Adverse Childhood Experience’s

Research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has shown links to negative development as a child producing chronic disease, substance abuse and mental health problems and psychosocial health issues in later adult life (Rariden et al.,2020; Bryan, 2019).  Identifying the impacts of childhood adversities and supplying positive interventions can provide patients with insight into past intergenerational traumas that may influence their behaviours and negative patterns associated with their life (Rariden et al.,2020).  As a healthcare professional realising the impacts of ACEs will create empathy and compassion when taking history can enable better holistic treatment and understanding to improve initial consultation, mental health screening and further re-traumatisation or distress (Bryan, 2019). Talking and discussing ACEs in primary settings can further educate patients in self-compassion to manage self-efficacy to gain insight into how these events may have influenced their decisions in life or patterns that affect their chronic disease or harmful behaviours, such as substance abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and physical and emotional neglect (Rariden et al.,2020; Bryan, 2019).  The simple implementation of an ACEs screening tool can provide further insight into the impact of the patient's past traumatic events, considering their socioeconomic position, physical and emotional abuse, self-neglect, and substance abuse (Rariden et al.,2020; Bryan, 2019). Patients experiencing ACEs have been seen to have existing health conditions accompanying their mental health, including chronic health conditions, poor sleep, depression, suicide, and emotional regulation issues (Rariden et al.,2020; Bryan, 2019).