PTSD and Homelessness: Coping with Morning Flashbacks

What helps me most is using strong sensations for your senses. I use really cold water or ice, lemons or limes, strong essential oils. And various textures

These are flashbacks. Anything you can do to ground and calm yourself is the best way to come down.

It sucks. I have that same experience, but with jail. Usually, I just sit up, take some deep breaths, and watch tv. Cuz I'm scared to go back to sleep at that point.

Hi I don't know the struggle of homelessness but I do know what it's like to wake up feeling like you're "still there" it's awful but I find the most helpful part is to wake up with "keys" around me. Things that show I'm not where I think I am. Pictures close by my bed side of family or my partner and I. I have these stuffed animals I've gotten really into since getting my life back on track and I keep one by scented in my perfume and febreeze. I find smells and pictures help pull me out of the weird half awake half asleep panic I get thinking and feeling like I never left the terrible place I was. We maybe experiencing two separate things from how your describing it and yours maybe worse. But I just wanted to share what's helped for me. Just have mementos around in bed on the nightstand. Anything that can tell your brain it's not there anymore. Best of luck and I hope this maybe even in the tiniest way helpful

No advice. I'm just here to say I'm sorry you're experiencing this.