Mo’ ACEs, Mo’ Problems: How Your Childhood Could be Wrecking Your Health as an Adult
Img src: Dr. G.
You’ve probably heard it before: your past affects your present. And you’ve probably told yourself this before: my past is not my present. So which one is it? Well, it depends. What happened to you as a child can affect you as an adult-big time! Let’s break this one down piece by piece.
What is an ACE?
ACE stands for adverse childhood experiences. In the original study there were 10 of them:
Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Physical neglect
Emotional neglect
Divorce
Incarceration
Mental illness
Substance abuse
Mother treated violently
There are a few things you should know about ACEs. Firstly, they’re incredibly common. In one study 67% of the participants had at least one ACE, 13% of them had four or more ACEs. Second thing to know about ACEs is they affect our health in a dose-response. What this means is exactly what the title of this blog says: mo’ ACEs, mo’ problems.
In fact, the more ACEs you have, the more at risk you are for chronic diseases. With a score of four or higher, you’re 3x at risk for heart disease or cancer than those with lower ACEs scores. Perhaps the most astounding finding is that there is a 20-year difference in life expectancy for high ACE scores in children if left untreated.
What can I do?
I know the TVF tribe is always looking to improve their wellness. So I know you’ve probably asked by now- how do I know if I have ACEs and what can I do if I have a high score? If you really want to take the screener, then ask your primary care physician if she/he/they can screen you for ACEs. It’s really important to do this with a licensed professional because the screener can be retraumatizing and bring some ‘ish from the past. If you look at the list of 10 ACEs above and you’re like “yep had that one, yep, yep, that one too,” then you already have a good idea that you’re a thriver of ACEs (like me!). As a trained psychologist, I’m going to encourage you to talk it over with someone you trust, someone that will listen to you, someone that will validate you, and someone that will positively encourage you. That might be your therapist, your pastor, your barber. If that doesn’t sit well with you, then practice the 7 Domains of Wellness as much as you can.
The 7 Domains of Wellness
Sleep: don’t trip on how much sleep to get. Focus on routines and consistent bedtimes and wake-up times.
Nutrition: living in a food desert? Again, don’t trip. Focus on eating dinner at the table with family or friends - roll deep and talk deep.
Exercise: if you’re reading this - you already know. Get your joyful movement in and sweat it out as often as you can.
Supportive relationships: like I said above, supportive = someone you trust, someone that listens to you, someone that validates you, and someone that positively encourages you. Spend time with those people.
Mindfulness: no need to meditate every day - but snaps if you do! Just find mindful moments. Follow your breath through an entire cycle for 3 full breaths. Count 1 on the inhale, 2 on the exhale, 3 for the inhale...until you get to 6. That’s 3 full breaths. Once you’re feelin like a champ, increase it to 4 full breaths (count to 8), and then at boss level you’re doing 5 full breaths (counting to 10).
Mental health: it doesn’t have to be with a therapist - that’s all I’m going to say. Get professional help if you need it, have access to it, trust it. If you don’t just take some time to check your mental fitness. Work on it like you do your physical fitness. How am I today? I’m feeling _____ because I _____.
Nature: you don’t have to go to Tahoe to get out in nature. Just step outside. If that’s not safe, then look at nature videos online or listen to nature sounds. Nature lowers your cortisol levels - the stress hormone. C’mon you know trees are good for you. (Wink, wink).
So there you have it: ACEs are really common, the more you have the more at risk you are for health problems BUT there’s things you can do to mitigate the effects of ACEs and toxic stress. I stand by what I said in the very beginning: does our past deeply impact our present? That depends. If you’ve gone through ACEs, you’re not doomed. If you’ve gone through ACEs and you’re just not figuring it out, you’re still not doomed. When it comes to working through toxic stress and ACEs, one thing is for sure: early is better BUT it’s never too late.
