How‘s it going? Terry here, your resident tech geek and data nerd. Today I want to have an important chat about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the impacts they can have throughout life.
Specifically, we’re going to focus on what constitutes a high ACE score and dive deep into the risks and outcomes associated with a score of 6 or higher. I know this can be sensitive stuff, but understanding and openness is the first step to healing. So grab a cup of coffee and let’s get to it!
What exactly is an ACE score anyway?
Great question! The ACE score is basically a measurement of cumulative childhood stress. It was developed in the late 90s by the Centers for Disease Control and Kaiser Permanente in one of the largest investigations ever into the long-term impacts of childhood adversity.
Here’s a quick rundown of how it works:
The ACE questionnaire asks about 10 categories of adverse childhood experiences before age 18:
- Physical abuse
- Verbal abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Physical neglect
- Emotional neglect
- Loss of a parent (divorce, death)
- Domestic violence
- Household mental illness
- Household substance abuse
- Incarcerated family member
For each category that applied to your childhood, you get 1 point on your ACE score. So the score can range from 0 (no adverse experiences) up to 10 (exposure to trauma in all categories).
The goal is to gauge how much cumulative stress and adversity you faced as a kid. According to the original research, the breakdown of scores looked like this:
| ACE Score | % of Participants |
|---|---|
| 0 | 36% |
| 1 | 26% |
| 2 | 16% |
| 3 | 10% |
| 4+ | 12% |
So over half (64%) had at least one adverse experience, with 12% reporting 4 or more. Other studies since then have found similar rates of at least one ACE in around 60-70% of people.
Now, why does this matter? Well, keep reading, my friend…
The dangers of high ACE scores
A score of 4 or more is considered high and puts people at major risk for lifelong health issues.
But an ACE score of 6 or higher is really serious business.
Just look at these crazy stats:
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Having 6+ ACEs results in a 20 year decrease in life expectancy on average (yikes!)
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5x increased risk of hallucinations
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Up to 12x higher chance of alcoholism and drug abuse
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Over 4x higher risk of depression and suicide attempts
The more ACEs you have, the higher the likelihood of developing major physical and mental health conditions down the road like heart disease, COPD, cancer, anxiety, you name it.
Let me break down the increased risks with some hard numbers:
Mental health risks
- Anxiety – 4x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Depression – Over 4x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Suicide attempts – 12x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Hallucinations – 5x higher with 6+ ACEs
Substance abuse risks
- Alcoholism – 4 to 12x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Illicit drug use – 4 to 12x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Smoking – 2 to 4x higher with 4+ ACEs
Chronic disease risks
- Heart attack – 2x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Any cardiovascular disease – Nearly 2x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Liver disease – Over 2x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Fractures – 1.5x higher with 4+ ACEs
- Cancer – 1.9x higher with 5+ ACEs
- COPD – 3.9x higher with 4+ ACEs
That‘s some scary stuff. The more adversity during childhood, the greater the probability you‘ll deal with these serious health issues later in life.
So in summary – yes, my friend, an ACE score of 6 or higher is dangerously high and puts individuals at grave risk for lifelong challenges.
Can people with high ACE scores heal and thrive?
Now hold on…before you start to worry about anyone you know with a high ACE score (or your own score), take a deep breath.
There is hope.
While childhood adversity can cast a lasting shadow, its effects don‘t have to be permanent. People can break free of the past and build fulfilling lives, even with high ACE scores.
Here are some proven ways to heal the damage and promote resilience:
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Counseling: Talk therapy helps process memories and emotions in a healthy way and develop coping skills. Studies show it can reduce depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
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Support groups: Connecting with others who‘ve faced similar struggles reduces feelings of shame and isolation. Support groups have been shown to aid recovery from trauma and addiction.
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Lifestyle practices: Meditation, yoga, exercise, healthy eating, and good sleep habits reduce toxic stress and promote well-being.
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Medications: If needed, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and other medications can help stabilize mood and manage mental health symptoms.
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Healthy relationships: Loving family and social support build trust and self-worth to overcome adversity. Research shows positive relationships are key to resilience.
The sooner treatment begins, the better. But it‘s truly never too late to start the healing process through counseling, lifestyle changes, social support, and community services.
For kids, quick intervention after trauma is crucial to avoid lasting impacts on health and behavior. Providing nurturing relationships and safe environments helps foster resilience in children who’ve faced adversity.
