Adverse childhood experiences are incredibly common, and a local organization is looking to spread the word about what are commonly referred to as ACEs.
According to a Centers for Disease Control study conducted from 1995 to 1997, ACEs can affect not only a person’s behavior and physical health later in life, but also how their offspring are wired. The study looked at more than 17,000 Californians’ childhood experiences as compared to their health and behavior as adults, and it focused on 10 adverse childhood experiences grouped into three categories: abuse, neglect and household challenges. Specifically, ACEs include emotional abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, seeing the mother treated violently, household substance abuse, mental illness in household, parental separation or divorce, having a household member who engages in criminal activity, emotional neglect and physical neglect.
The study found that those who had experienced adverse childhood experiences before age 18 had a higher chance of not only developing lifestyle issues such as alcohol abuse, smoking and drug use, but also physical effects including heart disease and liver disease. Almost two-thirds of participants reported at least one adverse childhood experience, and more than 1 in 5 participants reported three or more. The more ACEs a person had experienced, the more intense the negative health outcome.
[For more on this story by HANNAH HERNER, go to https://www.nashvillescene.com...hildhood-experiences]
Comments (0)