Childhood experiences can have a significant impact on our mental health as adults. The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Quiz is an eye-opening tool that assesses your exposure to traumatic events during childhood and how they could affect your well-being in later life.
In this article, I will explain the relationship between childhood adversity, addictions, and mental illness, explore the impact of trauma on our brains, and provide tips for supporting someone with a mental health condition. So let's dive in and learn more about how ACEs can shape who we are today.
Did You Know?
- 68% of the population report at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE).
- 12.5% of adults have an ACE score of 4 or higher.
- Children with a score of 4 or more are twice as likely to be smokers and seven times more likely to be alcoholic.
- Adults with five or more ACEs are up to 7 times more likely to consider suicide.
- A score of 4 increases the risk of emphysema or chronic bronchitis by nearly 400%.
- Having a score of 4 or more increases the likelihood of developing depression by 460%.
- Those with a score of 4 or more are 12 times more likely to attempt suicide.
What is the ACE Quiz?
The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Quiz was developed by Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to assess childhood adversity. The quiz consists of 10 questions that ask about experiences during childhood, including abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, and exposure to violence.
Each question is worth one point, with a higher score indicating greater exposure to traumatic events. The ACE Quiz is not intended as a diagnostic tool but rather as an assessment of how many adverse experiences you've had in your life.
The quiz results can be eye-opening for those who may have experienced trauma but never realized the impact it could have on their mental health. In fact, research shows that those with higher ACE scores are more likely to experience depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse issues, and other health problems later in life.
Taking the ACE Quiz doesn't mean you're destined for poor mental health outcomes. Rather, it's an opportunity for self-reflection and awareness about potential risk factors so you can seek appropriate support if needed.
The 10 Questions
The following are the ten questions included in the original Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Quiz:
- 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?
- 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?
- Did an adult or person at least 5 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?
- 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?
- Did you often or very often feel that you didn't have enough to eat, had to wear dirty clothes, or 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?
- Was a biological parent ever lost to you through divorce, abandonment, or other reason?
- Was your mother or stepmother often or very often pushed, grabbed, slapped, or had something thrown at her? Or sometimes or 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?
- Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic or who used street drugs?
- Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide?
- Did a household member go to prison?
Did You Know?
- People with high ACE scores are more likely to have more marriages, more broken bones, more drug prescriptions, more depression, and more autoimmune diseases.
- About 67% of all sexual abuse cases are perpetrated by family members, increasing the ACE score.
- ACE-related health problems contribute to more than half of the days off work in adults.
- Those with an ACE score of 6 or higher are likely to die nearly 20 years earlier than those without ACEs.
- Children with a score of 4 are 32 times more likely to have behavior or learning problems.
- ACEs are linked to a significant increase in the risk of developing liver disease.
- Women with a score of 5 or higher have a significantly increased risk of being hospitalized with an autoimmune disease.
Childhood Adversity and Drink/Drug Addictions
The correlation between childhood adversity and the risk of developing substance abuse issues refers to alcohol and drug addictions. The substance abuse is a coping mechanism or as a means to self-medicate.
Childhood adversity, such as physical or sexual abuse, neglect, household dysfunction, or parental substance abuse, can have long-lasting effects on your mental and emotional well-being. These traumatic experiences can contribute to the development of psychological distress, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders.
Substance numbs the painful memories. Drugs or alcohol can temporarily alleviate emotional pain, reduce anxiety, and provide a sense of control or relief.
Furthermore, bad childhood experiences can disrupt normal brain development, such as areas related to impulse control, decision-making, and emotional regulation. These brain changes may increase the vulnerability to addictive behaviors and make it harder to resist substance abuse.
Did You Know?
- Adolescents with higher ACE scores are 3 times more likely to binge drink than those with zero ACEs.
- Those with four or more ACEs are 2.4 times more likely to report chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) than those with no ACEs.
- Higher ACE scores are associated with a 1.6 times higher risk of diabetes.
- Adults with a score of 4 or more are 4.6 times more likely to develop depression later in life compared to those with no ACEs.
- People with scores of 4 or more are 11 times more likely to use illicit drugs intravenously.
- Children with scores of 3 or higher are nearly 3 times more likely to use antidepressant medications as adults.
- High ACE scores correlate with up to a 50% increase in the likelihood of hospitalization for any cause.
How to Help Someone with a Mental Illness
When someone close to us is struggling with a mental illness, it can be tough to know how best to support them. Here are a few tips on how you can help:
- Listen actively: Give your loved one space to express themselves without judgment or interruption. Learn about the person’s condition so that you have a better understanding of what they’re going through. Let them know that you’re there for them and want to hear what they have to say.
- Don't give advice: Offer resources such as therapy or counseling services in case they need further assistance from a trained professional.
- Be patient with them: Mental illnesses take time and effort to overcome, so remind your loved one that recovery is possible with patience with professional guidance
- Take care of yourself too: Supporting someone with a mental illness can be emotionally taxing, so make sure you practice self-care techniques like exercise, meditation, or seeking support from others when needed.
Get This
Look deep inside you. Do you struggle with mental health? Then plenty of resources are available such as therapy, counseling services, and support groups that can provide assistance.
Even if you don't think you do, raise awareness of the relationship between childhood adversity and mental health, and we can all work towards creating a good environment for those who suffer. Let us strive towards building resilience in ourselves so that we may thrive despite life's challenges.
