Story space
Subscribe
How Misfortune Leads to Disease
Category
- Trauma
The 4th stage in which negative childhood experiences (ACE) are somatized into illness
1. Threat detection (amygdala alert)
Just like encountering a bear in the forest, when you experience environmental threats such as physical or emotional abuse or neglect, the amygdala, the brain's fear center, immediately sounds an alarm.
Just like encountering a bear in the forest, when you experience environmental threats such as physical or emotional abuse or neglect, the amygdala, the brain's fear center, immediately sounds an alarm.
2. Fight-or-Flight Response and Hormonal Flood
Upon receiving an alert, the brain activates the nervous system (SAM axis) and the endocrine system (HPA axis). At this time, the body releases large amounts of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, to survive . These hormones increase heart rate, raise blood sugar and blood pressure, send blood to the muscles, and put the body into a state of extreme tension.
Upon receiving an alert, the brain activates the nervous system (SAM axis) and the endocrine system (HPA axis). At this time, the body releases large amounts of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, to survive . These hormones increase heart rate, raise blood sugar and blood pressure, send blood to the muscles, and put the body into a state of extreme tension.
3. Stress regulator failure (toxic stress state)
Under normal circumstances, when the threat disappears, the body turns off this alarm through a feedback system and returns to normal. However, exposure to chronic and repetitive adversity during childhood causes this ' stress thermostat ' to malfunction. As a result, even after the danger ends, the body fails to switch off its hormones and falls into a state of 'toxic stress,' constantly secreting cortisol.
Under normal circumstances, when the threat disappears, the body turns off this alarm through a feedback system and returns to normal. However, exposure to chronic and repetitive adversity during childhood causes this ' stress thermostat ' to malfunction. As a result, even after the danger ends, the body fails to switch off its hormones and falls into a state of 'toxic stress,' constantly secreting cortisol.
4. Destruction of the entire body system and somatization
Excessive and prolonged stress hormones cause fatal diseases throughout the body from childhood to adulthood.
Excessive and prolonged stress hormones cause fatal diseases throughout the body from childhood to adulthood.
•
Immune system: It disrupts the immune system and causes an excessive inflammatory response, significantly increasing the risk of developing asthma, eczema, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.).
•
Hormonal system: It interferes with sleep and growth, and disrupts body fat accumulation and glucose metabolism, causing heart disease, childhood obesity, early diabetes, and growth disorders.
•
Brain and nervous system: It blocks the functions of the frontal lobe, which is responsible for logic and impulse control, causing behavioral problems similar to ADHD, and actually shrinks the volume of the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory .
•
Cellular aging and genetic modification: Changes the way DNA is read (epigenetics) itself and damages telomeres that protect chromosomes, increasing the risk of premature cellular aging and cancer development .
The 10 questions below to calculate the ACE (Negative Childhood Experiences) score ask about experiences at home before the age of 18.
ACE Survey List
1.
Have parents or adults ever used abusive language, insulted you, or physically threatened you?
2.
Have parents or adults ever pushed you, slapped you on the cheek, or hit you hard enough to leave a scar?
3.
Have you ever been sexually molested or abused by an adult or someone older than you, at least 5 years?
4.
Have you ever felt that your family does not love you or that you cannot rely on each other?
5.
Have you ever lacked food, or had your parents fail to take proper care of you while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs?
6.
Are your parents separated or divorced?
7.
Have you ever seen your mother or stepmother being pushed, hit with objects, or subjected to severe physical abuse?
8.
Have you ever lived with an alcoholic or a drug abuser?
9.
Have you lived with a family member who suffered from depression, mental illness, or attempted suicide?
10.
Is there anyone in your family who has been to prison?
Analysis and Scoring Methods
You are awarded 1 point for each question you answer "Yes," and the sum of these points (0 to 10 points) is your final ACE score.
The higher the score, the proportionally higher the risk of developing physical and mental illnesses in adulthood. For example, people with an ACE score of 4 or higher are twice as likely to develop heart disease and cancer, and 3.5 times more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), compared to those with a score of 0.
•
0 points: This is the statistical threshold for disease occurrence.
•
1 point or more: Approximately 67% of the population lives with at least one negative experience. A score of just 2 points or more doubles the probability of hospitalization due to an autoimmune disease.
•
4 points or more: This is the statistically most important criterion for the 'high-risk group.' Compared to a person with 0 points, the incidence of heart disease and cancer increases twofold, the risk of chronic lung disease (COPD) increases 3.5 times, and the probability of being diagnosed with learning and behavioral disorders skyrockets by as much as 32.6 times.
•
6 points or more: It was found that life expectancy is shortened by as much as 20 years compared to a person with 0 points.
The key point is that it exhibits a 'dose-response relationship,' where the greater the amount of trauma experienced during childhood, the proportionally higher the risk of the disease.
6 Ways to Heal a Broken Stress Response System
These methods reduce stress hormones and alleviate inflammation, restoring biological balance.
6 Ways to Relieve Toxic Stress
1.
Sleep: Sleep deprivation raises stress hormone levels and weakens the immune system. Regular and sufficient sleep is essential for recharging the immune system and lowering cortisol and adrenaline levels.
2.
Exercise: Regular exercise helps reduce inflammation and regulate the stress response. It also improves brain function and memory by promoting the secretion of BDNF, a protein that aids in the growth of brain neurons.
3.
Nutrition A nutrient-rich diet reduces inflammation in the body and restores balance to the immune system.
4.
Mindfulness and Meditation : Meditation activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the 'fight-or-flight' response and stabilizes the body. This can lower heart rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels.
5.
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) : Teaches you how to understand and cope with how past traumas affect your current physical reactions.
6.
Healthy Relationships: Hugging and bonding with loved ones release a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin acts as a very powerful natural detoxifier that directly alleviates the stress response and stabilizes the brain.
Our brains and bodies possess 'neuroplasticity,' the ability to heal themselves through positive experiences. By consistently practicing these six methods, you can rewire damaged nerves and slow down cellular aging.
