For many people, ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) is at the root of their adult issues. This information is provided to help you understand the many contributing factors to the loss of one’s authentic self.
What are ACEs?
ACEs are adverse childhood experiences that harm children’s developing brains so profoundly that the effects show up decades later; they cause much of chronic disease, most mental illness, and are at the root of most violence. “ACEs” comes from the CDC-Kaiser Adverse Childhood Experiences Study, a groundbreaking public health study that discovered that childhood trauma leads to the adult onset of chronic diseases, depression and other mental illness, violence and being a victim of violence. The ACE Study has published about 70 research papers since 1998. Hundreds of additional research papers based on the ACE Study have also been published.
The 10 ACEs the researchers measured:
— Physical, sexual and verbal abuse.
— Physical and emotional neglect.
— A family member who is:
- depressed or diagnosed with other mental illness;
- addicted to alcohol or another substance;
- in prison.
— Witnessing a mother being abused.
— Losing a parent to separation, divorce or other reason.
Of course, there are many other types of childhood trauma — such as witnessing a sibling being abused, witnessing violence outside the home, witnessing a father being abused by a mother, being bullied by a classmate or teacher – but only 10 types were measured. They provide a useful marker for the severity of trauma experienced. Other types of trauma may have a similar impact.
Reference: https://acestoohigh.com/aces-101
My ACEs Blog Posts:
- Got Your ACE Score?
- Q1: ACEs – Fear of physically being hurt…
- Q2: ACEs – Hit so hard that…
- Q3: ACEs – Touch or fondle you…
- Q4: ACEs – No one in your family…
- Q5: ACEs – Parents were too drunk or high…
- Q6: ACEs – Parents separated or divorced?
- Q7: ACEs – Was your mother or stepmother…
- Q8: ACEs – Anyone who was a problem drinker…
- Q9: ACEs – Household member depressed…
- Q10: ACEs – Prison
Other ACEs Web Resources:
- ACEs Connection – A Community-of-Practice Social Network – Join the movement to prevent ACEs, heal trauma & build resilience.
Recommended Reading:
Currently, I am reading, “Childhood Disrupted: How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal” by Donna Jackson Nakazawa – Click here for more details about this book and others on the topic of ACES
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