Triggers, Flashbacks, and Fantasia: Intrusive Death Imagery following Homicide Loss

Abstract

Psychological trauma following the murder of a loved one can be tormenting for survivors who involuntarily re-experience their loss in gruesome, sensory-laden images from both witnessed and imagined scenes of the violent death. Intrusive images and cognitions of the event, often experienced in the acute aftermath of homicide, can also be triggered throughout the lifetime of persons suffering traumatic loss. This article differentiates and explores traumagenic re-experiencing phenomena by two types: flashback imagery of the literal event as witnessed by the survivor and non-witnessed imagery that can be abstract, fantastical representations of the violent death scene. Both types are described, compared, and contrasted against the backdrop of the author's own experience of traumata following the murder of her husband. Re-experiencing imagery is discussed as a primary distressor for homicide-loss survivors. Implications for practice point to aiding survivors in developing safety, insight and mastery over disquieting, intrusive imagery of violent loss.