Many of us look back on our childhoods with fondness and happy memories, but unfortunately, this is not the case for everyone. While some people may have grumbled about minor things their parents did (or didn’t do), unfortunately, some people experience something called Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.
What are Adverse Childhood Experiences?
Adverse Childhood Experiences refer generally to traumatic and very negative things that have happened in a child’s life. They may include (but aren’t limited to) things like witnessing domestic violence, being a victim of assault or neglect, or having a family member die by suicide.
Understandably, these sorts of events can have serious and long-lasting effects on a person’s wellbeing, even well into adulthood. This may include things like flashbacks, anxiety or depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or difficulty in forming healthy relationships with others.
These effects can also unfortunately be passed down the generations to the sufferer’s children as well, causing the cycle to continue.
According to the BBC, people who have suffered Adverse Childhood Experiences are also more likely to suffer from chronic illness.
How can we assist people who are still struggling with the effects?
Therapy, such as talking therapy, can go a long way towards helping people struggling with the lasting effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences. By getting feelings out into the open, people are able to process what they went through and allow the body and brain to begin to heal.
For staff who support patients or clients in this sort of area, trauma informed practice training, offered by specialist training providers such as https://www.tidaltraining.co.uk/mental-health-training-courses/trauma-informed-practice-training, can give you a full understanding of how early life trauma can impact people’s lives and help them to re-establish control and mental wellbeing.
For people suffering from the aftereffects of Adverse Childhood Experiences, engaging with a practitioner who has undertaken trauma informed practice training can make an enormous difference to their ongoing wellbeing, allowing them to take control of their past and move forward without suffering.