This week I talk about the ACEs study, what it is, how to take it and what the results mean. Also how to lessen the affects if you have a high score (4-10).
If you would like to join us for future LIVE podcast events, learn more at:
Links mentioned during the episode (and other helpful links on this topic):
Free PDF on ACEs includes the test and what the results mean
Suicide is talked about in this episode. If you are experiencing feelings of suicide or you know someone who is, don't hesitate to get in touch with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the US available 24/7 to provide free, confidential emotional support to people in suicidal or emotional distress. Their number in the US is 988 or 1-800-273-8255 or at https://988lifeline.org/ – in other countries, reach out to your local suicide prevention hotline which you can find at https://findahelpline.com/.
Husband Material (“HM”; faith-based ministry helping men find freedom from pornography and other sexual brokenness issues) FREE - https://www.husbandmaterial.com/
Info on Joining Husband Materials Academy (“HMA”; Paid)
Learn more about Husband Material's CSA Survivor Fellowship and the PLC Chat on WhatsApp at https://www.polarlifeconsulting.com/live-chat
**Trigger Warning/Explicit Content Warning** - we will talk openly and frankly about sexual abuse from the victim's perspective. Sometimes cursing may be used, but kept at a minimum. Please practice self-care while listening to episodes and feel free to pause if you become triggered while listening.
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[00:00:03] Welcome to the Healing for Male Survivors podcast. This is a podcast for male survivors of sexual abuse and assault, whether as a child or as an adult. Know that you are not alone and the abuse was not your fault. My name is Mike Chapman. I'm a certified recovery life coach and also a survivor. Let's find hope and healing together.
[00:00:29] And welcome to the Healing for Male Survivors podcast. I'm your host Mike Chapman. If you ever want to join us live, you can learn more about how to do so on my website, polarlifeconsulting.com slash live.
[00:00:44] And today I'm going to talk about ACEs, A-C-E, which stands for Adverse Childhood Experiences. And let me give you the background on this. I have detailed information on that within husband material.
[00:01:05] And I actually, in the show notes, will have a handout, a PDF with all of these links, all this information about the ACE test and the results.
[00:01:19] First from NPR, they talk about the ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood.
[00:01:29] According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be, and the higher your risk for later social and health problems.
[00:01:41] Wikipedia gives this background. The Adverse Childhood Experiences study, also called the ACE study, A-C-E, is a research study conducted by the American Health Maintenance Organization Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[00:02:01] Participants were recruited to the study between 1995 and 1997 and have been in long-term follow-up for health outcomes.
[00:02:10] The study has demonstrated an association of adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, a.k.a. childhood trauma, with health and social problems across the lifespan.
[00:02:25] The study has produced many scientific articles and conference and workshop presentations that examine ACEs.
[00:02:33] The next is from the website ACEs2i. Again, links are in the show notes and in the PDF.
[00:02:38] It mentions there's many types of childhood trauma. Racism, bullying, watching a sibling being abused, losing a caregiver, whether that's a grandmother, a mother, or a grandfather.
[00:02:49] Homelessness. Surviving and recovering from a severe accident.
[00:02:54] Witnessing a father being abused by a mother. Witnessing a grandmother abusing a father.
[00:03:00] The ACEs2i. Involvement with the foster care system.
[00:03:03] Involvement with the juvenile justice system.
[00:03:06] Etc.
[00:03:07] The ACE study included only those 10 childhood traumas because those were mentioned as most common by a group of about 300 Kaiser members.
[00:03:20] Those traumas were also well studied individually in the research literature.
[00:03:25] The most important thing to remember is that the ACE score is meant as a guideline.
[00:03:32] If you experienced other types of toxic stress over months or years, then those would likely increase your risk of health consequences.
[00:03:43] And, by the way, lest you think that the ACE study was yet another involving inner city poor people of color.
[00:03:50] Take note.
[00:03:51] The study's participants were 17,000, mostly white, middle and upper class, college educated San Diegans.
[00:04:01] So those in the San Diego, California area with good jobs and great health care.
[00:04:05] They all belonged to the Kaiser Permanente HMO, health maintenance organization.
[00:04:12] So, here's the meat of it.
[00:04:14] And for those who have joined me live on the podcast, feel free to add your questions into chat.
[00:04:22] And, again, you can be as anonymous as you would like.
[00:04:26] And we will only state your name if you manually type it in with your question.
[00:04:31] Here's the question with those 10 different types of traumas that were most common.
[00:04:39] Question one.
[00:04:40] Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often swear at you, insult you, put you down, or humiliate you,
[00:04:51] or act in a way that made you afraid that you might be physically hurt?
[00:04:56] Yes or no?
[00:04:58] If yes, enter one.
[00:05:00] Question two.
[00:05:02] Did a parent or other adult in the household often or very often push, grab, slap, or throw something at you,
[00:05:10] or ever hit you so hard that you had marks or were injured?
[00:05:15] Yes or no?
[00:05:17] If yes, enter one.
[00:05:19] Question three.
