Lived Experience Forum

[jamesle2015]

Has anyone worked in a few jobs over the past 10 or 20 years?

I get 'flashbacks' from previous jobs...

I wish I didn't have them but I can't control it ...

I can 'see' the people who used to work there and I can recall some conversations ..

and this was from more than 12 years ago....

not negative normal conversation with some other people but it is strange I can remember

what they said ...

I can remember a very bad customer from a few years back in my current job...

it's easy to think if negative things from my current job....anyone who works facing customers

will know what I am talking about...

Why is it that negative things get stuck in my memory and I can remember it as

if it happened recently?

I worked in a few places....that must be part of the reason for the 'flashbacks'

does anyone else have these 'flashbacks'?

[Magpie2]

I have at times had other flashbacks (related to PTSD), intrusive thoughts/memories, but wonder if what you are describing might be considered more like memories. It's just a thing that distressing or 'negative' memories can tend to be more powerful/memorable. 

Maybe see what you think about whether this article on 'negativity bias' is at least part of what you're talking about? https://positivepsychology.com/3-steps-negativity-bias/

(FWIW, I hate categorising stuff into positive and negative, trying too hard to overemphasise the positive, or describing people as 'positive' or 'negative'. But I think this concept/article mostly isn't doing that.) Even if the article is helpful in describing what you are experiencing, still feel free to talk about it it more if you like. 

[jamesle2015]

@Magpie2 that's a great website very interesting I'll have to spend some time reading