How Childhood Trauma Affects the Brain and Body - The ACES Study

Therapy in a Nutshell

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Childhood trauma can have a direct, lasting impact on physical health, mental health, and ability to function in society. But we didn’t have any idea how much impact it had until the late 1990’s, when a curious doctor made a groundbreaking discovery. They found that a huge number of people have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (64%) and 17% or 1 in 6 children experience at least 4 ACES. And more specifically, 28% of women and 16% of men reported being sexually abused during their childhoods. And this study was done with mostly middle class white folk, but the rates are actually higher with other demographics.

So that was the first finding, childhood trauma is way too pervasive. And two- Dr. Felitti found that this trauma is directly correlated with a wide range of negative health outcomes in adulthood, including chronic diseases, mental health issues, substance abuse, and early death.

The ACE's quiz at NPR: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

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