[00:05:20] 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?
[00:05:38] Yes or no?
[00:05:40] If yes, enter one.
[00:05:43] Question five.
[00:05:44] Question five.
[00:05:45] Did you often or very often feel that no one in your family loved you or thought you were important or special,
[00:05:54] or your family didn't look out for each other, feel close to each other, or support each other?
[00:06:02] Yes or no?
[00:06:03] If yes, enter one.
[00:06:07] Question five.
[00:06:09] Did you often or very often feel that,
[00:06:12] you didn't have enough to eat,
[00:06:15] had to wear dirty clothes,
[00:06:17] and had no one to protect you,
[00:06:19] or your parents were too drunk or high
[00:06:22] to take care of you
[00:06:24] or take you to the doctor if you needed it?
[00:06:27] Yes or no?
[00:06:29] If yes, enter one.
[00:06:32] Question six.
[00:06:34] Were your parents ever separated or divorced?
[00:06:37] Yes or no?
[00:06:39] If yes, enter one.
[00:06:43] Question seven.
[00:06:45] Was your mother or stepmother
[00:06:47] often or very often
[00:06:49] pushed,
[00:06:50] grabbed,
[00:06:50] slapped,
[00:06:51] or had something thrown at her?
[00:06:53] Or,
[00:06:54] sometimes,
[00:06:55] often,
[00:06:56] or very often,
[00:06:57] kicked,
[00:06:58] bitten,
[00:06:59] hit with a fist,
[00:07:01] or hit with something hard?
[00:07:03] Or,
[00:07:04] ever,
[00:07:05] repeatedly,
[00:07:05] hit
[00:07:06] over at least a few minutes,
[00:07:08] or threatened with a gun
[00:07:10] or knife?
[00:07:12] Yes or no?
[00:07:13] If yes,
[00:07:14] enter one.
[00:07:16] Question eight.
[00:07:17] Did you live with anyone
[00:07:19] who was a problem drinker
[00:07:21] or alcoholic
[00:07:22] or who used street drugs?
[00:07:25] Yes or no?
[00:07:26] If yes,
[00:07:27] enter one.
[00:07:28] Number nine.
[00:07:30] Was a household member depressed
[00:07:32] or mentally ill?
[00:07:34] Or,
[00:07:35] did a household member
[00:07:37] attempt suicide?
[00:07:38] Yes or no?
[00:07:40] If yes,
[00:07:41] enter one.
[00:07:43] Number ten.
[00:07:44] Did a household member
[00:07:46] go to prison?
[00:07:48] Yes or no?
[00:07:49] If yes,
[00:07:50] enter one.
[00:07:52] Now,
[00:07:53] add up all the yeses.
[00:07:55] That is your ACE score.
[00:07:58] Now,
[00:07:59] in the PDF,
[00:08:00] in the show notes,
[00:08:02] are all
[00:08:03] the different
[00:08:04] charts
[00:08:05] that came up
[00:08:07] up from that ACEs
[00:08:08] too high
[00:08:08] as a result
[00:08:09] of the study.
[00:08:11] how it can affect
[00:08:13] your health
[00:08:14] and well-being
[00:08:15] as an adult.
[00:08:17] So,
[00:08:18] adverse childhood
[00:08:19] experiences
[00:08:20] are common
[00:08:21] for those
[00:08:21] that they are
[00:08:22] common.
[00:08:23] Substance abuse
[00:08:24] is 27%.
[00:08:26] Parental
[00:08:27] separation
[00:08:28] or divorce
[00:08:29] 23%.
[00:08:30] Mental illness
[00:08:30] 17%.
[00:08:32] Battered mother
[00:08:33] 13%.
[00:08:34] Criminal behavior
[00:08:35] 6%.
[00:08:36] And those were
[00:08:37] five of the ten
[00:08:38] questions.
[00:08:39] The others,
[00:08:40] the abuse,
[00:08:41] psychological abuse,
[00:08:42] 11%.
[00:08:43] Physical abuse,
[00:08:44] 28%.
[00:08:46] Sexual abuse,
[00:08:47] 21%.
[00:08:48] That's just
[00:08:50] within the study.
[00:08:51] These are the results.
[00:08:53] For the two
[00:08:54] neglect questions,
[00:08:56] emotional
[00:08:56] neglect
[00:08:57] was 15%.
[00:08:58] Physical
[00:08:59] neglect
[00:09:00] was 10%.
[00:09:01] And those
[00:09:03] were the categories.
[00:09:04] the ten
[00:09:05] most common
[00:09:06] types
[00:09:07] of adverse
[00:09:08] child experiences.
[00:09:10] So,
[00:09:10] those ten
[00:09:11] got included
[00:09:12] in the survey.
[00:09:14] It doesn't mean
[00:09:15] that any other
[00:09:15] trauma
[00:09:15] wouldn't
[00:09:16] count against you,
[00:09:18] but the
[00:09:18] statistics
[00:09:19] of this test,
[00:09:21] they narrowed
[00:09:22] the focus
[00:09:23] to those
[00:09:24] top ten
[00:09:25] experiences.