With the right support, people with high ACE scores can absolutely live full, purposeful, healthy lives – so reach out for help if you need it!
How common are high ACE scores really?
I want to zoom out for a minute and look at how widespread childhood adversity really is. As eye-opening as they are, those stats on the health risks of high ACE scores don‘t tell the whole story.
While studies show around 60% of people report at least 1 ACE, some groups face especially high rates of childhood trauma, like:
- People living in poverty
- Racial and ethnic minorities
- Individuals with mental illness
- Former foster kids
- Homeless populations
- Prisoners
For instance, research on over 64,000 incarcerated adults in Florida found:
- 16% reported 4-5 ACEs
- 20% reported 6-7 ACEs
- 27% reported 8 or more ACEs
That‘s over 60% with at least 4 ACEs – 5x higher than the general population.
Other studies have found high rates of 4+ ACE scores among:
- 75% of youth in juvenile detention facilities
- Over 50% of those with 4+ psychiatric disorders
- Up to 30% of some racial/ethnic minorities
The point is childhood adversity is shockingly widespread – it‘s sadly the norm rather than the exception for many vulnerable groups.
So if you have a high ACE score, you‘re not alone! But with compassionate understanding and support, we can break destructive cycles.
Some advice if you have a high ACE score
My friend, if you identify with having a high ACE score, please know you have tremendous inner strength – you are a survivor. Here are a few nuggets of wisdom that may help:
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Show yourself compassion – you went through incredibly hard things as a child that were in no way your fault. Don‘t judge yourself.
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Make time for lots of self-care through relaxing activities, hobbies, exercise, nutrition, anything that brings you a sense of well-being. This will help counteract the stress response.
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Consider talking to a professional counselor if you haven‘t already. There‘s no shame in getting help to process difficult experiences and emotions. It can truly change your life.
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If applicable, take any medications you need to help with mental health conditions. Don‘t be afraid to discuss options with your doctor.
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Find safe ways to express your feelings like journaling or joining a support group so you don‘t bottle up emotions.
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Limit consumption of negative media stories that can overstimulate your nervous system. Be mindful of taking media breaks as needed.
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Engage in behaviors that make you feel grounded and healthy – this looks different for everyone but often includes fitness, time outdoors, creativity, hobbies, etc.
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Try to foster connections with supportive loved ones you trust, even if starting small. Human relationships are powerful medicine.
You have so much to offer the world, my friend – your story matters, your voice matters. Please know there is light ahead. Don‘t give up.
Wishing you peace and healing!
The role of community and society
Before we wrap up, I want to say a word about the role of community when it comes to ACEs. Supportive relationships are hugely important on an individual level for resilience and recovery. But trauma-informed awareness and policies at a broader societal level are just as critical.
Here are a few ways we can foster community support and overcome adversity:
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Education campaigns to raise public understanding about the impacts of childhood stress and trauma. This helps reduce stigma and expand access to mental health services.
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Mentorship programs that pair vulnerable youth with caring adult role models and provide activities to build self-esteem and social skills. Research shows quality mentoring relationships improve outcomes for at-risk kids.
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Policy reforms like paid parental leave, affordable housing assistance, income supports, violence prevention programs, and addiction treatment funding. Family-friendly social policies help disrupt intergenerational cycles of trauma.
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Trauma-informed training across education, healthcare, criminal justice, and social service settings to promote sensitive and empowering interactions with trauma survivors.
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Grassroots community building efforts led by neighborhood groups, faith communities, and local leaders to connect residents so they feel valued and supported.
The more protective factors we surround children and families with on a community level, the better the odds of breaking traumatic cycles and promoting wellness. It truly takes a village.
Wrapping up
Whew, we covered a lot of ground today! To recap:
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ACE scores measure cumulative childhood stress across 10 categories of adverse experiences.
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Scores of 4+ are considered high risk. But a score of 6+ is especially serious, with major associations with long-term health and mental health disorders.
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However, the effects of childhood adversity don‘t have to define one‘s future. With compassion, support, and early intervention, people can heal and thrive despite high ACE scores.
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Societal awareness, policy action, and community support are all needed to disrupt cycles of trauma. No one can do it alone.
Thanks for sticking with me on this important topic. Wishing you the very best on your healing journey!
