What Are ACEs and Why They Matter
Childhood should be a season of innocence and possibility. But for many, it becomes a battleground of trauma, pain, and survival. These early experiences can leave lasting marks we carry long after the moments have passed.
At Mirkat Impact, we believe that healing begins with understanding. And one of the most important things we can understand is ACEs, Adverse Childhood Experiences.
What Are ACEs?
Adverse Childhood Experiences are potentially traumatic events that happen before the age of 18. These experiences include:
Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)
Neglect (physical, emotional)
Household Dysfunction (like growing up with caregivers battling addiction, incarceration, domestic violence, divorce, or mental illness)
Examples of ACEs include:
Being regularly yelled at, insulted, or humiliated
Being physically hurt by a parent or caregiver
Living with someone who abuses alcohol or drugs
Witnessing domestic violence
Experiencing periods of homelessness or food insecurity
The original ACE Study, launched in the 1990s by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente, showed just how common these experiences are and how deeply they can affect us later in life.
Why ACEs Matter
When a child lives in a constant state of fear, instability, or hurt, it changes how their brain develops. It changes how their body reacts to stress. It changes their sense of safety in the world.
The more ACEs a child experiences, the greater the risk for:
Chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes
Mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, and PTSD
Risky behaviors like substance use and self-harm
Difficulty forming healthy relationships
Academic and career challenges
Shorter life expectancy
Every child deserves more than just survival. They deserve the chance to thrive. Every one of us carries a story. Some chapters are beautiful. Others are heartbreaking. But every chapter matters.
Take the ACEs Quiz to learn more about your own experiences and how they might have shaped your story.
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