[00:09:27] Now,
[00:09:28] if you
[00:09:29] look at
[00:09:30] the charts
[00:09:30] in the PDF,
[00:09:32] you'll see
[00:09:33] they usually
[00:09:35] only do a
[00:09:35] bar chart
[00:09:36] of
[00:09:37] 0,
[00:09:38] 1,
[00:09:38] 2,
[00:09:39] 3,
[00:09:39] and then
[00:09:40] 4+,
[00:09:41] or 4,
[00:09:41] and 5+.
[00:09:43] That's all
[00:09:44] they do,
[00:09:45] I think,
[00:09:45] because
[00:09:45] SoQ had
[00:09:46] more than
[00:09:46] 5.
[00:09:48] But
[00:09:49] it's so
[00:09:50] profound.
[00:09:51] So,
[00:09:52] the first
[00:09:53] chart
[00:09:54] that I list
[00:09:55] is
[00:09:56] adult
[00:09:57] alcoholism.
[00:09:57] So,
[00:09:59] for those
[00:09:59] with
[00:10:00] 0,
[00:10:01] a score
[00:10:02] of 0,
[00:10:02] it's
[00:10:03] a little
[00:10:04] higher than
[00:10:04] 2%,
[00:10:05] almost 3%,
[00:10:05] it looks like,
[00:10:07] have alcoholism.
[00:10:08] A score
[00:10:09] of 1
[00:10:10] brings it up
[00:10:11] to almost
[00:10:11] 6%,
[00:10:12] a score
[00:10:12] of 2
[00:10:13] over 10%,
[00:10:14] have alcoholism.
[00:10:16] A score
[00:10:17] of 3
[00:10:17] brings it up
[00:10:18] to almost
[00:10:19] 12%,
[00:10:20] 4 or more
[00:10:21] pushes it
[00:10:22] over 16%,
[00:10:23] have problems
[00:10:25] with alcohol,
[00:10:26] with alcoholism
[00:10:27] as an adult.
[00:10:28] Chronic depression,
[00:10:30] for women,
[00:10:31] it's higher
[00:10:32] than men.
[00:10:33] For women,
[00:10:35] with an A score
[00:10:36] of 0
[00:10:37] for the
[00:10:38] control,
[00:10:39] it was
[00:10:40] just under
[00:10:41] 20%.
[00:10:42] By the time
[00:10:43] you get to
[00:10:44] 4 or more,
[00:10:46] it's
[00:10:46] close to
[00:10:47] 60%
[00:10:48] experience
[00:10:49] chronic
[00:10:50] depression.
[00:10:51] For men,
[00:10:52] it goes
[00:10:53] from just
[00:10:53] over 10,
[00:10:54] so around
[00:10:54] 11,
[00:10:55] all the
[00:10:56] way up
[00:10:56] to
[00:10:58] 35%,
[00:10:59] so over
[00:11:00] a third
[00:11:00] of men
[00:11:01] experience
[00:11:02] chronic
[00:11:03] depression
[00:11:03] with a
[00:11:04] score
[00:11:04] of 4
[00:11:05] or higher.
[00:11:07] Next
[00:11:07] is
[00:11:08] use
[00:11:09] of
[00:11:09] antidepressant
[00:11:10] prescriptions
[00:11:11] and
[00:11:12] it says
[00:11:13] prescription
[00:11:13] rate per
[00:11:14] 100 person
[00:11:15] years.
[00:11:17] Okay,
[00:11:18] approximately
[00:11:19] 50 years
[00:11:19] later after
[00:11:20] the abuse,
[00:11:20] I don't know
[00:11:21] why
[00:11:21] it specified
[00:11:22] that,
[00:11:23] but
[00:11:24] the
[00:11:25] control,
[00:11:26] if you
[00:11:26] had a
[00:11:27] score of
[00:11:27] 0,
[00:11:28] it's
[00:11:28] around
[00:11:28] 35
[00:11:30] years
[00:11:30] or
[00:11:31] percent,
[00:11:32] I don't
[00:11:32] know,
[00:11:33] prescription
[00:11:34] rate per
[00:11:34] 100,
[00:11:35] so
[00:11:37] for 100
[00:11:38] years,
[00:11:38] so I guess
[00:11:39] yeah,
[00:11:40] 35%,
[00:11:41] if it's
[00:11:42] 4 or
[00:11:43] more,
[00:11:44] it's
[00:11:44] close to
[00:11:45] 100,
[00:11:45] and 5
[00:11:46] or more,
[00:11:46] it's
[00:11:46] at
[00:11:47] 100.
[00:11:48] Next
[00:11:48] chart,
[00:11:49] ACE score
[00:11:50] and the
[00:11:50] risk of
[00:11:51] perpetrating
[00:11:51] domestic
[00:11:52] violence,
[00:11:53] being violent
[00:11:54] against
[00:11:54] others as
[00:11:55] an adult.
