Why Avoiding Trauma Memories Can Keep PTSD Alive

Avoiding painful memories can feel like the most sensible response to trauma: if thinking about it hurts, why think about it? But avoidance can produce immediate relief while unintentionally teaching the brain that the memory itself remains dangerous. This episode explores the psychology and biology of trauma avoidance, what the research actually shows, and why recovery often involves learning to remember without experiencing the memory as a present threat.