The ACE Study: How Childhood Experience Shapes Adult Health
Oct 22, 2026The original paper
Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, et al. Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1998.
Read the original paper on PubMed →
Summary
This landmark study asked over 9,500 adults about difficult experiences in childhood — such as abuse, neglect, or a parent with addiction or mental illness — and compared their answers with their adult health. (The wider ACE study eventually included more than 17,000 people.)
The more adverse experiences someone had, the higher their risk of heart disease, cancer, lung disease, liver disease and more. People with four or more had a 4- to 12-fold higher risk of alcoholism, drug use, depression and suicide attempts.
Key finding
4+ adverse childhood experiences meant a 4–12× higher risk of addiction, depression and suicide attempts — and higher rates of major disease.
Why this matters
What happened to us early on doesn't stay in the past. It's held in the body and nervous system — which is also why it can be cleared there.
Research is summarised in plain language for a general audience. Hypnotherapy and energy healing are complementary approaches and are not a substitute for medical or psychiatric care.