[00:11:56] From
[00:11:56] the
[00:11:57] control
[00:11:57] of 0,
[00:11:58] it's
[00:11:59] about
[00:11:59] between
[00:12:00] 2 and
[00:12:00] 3,
[00:12:01] it looks
[00:12:01] like,
[00:12:02] and then
[00:12:03] for a
[00:12:04] score of
[00:12:05] 4,
[00:12:06] for
[00:12:07] women,
[00:12:08] it jumps
[00:12:09] to about
[00:12:10] 6%,
[00:12:11] for men,
[00:12:13] it jumps
[00:12:13] all the
[00:12:14] way to
[00:12:14] looks like
[00:12:15] about
[00:12:16] 11%,
[00:12:17] for women
[00:12:19] 5 or
[00:12:19] higher,
[00:12:20] it goes
[00:12:20] up to
[00:12:22] a little
[00:12:23] over
[00:12:23] 10%,
[00:12:23] for men
[00:12:25] 5 or
[00:12:26] more,
[00:12:26] it's
[00:12:27] about
[00:12:28] 13%.
[00:12:29] For
[00:12:29] the
[00:12:30] prevalence
[00:12:30] of
[00:12:30] liver
[00:12:31] disease,
[00:12:32] hepatitis
[00:12:33] or
[00:12:33] jaundice,
[00:12:34] the
[00:12:35] general
[00:12:35] population
[00:12:36] for
[00:12:36] those
[00:12:37] who
[00:12:37] were
[00:12:38] studied
[00:12:38] who
[00:12:39] scored
[00:12:40] 0,
[00:12:40] it was
[00:12:42] between
[00:12:42] 4 and
[00:12:44] 6%,
[00:12:45] probably
[00:12:45] around
[00:12:45] 5%,
[00:12:46] and
[00:12:48] if
[00:12:48] you
[00:12:49] had a
[00:12:49] score
[00:12:50] of
[00:12:50] 2,
[00:12:50] it
[00:12:50] got
[00:12:51] closer
[00:12:51] to
[00:12:51] 8,
[00:12:52] a
[00:12:52] score
[00:12:52] of
[00:12:52] 3
[00:12:53] was
[00:12:54] 10,
[00:12:55] and
[00:12:55] 4 or
[00:12:56] more
[00:12:56] was
[00:12:57] about
[00:12:57] 11,
[00:12:58] so
[00:12:58] 11%,
[00:12:59] 11%,
[00:13:00] with
[00:13:01] a
[00:13:01] score
[00:13:01] of
[00:13:01] 4 or
[00:13:02] more,
[00:13:03] 11%
[00:13:04] had
[00:13:04] prevalence
[00:13:04] of
[00:13:05] liver
[00:13:05] disease,
[00:13:06] including
[00:13:07] hepatitis
[00:13:07] or
[00:13:08] jaundice.
[00:13:08] And
[00:13:09] there's
[00:13:09] a lot
[00:13:09] more
[00:13:11] smoking
[00:13:11] as
[00:13:11] an
[00:13:12] adult,
[00:13:12] those
[00:13:12] go up,
[00:13:13] that
[00:13:13] one
[00:13:13] lists
[00:13:14] 4 or
[00:13:14] 5,
[00:13:15] and
[00:13:15] 6 or
[00:13:15] more,
[00:13:16] and
[00:13:17] that
[00:13:17] goes
[00:13:17] up
[00:13:17] compared
[00:13:18] to
[00:13:18] 0 at
[00:13:19] about
[00:13:19] 7%,
[00:13:20] it
[00:13:20] jumps
[00:13:21] up
[00:13:21] with
[00:13:21] 6 or
[00:13:22] more
[00:13:22] to
[00:13:23] 17%
[00:13:24] become
[00:13:25] smokers
[00:13:26] as
[00:13:26] an
[00:13:26] adult.
[00:13:40] Later
[00:13:40] becoming
[00:13:41] becoming
[00:13:41] raped
[00:13:41] as
[00:13:42] an
[00:13:42] adult
[00:13:42] with
[00:13:43] a
[00:13:43] score
[00:13:43] of
[00:13:43] 4
[00:13:44] or
[00:13:44] more.
[00:13:45] Suicide
[00:13:46] attempts
[00:13:47] with
[00:13:48] a
[00:13:48] score
[00:13:48] of
[00:13:48] 0,
[00:13:49] it's
[00:13:50] about
[00:13:52] 1 to
[00:13:53] 2%,
[00:13:54] with
[00:13:55] a
[00:13:55] score
[00:13:55] of
[00:13:55] 3,
[00:13:55] that
[00:13:56] goes
[00:13:56] to
[00:13:56] 11,
[00:13:56] with
[00:13:57] a
[00:13:57] score
[00:13:57] of
[00:13:57] 4
[00:13:57] or
[00:13:58] higher,
[00:13:58] it's
[00:13:58] almost
[00:13:59] 20%.
