What is the link between the compulsion to repeat trauma and avoidance of situations reminiscent of it?

Trauma reenactment theory is very interesting regarding . from what i remember its more about repeating the trauma "mentally" and harming yourself than it is about the situation. A lot of girls who are orally d end up with bulimia and the vomiting becomes symbolic to oral . you can't expose people to "situations" like you would if someone has a phobia. that sort of structured behaviour modification programme is not at all helpful for and trauma. the cognitive approach works much better.