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Adverse childhood experiences, called ACES,

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are stressful or traumatic experiences that

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occur in childhood like violence, abuse, and

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growing up in a family with substance use or mental health problems.

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When a caring adult or supportive environment doesn't soften those

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adverse experiences or when they are ongoing or overwhelming,

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they can lead to a prolonged activation of our stress response called toxic stress.

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Think of toxic stress like this: our

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bodies were designed to escape predators quickly.

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Imagine you're walking through the woods and you see a bear.

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Your brain signals your body to release

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stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol,

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your heart begins to pound, and your body prepares

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you to either fight or run from the bear.

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And that's useful if you're in the forest and there's a bear.

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The problem is when children face threats to their physical and emotional safety

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and this system is activated over and over and over again.

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What was meant to protect you begins to do

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the opposite and becomes damaging to your health,

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creating long-lasting wear on your body

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and brain.

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Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of ACES and

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toxic stress because their brains and bodies are still developing.

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The toxic stress from ACES and other adversities such as poverty,

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racism,

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discrimination and natural disasters can disrupt the

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normal functioning of vital bodily systems.

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Simply put,

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toxic stress can result in long-term mental and physical health conditions.

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Not only that,

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but the effects of ACES can be passed from parent to child for

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generations through the biological changes and behaviors

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associated with ACES and toxic stress.

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A person with four or more ACES is

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twice as likely to suffer from heart disease, cancer, and stroke,

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four times as likely to develop depression,

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and 12 times as likely to attempt suicide.

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The good news is that safe, stable relationships and environments

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and other interventions such as physical and mental health support can reduce

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the risk of ACES leading to toxic stress and stress-related health conditions.

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to learn more, Visit www.osg.ca.gov.