[00:14:10] Attempt
[00:14:10] 6,
[00:14:11] or
[00:14:12] more,
[00:14:12] jumps
[00:14:13] to
[00:14:14] close
[00:14:14] to
[00:14:15] 30%.
[00:14:16] Teen
[00:14:17] pregnancy
[00:14:18] for
[00:14:19] females
[00:14:20] who
[00:14:22] score
[00:14:22] 0,
[00:14:23] it's
[00:14:23] actually
[00:14:24] at
[00:14:24] 20%,
[00:14:25] and
[00:14:26] for
[00:14:26] more,
[00:14:27] it
[00:14:27] doubles
[00:14:28] to
[00:14:28] over
[00:14:28] 40%.
[00:14:30] For
[00:14:31] paternity,
[00:14:31] meaning
[00:14:32] you father
[00:14:32] a
[00:14:32] child,
[00:14:33] so
[00:14:34] for
[00:14:34] the
[00:14:34] males,
[00:14:35] it's
[00:14:35] about
[00:14:35] 15%,
[00:14:36] with
[00:14:37] a
[00:14:37] score
[00:14:37] of
[00:14:38] 0,
[00:14:39] with
[00:14:40] a
[00:14:40] score
[00:14:40] of
[00:14:40] 4
[00:14:40] or
[00:14:41] more,
[00:14:41] it
[00:14:41] jumps
[00:14:41] up
[00:14:42] to
[00:14:42] about
[00:14:42] 35%,
[00:14:43] so
[00:14:44] a
[00:14:44] third.
[00:14:46] Impaired
[00:14:46] work
[00:14:47] performance,
[00:14:49] absenteeism,
[00:14:51] prevalence
[00:14:51] of
[00:14:52] impaired
[00:14:52] performance,
[00:14:54] absenteeism,
[00:14:55] if
[00:14:55] a
[00:14:56] score
[00:14:56] of
[00:14:56] 0,
[00:14:56] is
[00:14:57] about
[00:14:57] 6%,
[00:14:58] for
[00:14:59] 4
[00:14:59] or
[00:14:59] more,
[00:15:00] it
[00:15:00] jumps
[00:15:00] up
[00:15:00] to
[00:15:01] 15%.
[00:15:02] Serious
[00:15:03] financial
[00:15:03] problems,
[00:15:04] just
[00:15:10] to
[00:15:10] about
[00:15:12] 22%,
[00:15:13] serious
[00:15:14] problems
[00:15:15] performing
[00:15:15] jobs,
[00:15:17] with
[00:15:17] a
[00:15:19] score
[00:15:19] of
[00:15:19] 0,
[00:15:20] it's
[00:15:20] about
[00:15:21] a
[00:15:21] 6%,
[00:15:21] with
[00:15:23] a
[00:15:23] score
[00:15:23] of
[00:15:23] 4
[00:15:23] or
[00:15:24] more,
[00:15:25] it's
[00:15:25] about
[00:15:27] 17%.
[00:15:29] COPD,
[00:15:30] which is
[00:15:30] a lung
[00:15:31] disease,
[00:15:32] a score
[00:15:32] of 0,
[00:15:33] still
[00:15:33] gets you
[00:15:34] about
[00:15:34] 7%,
[00:15:35] have
[00:15:36] COPD
[00:15:37] as a
[00:15:37] problem,
[00:15:38] with
[00:15:39] a score
[00:15:39] of
[00:15:39] 4,
[00:15:40] it
[00:15:41] jumps
[00:15:41] up
[00:15:41] to
[00:15:42] almost
[00:15:43] 18%.
[00:15:44] They
[00:15:45] say
[00:15:45] what
[00:15:45] causes
[00:15:46] this.
[00:15:47] They
[00:15:47] add
[00:15:48] around
[00:15:48] the
[00:15:48] same
[00:15:48] time
[00:15:49] this
[00:15:49] A
[00:15:49] study
[00:15:49] was
[00:15:50] being
[00:15:50] done,
[00:15:50] they
[00:15:51] also
[00:15:51] had
[00:15:51] research
[00:15:52] on
[00:15:52] children's
[00:16:04] brains
[00:16:04] problems,
[00:16:05] including
[00:16:06] those
[00:16:07] from
[00:16:07] Harvard
[00:16:07] and
[00:16:08] Rockefeller
[00:16:09] University
[00:16:09] and
[00:16:11] the
[00:16:11] Child
[00:16:11] Trauma
[00:16:12] Academy.
[00:16:13] When
[00:16:14] children
[00:16:14] are
[00:16:15] overloaded
[00:16:16] with
[00:16:16] stress
[00:16:16] hormones,
[00:16:17] they're
[00:16:18] in
[00:16:18] that
[00:16:19] flight,
[00:16:20] fright,
[00:16:21] or freeze
[00:16:21] mode.
