a term for certain severe psychological consequences of exposure to, or confrontation with, stressful events that the person experiences as highly traumatic. ... For other uses, see War (disambiguation). ... Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause pain, injury, or other physical suffering or harm. ... Bad Touch redirects here. ... Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder (HPPD) is a long-term condition caused by taking hallucinogens. ... The general group of pharmacological agents commonly known as hallucinogens can be divided into three broad categories: psychedelics, dissociatives, and deliriants. ...

See also

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• LSD
• Déjà vu

External Links Physical abuse is abuse involving contact intended to cause pain, injury, or other physical suffering or harm. ... Bad Touch redirects here. ... Lysergic acid diethylamide, commonly called LSD, LSD-25, or acid. ... For other uses, see Déjà vu (disambiguation). ...

• Glossary of Traumatology
• Flashbacks - Article written in 2007