#ace score

tl;dr ACE score is a short but effective way to measure childhood trauma. The higher your score is, the more important it is to seek therapy, and surround yourself with supportive people. The damage on your body is measurable, but reversible! Don't lose hope. Find a friend.

Prior to your 18th birthday:

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? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

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? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

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? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

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? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

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? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

Were your parents ever separated or divorced? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

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 over at least a few minutes or threatened with a gun or knife? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

Did you live with anyone who was a problem drinker or alcoholic, or who used street drugs? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

Was a household member depressed or mentally ill, or did a household member attempt suicide? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

Did a household member go to prison? No = 0 points, Yes = +1 point

Scroll down here to see the tl;dr of potential health consequences of higher ACE scores

Books by Donna Jackson Nakazawa about ACE score and how to counter the negative consequences, I can 100% recommend all of them:

The Last Best Cure - My Quest to Awaken the Healing Parts of My Brain and Get Back My Body, My Joy, and My Life

Childhood Disrupted - How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal

The Angel & The Assassin - The Tiny Brain Cell That Changed the Course of Medicine

Girls on the Brink - Helping Our Daughters Thrive in an Era of Increased Anxiety, Depression, and Social Media