[00:16:22] They
[00:16:23] can't
[00:16:23] learn
[00:16:23] in
[00:16:23] school,
[00:16:24] they
[00:16:24] often
[00:16:24] have
[00:16:25] difficulty
[00:16:25] trusting
[00:16:26] adults
[00:16:26] or
[00:16:27] developing
[00:16:28] healthy
[00:16:28] relationships
[00:16:29] with
[00:16:29] peers,
[00:16:30] meaning
[00:16:31] they
[00:16:31] become
[00:16:32] loners.
[00:16:32] To
[00:16:33] relieve
[00:16:33] their
[00:16:33] anxiety,
[00:16:34] depression,
[00:16:35] guilt,
[00:16:35] shame,
[00:16:36] and or
[00:16:37] inability
[00:16:37] to
[00:16:37] focus,
[00:16:38] they
[00:16:38] turn
[00:16:39] to
[00:16:39] easily
[00:16:40] available
[00:16:40] biochemical
[00:16:41] solutions,
[00:16:42] nicotine,
[00:16:44] alcohol,
[00:16:45] marijuana,
[00:16:46] methamphetamines,
[00:16:47] or activities
[00:16:49] in which
[00:16:49] they can
[00:16:50] escape
[00:16:50] their
[00:16:51] problems,
[00:16:52] high
[00:16:52] sports,
[00:16:54] proliferation
[00:16:54] of sexual
[00:16:56] partners,
[00:16:57] and work
[00:16:57] over
[00:16:58] achievement.
[00:16:59] So
[00:16:59] examples,
[00:17:01] nicotine
[00:17:01] reduces
[00:17:02] anger,
[00:17:02] increases
[00:17:03] focus,
[00:17:04] and
[00:17:04] relieves
[00:17:04] depression.
[00:17:05] Alcohol
[00:17:06] relieves
[00:17:06] stress.
[00:17:07] Using
[00:17:08] drugs
[00:17:08] or
[00:17:09] overeating
[00:17:09] or
[00:17:10] engaging
[00:17:10] in risky
[00:17:11] behaviors
[00:17:11] leads
[00:17:12] to
[00:17:13] consequences
[00:17:13] as a
[00:17:14] direct
[00:17:14] result
[00:17:14] of this
[00:17:15] behavior.
[00:17:16] For
[00:17:16] example,
[00:17:16] smoking
[00:17:17] can lead
[00:17:18] to COPD
[00:17:18] or lung
[00:17:19] cancer.
[00:17:20] Overeating
[00:17:21] can lead
[00:17:21] to obesity
[00:17:22] and diabetes.
[00:17:24] In
[00:17:24] addition,
[00:17:25] there is
[00:17:25] increasing
[00:17:26] research that
[00:17:26] shows that
[00:17:27] severe and
[00:17:28] chronic stress
[00:17:29] leads to
[00:17:30] bodily systems
[00:17:31] producing an
[00:17:32] inflammatory
[00:17:32] response that
[00:17:34] leads to
[00:17:35] disease.
[00:17:36] In
[00:17:36] addition,
[00:17:37] toxic stress
[00:17:38] can be
[00:17:39] passed down
[00:17:40] from generation
[00:17:41] to generation.
[00:17:42] The field
[00:17:43] of epigenetics,
[00:17:44] meaning passing
[00:17:45] on things
[00:17:47] from one
[00:17:48] generation to
[00:17:49] another,
[00:17:49] shows that we
[00:17:50] are born with
[00:17:51] a set of genes
[00:17:52] that can be
[00:17:53] turned on
[00:17:54] and off
[00:17:55] depending on
[00:17:56] what's happening
[00:17:57] in our
[00:17:58] environment.
[00:17:59] If a child
[00:18:00] grows up
[00:18:00] with an
[00:18:01] overload of
[00:18:02] toxic stress,
[00:18:03] their stress
[00:18:04] response genes
[00:18:05] are likely
[00:18:06] to be
[00:18:07] activated
[00:18:07] so that
[00:18:09] they are
[00:18:09] easily triggered
[00:18:10] by stressful
[00:18:11] situations
[00:18:12] that don't
[00:18:12] affect those
[00:18:13] who don't
[00:18:14] grow up
[00:18:15] with toxic
[00:18:15] stress.
[00:18:16] They can
[00:18:17] pass that
[00:18:17] response
[00:18:18] onto their
[00:18:19] children.
[00:18:20] Fortunately,
[00:18:21] brains
[00:18:21] and lives
[00:18:22] are somewhat
[00:18:23] plastic.
[00:18:23] That's
[00:18:24] something
[00:18:24] that they
[00:18:24] now call
[00:18:25] neuroplasticity,
[00:18:26] one of my
[00:18:27] favorite terms.
[00:18:29] Resilience
[00:18:29] research shows
[00:18:31] that appropriate
[00:18:31] integration of
[00:18:32] resilience factors
[00:18:34] such as
[00:18:34] asking for
[00:18:35] help,
[00:18:36] developing
[00:18:37] trusting
[00:18:37] relationships,
[00:18:39] forming a
[00:18:40] positive attitude,
[00:18:41] listening to
[00:18:42] feelings,
[00:18:43] those can
[00:18:44] help people
[00:18:44] improve
[00:18:45] their lives.
