[Eyessoblue]

Have you all looked at the ACE scores? Well, according to me, I have a nine out of ten so that means I’m going to die early, have lots of diseases etc...;; ok, I have diagnosed cptsd. Depression and anxiety so does that mean I’m about to die?! I’m nearly 50, so I guess according to those results, that’s It, I’m doomed!!’ How can they work that out???

[Three Roses]

There are so many variables that go into life expectancy, and statistics are just a generalization. Nothing is written in stone, we can make changes and improve our odds. Knowledge and awareness are the keys. 👍

[Boy22]

I can only echo Three Roses.

I scored zero yet on other measures I scored much higher. On yet more measured I am supposed to be of less than average intelligence and lord knows what other pessimistic outcomes.

Lies, lies and damned statistics.

You haven’t found your way here without going Francis Underwood to them all.

[Jdog]

Just a thought here - there are a number of Resilience scales also, and it may be worth doin a search of those to see whether you rank high on one or more of those.  I have a high ACE score but a fairly high score on one of the resilience scales, which include protective factors.  It cheered me to see that.

[BeHea1thy]

Thanks for the tip Jdog, I was intrigued and spent about 10 minutes on it. I'm sure I could come up with more doing and exhaustive search, but the point is well taken. Resilience overcomes nearly all the dire predictions associated with (C)PTSD etc. Funny you should mention this, because just this week, I mentioned this same word to a friend who was talking negatively about growing older.

From the Public Library of Science (PLOS):  A methodological review of instruments of adult resilience has revealed that the
 Resilience Scale for Adults is one of the three instruments with adequate psychometric properties, along with the
 Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and the
  Brief Resilience Scale.

I too vote for ThreeRoses' comment 

The Resilience Center states:

The Resilience Scale is not offered online. Its primary purpose is for graduate student research and for established researchers in the university setting.

A bit of poking around about the Connor-Davidson Resilience scale revealed that

The scale is copyright and not in the public domain, and unfortunately we are not able to grant permission for its reproduction in any form of print or electronic medium.

The Brief Resilience Scale is here: https://ogg.osu.edu/media/documents/MB%20Stream/Brief%20Resilience%20Scale.pdf

[LilyITV]

I have an ACE score of 5 so I'm glad to see that there are other protective factors that play into it. 

[Elphanigh]

Lilytv, my score is 7 so I completely understand. If you go to acestoohigh.com they also have a resiliency test after the aces one. It also helps to recognize we all take in trauma so differently and can do a lot to help the possibility of the health issues by healing and treating our bodies with care.

[LilyITV]

Thanks so much Elphanigh!  It seems there is really something to those resiliency factors.  I haven't experienced any of the negative health outcomes, except for depression and anxiety. 

This subject is really hitting home for me.  My mother lost her father at age 3 and was sexually abused thereafter.  Though she was a non-smoker, she died of lung cancer and suffered from autoimmune type diseases like asthma and thyroid issues.  It just all seems so unfair that a person could suffer so much as a child and then have the effects of that abuse follow them all their lives. 

[fullofsoundandfury]

My ACE score is 9 too!

You've made it to 50 

The higher likelihood of early death is due to the increased likelihood of traumatised people to smoke cigarettes, self medicate with drugs or alcohol, over eat or under eat, experience suicidality, be too 'triggered', dissociative, depressed, anxious or agoraphobic to work/earn money/pay for good nutrition, etc. All lifestyle factors. Decreased self care is the cause of early death.

Also, untreated CPTSD keeps our bodies extremely hypervigilant, pumping out endless cortisol and stress hormones, which taxes our organs over time.

We can do things about all of the above factors.

As mentioned, resilience scores are also important. 

[LilyITV]

fullofsoundandfury, that explanation makes perfect sense!