Did you know that adverse experiences in childhood can have a big impact on health later in life? A landmark study in 1998 known as the ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study followed over 17,000 participants, investigating the impact of emotional and physical trauma in childhood on physical and psychological health later in life. The results were overwhelmingly clear that childhood abuse and family dysfunction had a profound effect on adult mental health and wellbeing and increased the chance of developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, persistent pain and obesity.