Health & Fitness

Is suppressing traumatic memories common with PTSD?

i keep getting flashbacks of the sexual assault incident and it really affects me. i was in middle school when this happened and he was my close friend who was son of my parents friends. he sexually assaulted me and ditched me when i refused. he left me in a place where i couldn’t leave and i ended up having to jump a fence alone while i was weak. i was lost. i never told any adults because it was my fault for hanging out with him.

since the incident i stopped hanging around him and we parted ways. i forgot about him and the incident because i just mentally blocked it out but he reached out to me today and asked to hang out. it triggered these flashbacks and i feel so much guilt and shame for this happening to me. i have also had other incidents similar when i was older but i just numbed myself and dissociate

i just don’t understand why trauma is so hard to get over? is blocking out memories common for PTSD survivors? what about dissociating and emotional numbing?
Is suppressing traumatic memories common with PTSD?
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