The part about "forgotten" trauma really jumped out at me. If you can't buy into the "forgotten" bit, then hopefully you'll be open to exploring "repression". Abusers often brainwash and gaslight their targets to such an extent that they will believe their lies (what the abuser is saying is/isn't happening) over the truth (what the target knows is actually going on).

Rarely does someone choose to self-injure and/or dissociate from concious awareness for no reason at all. Often there is going to be some unresolved deep emotional pain that is causing us to do this, and it often revolves around those we relied on and looked up to the most while were were growing up, and they ended up bullying, abusing and betraying us instead.

Of course, all this is based on my own personal experience, but in the 20+ years I've been in therapy (individual and group), I have yet to meet anyone that dissociates and self-injures that wasn't seriously bullied and abused in one way or the other and resorted to dissociation and self-injury to numb themselves because there was no other way for them to cope and deal with the overwhelming emotional pain regarding what was going on at the time.

As far as my own self-injury goes, it has vastly improved over time as I have found healthier ways to cope and deal with the unspeakable acts committed against me by my parents and siblings when I was a child, adolescent and young adult, and with that being said, I'd like to add that while our families of origin aren't always the culprits, often they are, and THAT is what makes it even harder for us to face our truth over their lies.

I encourage you to continue working on this in therapy (individual and group), and am sending you warm wishes to heal well as you continue to find the courage and strength to explore what is causing you to self-injure and dissociate in the first place.

Sincerely,
Pfrog!