Drug Users and Their Experiences With Flashbacks

Drug Users and Their Experiences With Flashbacks Addiction Drug Use Hallucinogens Print Drug Users Experiences With Flashbacks By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 28, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on September 27, 2019 Claudia Burlotti/Getty Images More in Addiction Drug Use Hallucinogens Cocaine Heroin Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery If you have been using drugs  or spending time with drug users or people who know them, you may have heard them talking about flashbacks, and wondered what is a flashback. Flashbacks are quite a common experience among drug users, although not everyone who experiences them finds them troubling. Those that do may have Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder. What Is a Flashback? A flashback is a sensation of re-experiencing the effects of a drug  after the true effects of the drug have worn off. Most often, flashbacks are used to describe the re-experiencing of the effects of a hallucinogenic drug, such as LSD or magic mushrooms. Flashbacks typically happen in the days or weeks following ingestion of the drug but can happen months or even years after the drug use has been discontinued. Sometimes, flashbacks can be intense and unpleasant and can happen frequently, even if the person experiencing them is abstaining from drug use. Flashbacks that continue to happen in this way are a medically recognized phenomenon, which is documented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5) as Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (Flashbacks). Causes The experience of flashbacks is not caused by current intoxication of a hallucinogen, nor is it caused by another mental disorder, such as schizophrenia, nor by another medical condition, such as brain damage â€" although all of these conditions may produce similar effects to hallucinogenic drugs, such as hallucinations and delusions. Flashbacks can come on unpredictably or in response to a trigger, such as tiredness, anxiety or stress. Most often, this is when they are problematic for the individual experiencing them â€" as the individual is feeling vulnerable due to the trigger, the out-of-control feeling of being on a drug that has not been consumed can be very confusing and upsetting. However, the experience of a flashback can also be self-induced, by the individual thinking about the experience of tripping on a hallucinogenic drug, and this is not generally a problem. Contrary to a popular myth about LSD, flashbacks are not the result of LSD being stored in the body and re-released. What Are Flashbacks Like? Flashbacks usually take the form of mild visual hallucinations, such as seeing geometric formations, intensified colors, and halos or trailing after-effects of images. Occasionally, people or situations may seem bizarre or ridiculous, or the person experiencing the flashback may feel disassociated. When this happens in a social situation requiring self-control, it can be embarrassing or scary for the individual experiencing it. However, flashbacks are not usually as intense or long-lasting as an actual drug experience, usually lasting just seconds or minutes, and are easier to control mentally than intoxication or a bad trip. How to Cope Having a flashback can be quite distressing, and calming or self-soothing activities can help ease the psychological discomfort that can result. Flashbacks usually subside on their own after the drug use has been discontinued, over the course of a few months. In a flashback, the person is generally aware that they are experiencing a drug-induced effect. If the person has no insight into the drug-induced nature of their symptoms, or if these experiences persist or cause significant distress, they should seek a psychiatric assessment to determine if there is another mental health issue involved, such as psychosis. Although there is no recognized medical treatment for flashbacks, a psychologist can also help to treat the anxiety that can accompany flashbacks, giving more of a sense of self-control.