[00:18:47] And you
[00:18:47] can ask
[00:18:48] yourself,
[00:18:48] how do I
[00:18:50] work against
[00:18:50] it?
[00:18:51] I took
[00:18:51] the test,
[00:18:52] mine was
[00:18:52] kind of
[00:18:53] high,
[00:18:53] high meaning
[00:18:54] three or
[00:18:55] four or
[00:18:55] five,
[00:18:56] I believe
[00:18:56] minus five,
[00:18:58] probably six,
[00:18:59] somewhere in
[00:18:59] there.
[00:19:01] What do
[00:19:01] you do?
[00:19:02] And
[00:19:03] recently,
[00:19:04] I attended
[00:19:05] a conference
[00:19:06] on human
[00:19:07] trafficking.
[00:19:07] If you know
[00:19:08] my story,
[00:19:08] you know I
[00:19:09] was sexually
[00:19:10] trafficked.
[00:19:11] In one of
[00:19:12] the sessions,
[00:19:12] they talked
[00:19:13] specifically
[00:19:13] about this
[00:19:14] test,
[00:19:14] the adverse
[00:19:15] child
[00:19:15] experiences.
[00:19:16] Aces,
[00:19:17] and the
[00:19:18] speaker had
[00:19:19] themselves
[00:19:20] attended a
[00:19:21] workshop on
[00:19:22] aces,
[00:19:23] and those
[00:19:24] who score
[00:19:24] a six
[00:19:25] or more
[00:19:26] out of
[00:19:27] ten,
[00:19:28] on average,
[00:19:29] have a
[00:19:30] lifespan that
[00:19:30] is decreased
[00:19:31] by 20 years.
[00:19:33] She told
[00:19:34] the speaker
[00:19:35] that she
[00:19:35] had nine
[00:19:36] out of
[00:19:37] the ten,
[00:19:37] and asked
[00:19:38] what she
[00:19:39] could do
[00:19:39] to counteract
[00:19:40] the effects.
[00:19:41] He said
[00:19:42] the best
[00:19:43] way to
[00:19:44] counter the
[00:19:44] effects of
[00:19:45] a high A
[00:19:46] score is
[00:19:48] autobiographical
[00:19:49] journaling,
[00:19:50] meaning using
[00:19:52] journaling,
[00:19:53] whether
[00:19:54] electronically or
[00:19:55] pen on paper,
[00:19:56] to tell
[00:19:57] your story.
[00:19:58] Write it
[00:19:59] down and
[00:20:00] get it out,
[00:20:01] getting it
[00:20:02] out of
[00:20:02] your head
[00:20:02] and onto
[00:20:03] paper or
[00:20:04] electronic
[00:20:04] paper,
[00:20:05] actually is
[00:20:06] healing you.
[00:20:08] And that's
[00:20:09] the whole
[00:20:10] theme of
[00:20:10] this podcast,
[00:20:12] overriding
[00:20:12] theme,
[00:20:13] is the
[00:20:14] power of
[00:20:15] story.
[00:20:15] So,
[00:20:16] people talk
[00:20:18] about when
[00:20:18] you share
[00:20:19] your story,
[00:20:20] it's
[00:20:21] healing,
[00:20:22] it feels
[00:20:22] healing.
[00:20:23] Your healing
[00:20:24] just takes
[00:20:25] a huge
[00:20:26] leap by
[00:20:27] telling your
[00:20:28] story,
[00:20:28] whether it's
[00:20:29] on this
[00:20:29] podcast or
[00:20:29] writing it
[00:20:30] down,
[00:20:30] or sharing
[00:20:31] it,
[00:20:31] however you
[00:20:32] do it.
[00:20:33] There's
[00:20:33] power,
[00:20:34] there's
[00:20:34] healing
[00:20:35] power in
[00:20:35] the telling
[00:20:36] of your
[00:20:36] story.
[00:20:37] That's
[00:20:37] one of
[00:20:38] the powers
[00:20:39] of story.
[00:20:41] Once you
[00:20:42] write it
[00:20:42] down,
[00:20:43] if you
[00:20:44] want,
[00:20:45] share it
[00:20:46] here on
[00:20:46] the podcast,
[00:20:47] share it
[00:20:47] in my
[00:20:49] chat room,
[00:20:49] share it
[00:20:50] in the
[00:20:50] forums,
[00:20:51] all that
[00:20:51] information is
[00:20:52] also on
[00:20:52] my website,
[00:20:54] and links
[00:20:55] to those
[00:20:55] things are
[00:20:55] also in
[00:20:56] the show
[00:20:56] notes on
[00:20:56] how you
[00:20:57] can find
[00:20:58] these
[00:20:58] things.
[00:20:59] Most are
[00:20:59] free,
[00:21:00] find someone
[00:21:01] to tell
[00:21:02] your story,
[00:21:03] get it
[00:21:03] out of
[00:21:04] your head.
