Flashback (concept)

A flashback is a sudden, involuntary memory that unexpectedly brings past events vividly into the present. It’s as if you temporarily relive a previous experience, often triggered by a similar sight, sound, or feeling. Flashbacks are common in conditions like PTSD, where traumatic memories resurface intensely, but they can also happen in everyday life during moments of strong emotion or recollection. Essentially, a flashback blurs the line between past and present, making you feel as though you are back in the original situation, even though it’s not happening right now.