Adverse Childhood Experiences

TMON-43: The Myth of Normal, Chapter 16, Song 4
Alex Hickey ©2024
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This song is based on information in Chapter 16 of The Myth of Normal, a book written by Dr. Gabor Maté with Daniel Maté. You can find more information about this book on Dr. Maté's website: https://drgabormate.com/book/the-myth-of-n...

I am writing a series of songs in response to the ideas in this book, sometimes in combination with ideas from other books by Dr. Maté and some of his colleagues. These are my interpretations of these ideas. I acknowledge that I can make mistakes, misunderstand and/or take poetic license when transforming these ideas into songs. I welcome questions in the comments section and refer you to the book itself as the final authority about what it is saying.

Lyrics:
There was a study done in the 1990s
On Adverse Childhood Experiences
(Otherwise known as ACE)
That looked at peoples’ use of substances
And addictive behaviours
And at their mental health
And their medical wellbeing

And found strong correlations
Between childhood troubles
And a risk in later life
Of all kinds of tribulations

Adversity was categorized
In 3 sub-groups
Abuse, neglect and household dysfunction
(That last includes
Alcohol and drug abuse,
depression or mental illness,
Violence in the home, divorce or loss of a parent.

There are strong correlations…

The ACE study revealed that an adult with
A score of 6 on the questionnaire
Is 46 times more likely to use intravenous drugs
Than an adult for whom none of those adversities were there

There are strong correlations…

Another study showed teens twice as likely to use drugs
If they report being physically or sexually abused
And if they report experiencing both kinds of abuse
They are twice as likely again to use.

There are strong correlations…

#gabormate #adversechildhoodexperiences #ace #addictionandrecovery #trauma #childhoodabuse