When someone experiences a traumatic event they can develop PTSD, this has a specific set of criteria to meet, despite the ongoing self diagnosis which can occur, PTSD is only diagnosed when a person meets the criteria. The criteria is also time sensitive, so if you have experienced a traumatic event and you are assessed a week later, and you meet the criteria of the clinical questions it means you are experiencing the symptoms, yet do not have PTSD, you would need to be assessed after one month has passed from the time of the incident. If you still meet the criteria from the DSM-V you will then either receive a diagnosis of PTSD or a differential diagnosis.
Why is this important to know?
Well , one of the criteria is the B-Clusters. The B clusters are where the re-experiencing symptoms of PTSD reside. This means the criteria for the different types of flashbacks
The Neuroscience of Flashbacks: How Traumatic Memories are Stored and Retrieved.
Flashbacks are a common symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While flashbacks can be triggered by a variety of stimuli, such as smells, sounds, or images, the neuroscience behind them is complex and involves several key brain regions.
One important area of the brain involved in flashbacks is the amygdala. The amygdala is responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety, and plays a crucial role in the formation and retrieval of traumatic memories. When a person experiences a traumatic event, the amygdala is activated and the memory is encoded with a high degree of emotional intensity and sensory detail. This makes the memory more vivid and difficult to forget or ignore.
Another key region of the brain involved in flashbacks is the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for executive functions such as decision-making, planning, and impulse control. In people with PTSD, the prefrontal cortex may become less active, making it harder to regulate emotions and control the retrieval of traumatic memories.
Apply ing the 54321 Technique forces the pre frontal cortex back online, this is due to the person needing to focus to answer the questions of the 54321 technique. The 5 senses are also being focused else where and the chosen information is replacing the sensory information of the flashback. This is why it is so helpful when one is starting to notice they are going into hyper or hypo arousal.