What are ACEs?
ACEs, or adverse childhood experiences, are conditions a child is exposed to before the age of 18. In the original research, the following were included: sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, emotional or physical neglect, loss of a parent through death or divorce, incarceration of a parent, mental illness or substance abuse in a parent, and domestic violence in the home. Experiencing any of these before adulthood increases the risk of a wide range of mental or physical health problems throughout life, and experiencing four or more dramatically increases that risk.
Don't Despair!
Though research has linked experiencing trauma and abuse in childhood with a greater risk of developing cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, anxiety, depression, and other illnesses, the good news is that most people DON'T. And actively working to recover from what you've experienced will set you on a path to better health. That's why we are telling our story---to raise awareness, and help others find healing (you can read our book and check out our podcast). ❤️