Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are very common across all cultures. The higher the number of ACEs, the more likely it is that a person will develop a mental health diagnosis and/or a physical health consequence (e.g., cardiovascular disease).
What are ACEs?
- Did you feel that you didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, or had no one to protect or take care of you?
- Did you lose a parent through divorce, abandonment, death, or other reason?
- Did you live with anyone who was depressed, mentally ill, or attempted suicide?
- Did you live with anyone who had a problem with drinking or using drugs, including prescription drugs?
- Did you live with anyone who had a problem with drinking or using drugs, including prescription drugs?
- Did your parents or adults in your home ever hit, punch, beat, or threaten to harm each other? Did you live with anyone who went to jail or prison?
- Did a parent or adult in your home ever swear at you, insult you, or put you down?
- Did a parent or adult in your home ever hit, beat, kick, or physically hurt you in any way?
- Did you feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were special?
- Did you experience unwanted sexual contact (such as fondling or oral/anal/vaginal intercourse/penetration)?
The good news is that having a champion in your corner to help mitigate the effects can reduce the likelihood of negative effects of ACEs. Additionally, trauma is treatable no matter what age you are.