A constant stream of intrusive memories

[[Pe...]]

Woah.. Today about a hundred memories from the past just came flashing in. Opposed to PTSD flashbasks, they were all kinds of memories: good, neutral and bad memories. I'm definitely a little dissociated, and I'm not in major emotional distress. This is just so bizarre (they haven't stopped, and it's been almost 2 hours!) does anyone else experience this?!

[[Re...]]

This happens to me too. It's normal. Here is a link explaining what's happening in the brain that causes some of the weird symptoms of benzo recovery including intrusive memories. http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=66397.0  It gave me some comfort having this information.

[[Pe...]]

Ah yes I've saved that one but hadn't read the whole way through. The hippocampus part - makes total sense now. Thank you Red Sky

[[Re...]]

No problem. We are not losing our minds! Even though it sure feels that way. 

[[Ma...]]

Woah.. Today about a hundred memories from the past just came flashing in. Opposed to PTSD flashbasks, they were all kinds of memories: good, neutral and bad memories. I'm definitely a little dissociated, and I'm not in major emotional distress. This is just so bizarre (they haven't stopped, and it's been almost 2 hours!) does anyone else experience this?!

This doesn't sound totally unpleasant...it may be like your mind is having vivid dreams again--that you're clearer and more awake and open to the stream of life. The benzos clouded and numbed me. I now have more memories and dreams, and though it's a little scary, feel like it's part of the healing process. Be well!

[[Pe...]]

You're right. It was a lot of reflective reverie. And the negative ones weren't as bad because Ive already done a lot of trauma therapy. I actually feel totally mesmerized and in awe about how chaotic yet magical the human experience has been.

[[ke...]]

That's a sign that the limbic system is starting to function again, with a vengeance. I totally had that. Strange stuff, but not something to fret about.

[[Fr...]]

Although unfortunate, it is good to see some more posts other than my own about this pop up about this. Intrusive memories have been my most intense symptom to date. It isn't really like reliving trauma from PTSD, that I know. I find myself reliving very random things both good and bad, with no real order or timeline to them. Sometimes they can be happy though, and I find myself feeling almost a little euphoric...remembering some of the good things. It isn't even really remembering...I actually RELIVE memories and feel the atmosphere from that specific time period. Most of the time, especially in the beginning, this would terrify me. I remember walking outside in the middle of January and feeling like it was the summer of my senior year of high school...it was strange and wicked and nauseating. Sometimes it gets really deep...I remember one time reliving the feeling of a specific flu I caught several years ago! Pretty much everything in my external reality can trigger an intrusive memory...it can be very tiring. Certain smells throw me off and make me feel weird and unnerved. I am learning to cope with this more now. I know that benzos have a great impact on our memories, and I would imagine that there is a great amount of memory suppression and entanglement while on them. I think that when coming off, our memories come back online and our brains try to put everything back in the right box...sometimes mixing up some files in the wrong spot. Ride with the waves, trust me...it's much easier that way.

[[Pe...]]

Thank you all got the encouragement and reassurance. I definitely feel a lot better knowing that it's a sign of my hippocampus and emotion centres healing! I'm okay with surfing the waves

 

Oh man, I totally understand that feeling too. This morning I thought I was still

In undergrad and in a fight with an (ex)partner in Amsterdam. I had feelings of wanting to resolve the conflict, and then realized that I'm no where near Amsterdam and we resolved it several years ago. Lol.