´óÏó´«Ã½

In a recent piece on the television show 60 Minutes, Oprah Winfrey discussed —shining a public spotlight on the lasting effects of abuse and adversity in childhood. Oprah herself is a survivor of childhood abuse.

Adverse childhood experiences, commonly called ACEs, include witnessing verbal or physical conflict between parents and having a parent with a mental illness or substance-abuse issue. They also include parental separation and divorce, incarceration, and the experience of neglect or abuse (sexual, physical or emotional) as a child.

ACEs are common. Approximately report experiencing at least one before the age of 18. More than 8 percent of the population report experiencing four or more ACEs.

Research has consistently found that the more adverse childhood experiences a person has, the greater their risk for later health problems.

Our investigates how ACEs affect women’s physical and psychological health in pregnancy. We study how adversities are “inherited” or , as well as how the risks of ACEs in pregnant women can be reduced.

Our latest finding suggests that . In essence, feeling supported by friends and family can counteract the negative effects of having ACEs.

From liver disease to early death

Adverse childhood experiences increase the risks of many health challenges later in life. These include mental health problems like , .

They also include health risk behaviors, such as  and , as well as diseases of the.

For example, an individual who has experienced four or more ACEs is than someone who has not.

People with .

Toxic stress and the body

When children are exposed to abuse and adversity, they experience heightened levels of stress without a strong support system to help them through these difficult experiences. This is

This stress is different from the tolerable types of stress that can help with development—such as learning to make new friends, going to a new school, or taking a test.

Experiencing high levels of toxic stress during abusive or traumatic experiences can alter how the brain and body process future experiences and stressful events. Toxic stress impacts how we think and learn.

We have found that the effects of adversity can be passed down from one generation to the next.

How does this happen? Toxic stress can cause excessive “wear and tear” on the body. It primes our system to be hyper-sensitive to stressors. This wear and tear builds up over time and can lead to both physical and mental health problems throughout our life.

When adults become parents, the effects that ACEs have had on their bodies, minds, and behaviors can influence how they experience pregnancy and pregnancy health. It can affect how they are able to interact with, and care for, their children.

Babies with developmental delays

In our work, we’ve shown that .

They are also more likely to deliver babies who have been born too small or too soon or need intensive care.

Even if the baby is born full term, children born to mothers with ACEs are at risk of developmental delay. For each additional maternal ACE, there is an that their children will be identified as delayed.

Ultimately, we have found that the effects of adversity can be passed down from one generation to the next.

However, with the right supports in place, our work also reveals that mothers can show remarkable resilience to adversity.

Compassion is protective

What helps promote resilience in the face of stress and adversity? How do we help families triumph over past experiences?

For some, even just being aware of how past adversities and traumas can impact their current functioning, including physical and mental health, is an important first step. This can start the road to recovery. Some people may benefit from additional counseling and professional support to launch them into a brighter future.

For others, it’s the compassionate response they receive when they talk to someone about their early experiences.

Supportive relationships are indeed a key ingredient for change.

Oprah Winfrey and others have wisely encouraged people to replace saying “what’s wrong with you?” with “what happened to you?”—to allow for a more compassionate and understanding approach to individual experiences, including trauma and adversity.

Oprah describes her main protective factor from adversity as school, and pinpoints certain teachers who encouraged her intellectually and creatively. School and caring teachers helped her to feel valued and gave her a sense of belonging, helping heal the emotional wounds of abuse.

How to foster resilience

Supportive relationships are indeed a key ingredient for change. Support from friends, family, spouses, or neighbors can boost the quality and security of life for people.

Community supports also matter. For example, our work suggests that when women participate in low-cost community programs and recreation, such as story time at the library, and .

Each and every one of us can help make a difference in someone’s life.

Investing in families with young children makes financial sense, too. Strategies that —improving outcomes for parents, children, and their families and avoiding later, higher-cost interventions.

Whether we have been affected by ACEs or not, we all can play a role in fostering resilience by being the buffering support to our friends, family members, and neighbors.

Using , health professionals can also play a central role simply by supporting and listening to patients burdened by childhood adversity.

The silver lining is that ACEs don’t define who we are or who we can become.

With supports, people who have endured ACEs can achieve emotional and physical well-being. It is compelling to realize that many people struggling with past adversity can identify support from teachers, neighbors, spouses, and friends as instrumental in overcoming their adversities.

Each and every one of us can help make a difference in someone’s life.

Individuals are encouraged to speak to a physician or health care professional if they have concerns about how their adverse experiences might be impacting their functioning. For helpful resources and information on the science of early adversity, visit The or Harvard University’s .

This article was originally published by . It has been edited for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Magazine.