# Constantly getting flashbacks of embarrassing moments



## Secretaz (Sep 10, 2011)

.


----------



## MissNegative (Jul 13, 2012)

I get this too. I guess its normal for everyone to occasionally remember something and blush at the memory, but I think its a bit much to remember something, from say, 12 years ago and stew over it for a long time. I always have to think about the people that witnessed something embarrassing happen to me and go on to think what a weirdo, what an embarrassment of a person they think I am etc. But like you say, alot of people probably won't even remember. They got too much things in their life going on to think about it. Honestly, this issue is massive for me and reading it on here today has reminded me I'm not at all alone. Last night I was tossing and turning in bed, remembering things, reading peoples thoughts, and trying to tell myself to stop is impossible at bedtime. Take care!


----------



## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

Rumination is a *****. I know exactly how you feel. During periods where my mental stimulation is low, this always happens eventually.


----------



## Miss Imaginary (Jul 4, 2012)

I get this too. Makes me physically cringe.


----------



## mrneonshuffle (Jul 13, 2012)

Wow I never thought of this affecting anybody else until I read this, yeah it's horrible recalling embarrassing stuff from the past, such as when I gave a best man speech in front of 200 people a few years ago and I was visibly shaking and stumbling over some of the words! There's plenty of others but that one came to mind just now!


----------



## Charcoal (Apr 15, 2012)

Happens all the time, but not just embarrassing moments, moments I just want to forget in general. That's why I try to keep busy, if I have time to think my mind wanders and gets me into all kinds of trouble. Being physical exhausted doesn't give me a chance, also has the plus of keeps my depression under wraps. Completely normal.


----------



## tehuti88 (Jun 19, 2005)

When something upsets me, I have this kind of "cascade" effect in my head, like dominoes toppling, as one bad past experience after another after another replays in my head and adds to the current issue. As a result, something that's relatively minor triggers a major meltdown.

I'm sorry I haven't any advice for how to avoid it.  It has an almost obsessive-compulsive element to it, intrusive thoughts, an endless loop. Is there any way for you to try to distract yourself? Exercise? Are you getting any sort of treatment?


----------



## Dr Hobo Scratch MD (Jun 24, 2011)

what was your mindset before these things start happening? what was your mood? an important way our minds link random events in time is through association. more than likely you were beating yourself up about some life situation or maybe you just slipped into a icky mood. feeling that awful feeling may have triggered thoughts about how f***ed up you are for feeling that way. since your on the subject mentally of you being a f*** up old memories associated with what your mind is focused on offer "proof" examples of times you f***ed up. see how it works? if you start meditation practice you will see this allot. the mind constantly drifts and when your unaware just continues to drift in association links.


----------



## Invisiblehandicap (Jul 31, 2011)

Oh yes. They often come up for no reason. The brain is addicted to anxiety and rumination. It is looking for something to be anxious about.


----------



## Equimanthorn (Aug 5, 2012)

I do this to myself a lot too. Can ruin an entire day just going through the book of bad/embarrassing memories in my head.


----------



## Miyuu (Aug 9, 2012)

Happens to me all the time as well. Mostly when I do something which reminds me of said incident, and then I start remembering all kinds of other embarrassing stuff as well. I sometimes need to shout "Shut up!" at myself just to interrupt the flow of memories...


----------



## Billius (Aug 7, 2012)

sometimes I get this so bad i can even move just sit shaking


----------



## scarpia (Nov 23, 2009)

Yep - I still get that. Even with some of the really awful stuff that happened 20 years ago. But this is because my school years were extremely traumatic. That is why I advise everyone in a bad school to either drop out or go on a shooting rampage.


----------



## iwrite1 (Aug 15, 2012)

I think of them involuntarily. Sometimes ones of high school or middle school, like when I wet my pants in front of my girlfriend on a cold winter day when she couldn't make the key work in the lock at her mom's house. Also think of it :afrwhen I have to pee really bad. Or when I was awkward in various ways a million times.


----------



## DefendAll (Jul 12, 2012)

yea i still get these i dont kno why either but i hate it


----------



## ourwater (Jun 2, 2012)

What are your flashbacks like? Many of my flashbacks are during anticipatory anxiety and are in third person. Most are catatonic type situations where I'm just staring off into space, or looking up at someone or something. Also, the flashbacks that involve me anticipating a flashback later are very surreal. Like talking with my mother when she has a manic episode, or hiding on the floor in the car.


