The only way to avoid is to ignore, the very fact that you have to avoid something show that it has...to a degree an effect on you. But all this ignoring is only possible by repetitively pushing all these thoughts away, which sooner or later turn into intentionally forgeting the very thing you are trying to avoid.

Well that was the whole point of avoidence isn't it. To forget what bothers you.

Fot the matter to have an effect on you shows that it meant something to you. Forgeting something that means something to you, something that was a part of you, equates to forgetting a part of yourself. Sooner or later you just loose yourself in all this forgetting.

So instead of avoidance, facing it, embracing it, dealing with it and  finally being at peace with the matter stands out to be the better option, wouldn't it?