Child Abuse and Neglect are more common than people realize.
Research shows that untreated childhood trauma can have a lasting effect on one’s physical and mental wellbeing.
Often when beginning therapy, many of my clients have a difficult time recognizing how the effects that their early childhood events have on their adult life. I’m talking about childhood trauma. Many see these early events as distant memories from years past. It can be even more difficult for some to identify that these events are extreme and potentially traumatic. It’s easy to become desensitized for someone that was raised in chaos and dysfunction. One learns to tolerate and even expect neglect and abuse from others. Unfortunately, early life abuse and neglect become normalized as a part of their regular family life.
Understanding childhood events in relation to adult pathology is an important part of the therapy process. Making the connection can be painful but necessary on the road to finding peace and healing. Sometimes a simple quiz can help people understand that their early experiences were not healthy and can still be causing current life difficulties.
What is the ACE Assessment?
The Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Assessment is a tool designed to identify exposure to traumatic events before the age of 18. It consists of 10 questions that cover areas of trauma. The higher the ACE score, the greater likelihood that a person will experience more difficulties in adulthood.
The ACE assessment was developed by CDC-Kaiser Permanente between 1995 to 1997. Their research found that children exposed to emotional, physical, sexual abuse and other family dysfunction often have a multitude of adult life difficulties, including higher physical and mental health risks.
Are you unsure if the events in your childhood were extreme? Take the free online version of the ACE assessment below:
(TW: Child abuse, domestic violence, and sexual assault)
ACE Assessment
1.
Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you? or Act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
2.
Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often… Push, grab, slap, or throw something at you? or Ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
3.
Did an adult or person at least five years older than you ever… Touch or fondle you or have you touch their body in a sexual way? or Attempt or actually have oral, anal, or vaginal intercourse with you?
4.
Did you often or very often feel that… No one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special? or Your family didn’t look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?
5.
Did you often or very often feel that … You didn’t have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, and had no one to protect you? or Your parents were too drunk or high to take care of you or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
6.
Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
7.
Was your mother or stepmother: Often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? or Sometimes, often, or very often kicked, bitten, hit with a fist, or hit with something hard? or Ever repeatedly hit at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife?
8.
Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic or who used street drugs?
9.
Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?
10.
Did a household member go to prison?
Your ACE score is the total number of “yes” responses.
The Impact of Childhood Trauma
According to the Center for Disease Control, early childhood trauma can cause the following complications in adulthood:
- Mental Health: Depression, anxiety, sucicide, PTSD
- Injury: Traumatuc brain injury, fractures, burns
- Maternal Health: Unintented pregnacy, pregnancy complications, fetal death
- Infecticious Disease: HIV, STIs
- Chronic Disease: Cancer, diabetes
- Risky behavior: Alcohol and drug abuse
- Opportunitues: Education, occupation, income
According to the CDC, about 61% of adults surveyed reported that they had experienced at least one type of ACE"
Help for High ACEs
Thankfully humans are resilient and have the ability to learn, heal and evolve. And with the right resources, support, and treatment, people can take their lives back from the effects of traumatic events. There has never been so much support and resources available to help in the healing process.
Facing childhood abuse and neglect can be very emotionally upheaving. It’s important to find a qualified therapist to help you understand the individual ways you were affected by early adverse events.
Listed below are a few of the possible treatments for healing childhood trauma:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Traditional Talk Therapy
- EMDR Therapy
- Trauma Informed Therapy
If you have a high ACE score, remember you are more than what happened to you. You have the ability and power inside of you to heal the wounds of childhood trauma. It wasn’t your fault. As a child, you had no control over your situation. As a child, you were powerless and dependent on the adults in your life to keep you safe. Things are different now. Now you have power and options that can change your life for the better. Find the support you need and cultivate the peace you have always deserved.
National Mental Health Support Line: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
The Body Keeps Score
Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
By Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD
This classic book is a must-read for those interested in learning more about the deep effects of traumatic experiences. Not just limited to childhood events, this book covers adverse events in adulthood, like veterans coping with post-traumatic stress disorder and sexual assault. Please be aware that this book is very detailed and can be triggering. We recommend processing your personal trauma story with a professional therapist.
Preventing ACEs
Content source: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention, The Center for Disease Control
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Hey.
Where’s my results
Hi Jennifer, your quiz results are how many times you answered, ‘yes.” The more yes responses, the more likely you are to have experienced childhood trauma.
So I wanted to just. Um. Hmm… maybe give some slight insights to my test for like… your informations sake? I’m currently 24, a first born bastard child in a married family with three younger step siblings. Most of the trauma occurred from my mother, who I believe had untreated mental health issues from Hashimotos. I also have this disease and have since birth but have never received treatment because said mother never told doctors, so now they don’t believe me. I can’t hold a job now because of these issues. I can’t sustain a normal adult life, and I’m not a productive member of society like I so desperately wish to be. It’s painful and I’m trapped, amd every part of me wants to scream it’s all her fault. I know I can’t, but God is it so hard when you try and fail over and over. Surpringly enough, all that said I don’t believe I’m depressed anymore now that I’m not around her, but it comes back in a heartbeat once we share eye contact again. You never fully recover, because you can never understand if your relationship is “normal” or if you can forgive them. If you SHOULD forgive them.
Anyways, if you’ve experienced stuff as a kid, talk about that stuff. Even if you rant in a tiny box on a website that nobody will ever read, because that little glimmer of hope that your experiences and pain could help someone will keep you going. Hold onto that as long as you can, and good luck.
Thank you for sharing your story. I’m sure other readers can relate to what you have gone through and feel less alone. I’m sorry you had such a difficult childhood. I hope you find peace and healing.
Hi Alexis,
I’m 48 years old and I grew up with a very abusive mother also, due to mental illness and hardship she was facing at the time.
I have endured 2 unsuccessful marriages and was a parent at the age of 22. Because I was always put down and beat up as a child my escape was my first marriage where I didn’t know how to say no and how to communicate what I didn’t like or what I wanted and eventually after 15 years of unhappiness and depression I left .
My second marriage happend 2 years after to a narcissistic guy whom I thought was the love of my life but slowly the relationship became so toxic that I felt I was constantly walking on eggshells and I felt like such a failure.
I eventually decide to leave that relationship at the age of 45 and move on with my life . I did an enormous amount of soul searching and ways to release my anger towards my mum , my exs and myself but I still suffer from trauma as Im still working on myself.
Recently I became vocal towards my mum whom I don’t hate but I decided to let her know that it was because of her doing that I had entered my marriage so young and that how she treated me was just not normal and was very traumatic but she refused to acknowledge the truth and played the dumb card.
I have also spoke to the narcissistic husband and laid out all the trauma he had caused me as well…don’t think he cared but I did it more so for myself.
The point to my story is , that if you have the possibility to see a counsellor now and properly deal with the trauma you are struggling with would be a great place to start so that you don’t carry and repeat the trauma throughoutyour life. Also if you could have as less contact as possible with your mother while you do the work would be even better . It is best you do your inner healing work before you enter any other relationship so that you enter it with an open heart and be honest with yourself and set boundaries for yourself. Also educate yourself through books and YouTube videos on childhood trauma it helped me alot .
I hope you find peace within yourself so that you can become the best adult influence/example for your children.
Sending you love ❤️