How to explain Emotional flashbacks?
So most people are familiar with the concept of PTSD for soldiers. So the best understanding can be achieved in my opinion when you compare it to a soldier's experience and explain it as follows:
Like a soldier with PTSD may have experienced something tramatic in a terrible war zone with bombs gunfire etc... That situation made them legitimately feel afraid for their life, they felt panic and lots of intense emotions. Then they come home years might go by and a balloon could pop near them and instantly they are filled with all the real feelings that they had on the battle field the fear, the feelings of danger and more... Often they can't immediately realize that the real emotions they are feeling really aren't warranted. Emotionally that balloon popping has brought all the feelings of their former trauma to the present. That soldier experienced a flashback when all his once legitimate emotions were triggered by a subconcious belief that they are back in a danger zone.
Emotional PTSD or C-PTSD is very similar. a person who experienced legitimate hurt and trauma can have a "flashback" of the fear and anxiety and more that the abuse once did. This happens when a trigger is set off. Like the harmless "balloon popping" can cause the soldier to feel like they are back on the battle field. A person with C-PTSD might feel the full emotional weight of years of abuse rush back to them when triggered by something that reminded them of their trauma. It probably won't be a loud noise but it could be a certain phrase, or a tone of voice, or a certain situation etc...
For the person dealing with flashbacks from an abusive relationship it can be much harder than the soldier to determine if the emotions are actually a reasonable response to the situation or if the trigger was only reminding them of past hurt.
Hopefully that explanation helps
So most people are familiar with the concept of PTSD for soldiers. So the best understanding can be achieved in my opinion when you compare it to a soldier's experience and explain it as follows:
Like a soldier with PTSD may have experienced something tramatic in a terrible war zone with bombs gunfire etc... That situation made them legitimately feel afraid for their life, they felt panic and lots of intense emotions. Then they come home years might go by and a balloon could pop near them and instantly they are filled with all the real feelings that they had on the battle field the fear, the feelings of danger and more... Often they can't immediately realize that the real emotions they are feeling really aren't warranted. Emotionally that balloon popping has brought all the feelings of their former trauma to the present. That soldier experienced a flashback when all his once legitimate emotions were triggered by a subconcious belief that they are back in a danger zone.
Emotional PTSD or C-PTSD is very similar. a person who experienced legitimate hurt and trauma can have a "flashback" of the fear and anxiety and more that the abuse once did. This happens when a trigger is set off. Like the harmless "balloon popping" can cause the soldier to feel like they are back on the battle field. A person with C-PTSD might feel the full emotional weight of years of abuse rush back to them when triggered by something that reminded them of their trauma. It probably won't be a loud noise but it could be a certain phrase, or a tone of voice, or a certain situation etc...
For the person dealing with flashbacks from an abusive relationship it can be much harder than the soldier to determine if the emotions are actually a reasonable response to the situation or if the trigger was only reminding them of past hurt.
Hopefully that explanation helps