[00:21:05] It is
[00:21:06] healing.
[00:21:07] Tell your
[00:21:08] story.
[00:21:09] And then you
[00:21:10] can look at
[00:21:11] it.
[00:21:11] If you share
[00:21:12] it in one
[00:21:13] of these
[00:21:13] public things,
[00:21:14] either one
[00:21:14] of my
[00:21:15] groups,
[00:21:15] or there's
[00:21:16] other groups
[00:21:17] such as
[00:21:19] male survivor
[00:21:20] and other
[00:21:22] groups out
[00:21:22] there where
[00:21:23] you can
[00:21:23] share,
[00:21:24] you can share
[00:21:24] anonymously,
[00:21:25] if you
[00:21:26] wish.
[00:21:26] There's
[00:21:27] several
[00:21:27] Facebook
[00:21:28] groups as
[00:21:29] well and
[00:21:29] other social
[00:21:30] media places
[00:21:30] where you
[00:21:31] can share
[00:21:32] your story
[00:21:32] safely and
[00:21:34] get it out.
[00:21:35] And you'll
[00:21:35] get feedback
[00:21:36] too.
[00:21:38] You'll get
[00:21:38] support.
[00:21:40] You'll hear
[00:21:41] from others
[00:21:42] who have
[00:21:42] similar
[00:21:43] experiences,
[00:21:44] who can
[00:21:44] support you.
[00:21:46] and you
[00:21:46] are not
[00:21:47] alone.
[00:21:49] And help
[00:21:50] to know
[00:21:51] that the
[00:21:52] abuse was
[00:21:53] not your
[00:21:54] fault.
[00:21:55] So,
[00:21:56] take the
[00:21:56] quiz,
[00:21:57] PDFs in
[00:21:58] the show
[00:21:58] notes,
[00:21:59] let me
[00:22:00] know how
[00:22:01] it goes.
[00:22:02] Would love
[00:22:03] to hear from
[00:22:03] you.
[00:22:04] I know mine
[00:22:04] is probably
[00:22:05] around a
[00:22:05] five or six,
[00:22:06] I believe,
[00:22:07] when I took
[00:22:07] it last,
[00:22:08] probably a
[00:22:08] six.
[00:22:09] And I'm
[00:22:10] doing okay,
[00:22:10] but I'm
[00:22:11] also writing
[00:22:12] my story and
[00:22:13] sharing my
[00:22:13] story and
[00:22:14] getting it out.
[00:22:15] And getting
[00:22:15] more and
[00:22:16] more of my
[00:22:16] story out.
[00:22:18] And it
[00:22:19] is so
[00:22:20] healing.
[00:22:21] So,
[00:22:22] do what
[00:22:23] you need
[00:22:23] to do to
[00:22:24] get your
[00:22:25] story out.
[00:22:25] Tell your
[00:22:26] story.
[00:22:28] Autobiographical
[00:22:28] journey.
[00:22:29] And with
[00:22:30] that,
[00:22:31] we'll see
[00:22:31] you next
[00:22:32] time on
[00:22:32] the Healing
[00:22:33] for Male
[00:22:33] Survivors
[00:22:34] podcast.
[00:22:37] If you
[00:22:38] would like
[00:22:38] to learn
[00:22:38] more about
[00:22:39] my coaching
[00:22:40] with Polar
[00:22:40] Live
[00:22:41] Consulting,
[00:22:41] where I
[00:22:42] provide
[00:22:42] one-on-one
[00:22:43] coaching and
[00:22:44] group coaching,
[00:22:45] both with a
[00:22:46] focus on
[00:22:46] healing for
[00:22:47] male survivors,
[00:22:49] reach out to
[00:22:49] me at
[00:22:51] polarlifeconsulting.com.
[00:22:52] That is
[00:22:52] polar spelled
[00:22:53] P-O-L-A-R.
[00:22:55] I would love
[00:22:56] to hear from
[00:22:57] you.
[00:22:57] I want to
[00:22:58] hear your
[00:22:58] story.
[00:22:59] If you
[00:22:59] would like
[00:23:00] your story
[00:23:00] featured on
[00:23:01] this podcast,
[00:23:02] contact me
[00:23:02] via my
[00:23:03] website.
[00:23:04] If you
[00:23:04] like this
[00:23:05] podcast,
[00:23:05] please rate
[00:23:06] and review
[00:23:07] because that's
[00:23:07] how other
[00:23:12] help to
[00:23:12] others.
[00:23:13] And remember,
[00:23:14] you are not
[00:23:15] alone.
[00:23:16] Healing is
[00:23:17] possible and
[00:23:18] the abuse
[00:23:18] was not
[00:23:19] your fault.
[00:23:20] Let me
[00:23:21] repeat that.
[00:23:22] The abuse
[00:23:22] was not
[00:23:23] your fault.
[00:23:25] See you
[00:23:26] next time on
[00:23:26] the Healing
[00:23:27] for Male
[00:23:28] Survivors
[00:23:28] podcast.