Denying or bypassing negative thoughts and feelings or avoiding situations that remind you of the original trauma will prevent the body from being able to rid itself of the trauma you initially experienced. At that point, those undigested emotions (anger, fear, shame) become entangled in the residue and indistinguishable from the original event. When all this happens, any new situation you experience that’s even mildly uncomfortable or feels unsafe produces a biochemical reaction akin to the first trauma.