----------



## VVVanessa (Mar 9, 2014)

*Hi*

I have the exact same thing, shameful moments of things I have done throughout my life. Some of the things happened when I was a child and didn't understand embarrassment, and I had long forgotten the event. These flashbacks happen to me more often when I'm alone also, although they can also happen while I'm in the conversation with someone else. It's not even just the mental image of the occurrence, it's the feeling that comes with it. I will feel it coming on before I actually see it. This feeling of humiliation and shame. I've had this for 14 years now, started it when I was 12. I thought that it may have originated from one of the new medications I had started that year, dexedrine or risperdal. I had started on some other medications but can't remember it anymore, some where fore epilepsy and others to try and counteract the side affects of other medications.


----------



## Alienated (Apr 17, 2013)

http://news.yahoo.com/did-just-happen-brain-alters-mental-timelines-142316790.html

Did that really happen ?? Or have you altered it in a delusion ? Resentments, and replaying alterative outcomes of perceived conversations, emotions, motives of others and even ourselves.....

We deceive ourselves into a box of self induced delusions, and self destructive behavior. Because tomorrows decisions will be made on what you experienced today, but did it even ever really happen that way, or even happen at all ??


----------



## xmorganx (Mar 7, 2014)

I'm constantly rethinking/remembering things that I did/wish I had done.


----------



## CEB32 (Mar 6, 2014)

I havent done this in about 2 weeks, after reading this however i am sure it will come back lol.

There are 2 in particular which drive me mad and they are such small things which cant even possibly have future issues related to them. The way alot of us live i suppose dwelling and reliving such things is pretty normal and common


----------



## itsdatguy (Jun 10, 2013)

Anyone develop a coping mechanism when these flashbacks happen? I get them A LOT and it puts my body in a cringe. I got into a habit of closing my eyes like i'm in pain and shaking my head a few times. I also say "blah" of under my breath. I've conditioned myself to think that the discomfort will not go away unless I do the said actions. (now i sound like rainman). I've been caught a few times doing it in front of people and they are starting wonder if I've lost it.


----------



## A SAD Finn (Sep 16, 2007)

Yeah, it's very annoying but I would think it must be pretty common to people suffering from anxiety. It's kind of weird that when these flashbacks come sometimes I get really embarrassed like I was experiencing the situation at that moment. On the other hand if I consciously try to think of them I don't necessarily get that feeling but I can analyze the situation rationally. When these flashback come I say stop in my head and try to think about something else. I've found it useful to sometimes think about all the past failures and forgive myself. This is best done in a calm environment when you are relaxed and in good mood. For a while it helps to take away the emotional pain associated with the flashbacks.


----------



## Zoey121 (Feb 17, 2015)

I remember embarrassing things that happened 10 years ago. Things that will never be brought up again. For instance, when I was 7 or 8 I wrote all over this soccer ball for my dad for Father's Day. The things I wrote were kind of embarrassing, like one thing I wrote was "spank dad". I also wrote "love dad" and "hug dad". Now, all kids say and do stuff that they don't understand so I shouldn't feel as embarrassed as I do. I just feel silly remembering something like that and still being embarrassed. Am I being dumb?


----------



## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

itsdatguy said:


> Anyone develop a coping mechanism when these flashbacks happen? I get them A LOT and it puts my body in a cringe. I got into a habit of closing my eyes like i'm in pain and shaking my head a few times. I also say "blah" of under my breath. I've conditioned myself to think that the discomfort will not go away unless I do the said actions. (now i sound like rainman). I've been caught a few times doing it in front of people and they are starting wonder if I've lost it.


The main thing to remember is that (1) it's over and (2) you don't want to do it again. Just remind yourself that it doesn't have to happen again and you don' thave to relive it.


----------



## kageri (Oct 2, 2014)

Lamictal helps a lot. I can remember back to 3 years old and I flash constantly especially when I haven't gotten enough sleep. Everything I watch, everything I read... it all sets off memories constantly. I tried to respond with positive alternatives but I find it's actually better to not give the thoughts that time. I started pushing dreams out of my head as soon as I wake up so I don't remember the ones that make me feel bad. When my brain tries to think back at them I immediately send it on to something else like my routine of getting up or sometimes I can just blank it. I've started applying that same tactic to the flashes but it's a little harder since they are solidly in memory unlike dreams that do not go in to longterm memory if you don't think about them.


----------

