What are ACEs?
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) refer to traumatic events that occur during a person's childhood. These events can have long-lasting effects on a person's physical and mental health, social functioning, and overall well-being. The most common types of ACEs include physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, and parental separation or divorce. Also, very common but less recognized types include having emotionally absent parents, coming home to an empty home at a young age, having excessive and perfectionistic expectations placed on youth, and perceived favoritism towards other siblings.
Effects of ACEs and Research
Research by the NJ Funders ACEs Collaborative has shown that ACEs can have a profound impact on a person's health and development, emotional well-being, and mental health. These impacts can also have long-lasting effects long into adulthood. Children who experience ACEs are more likely to develop chronic health conditions, such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. They are also at a higher risk for mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and substance use disorders.
ACEs can also have an impact on a person's social functioning. Children who experience ACEs are more likely to have difficulty forming healthy relationships and may struggle with trust and intimacy. They may also have difficulty managing and regulating their emotional responses which can pose problems when resolving conflict with family and peers.
While a high ACEs score might not always fall under the diagnostic criteria for PTSD, the symptomatology is often very similar. Adults with high ACEs scores can often be highly irritable, hypervigilant, have trust issues, have difficulty creating healthy relationships, and experience excessive anxiety and worry.
How to address the effects of ACEs
Fortunately, some steps can be taken to mitigate the impact of ACEs. One of the most important is early intervention. Children who experience ACEs should be identified as early as possible and provided with appropriate support and treatment. If you are an adult with high ACEs, it’s not too late to address some of the concerns and struggles you have. It’s important to get regular medical checkups and discuss your medical history with your medical providers. Several evidence-based therapeutic interventions have shown to be helpful when working with the effects of ACEs. It’s important to consult with a licensed mental health provider to discuss your options.
In conclusion, adverse childhood experiences can have a profound impact on a person's physical and mental health, social functioning, and overall well-being lasting well into adulthood. For adults with a high ACEs score, it’s not too late to address any concerns you might have stemming from an adverse childhood.
Curious about your ACEs score? Take the test here.