A flashback is a vivid experience in which you relive some aspects of a traumatic event or feel as if it is happening right now. This can sometimes be like watching a video of what happened, but flashbacks do not necessarily involve seeing images, or reliving events from start to finish. You might experience any of the following:

1. seeing full or partial images of what happened
2. noticing sounds, smells or tastes connected to the trauma
3. feeling physical sensations, such as pain or pressure
4. experiencing emotions that you felt during the trauma.

You might notice that particular places, people or situations can trigger a flashback for you, which could be due to them reminding you of the trauma in some way. Or you might find that flashbacks seem to happen at random. Flashbacks can last for just a few seconds, or continue for several hours or even days.