The “8 childhood traumas” usually refer to the expanded list of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) used in trauma research after the original 1998 CDC-Kaiser study. While the original study identified 10 ACEs, many therapists, coaches, and mental health sites now highlight these 8 most commonly discussed categories:

1. Physical abuse – Being hit, kicked, or physically harmed by a parent/caregiver.
2. Sexual abuse – Any sexual contact or exploitation by an adult or older person.
3. Emotional abuse – Constant criticism, humiliation, threats, or rejection.
4. Physical neglect – Failure to provide food, shelter, clothing, or medical care.
5. Emotional neglect – Lack of love, support, or emotional responsiveness (often called “childhood emotional neglect” by Dr. Jonice Webb).
6. Household domestic violence – Witnessing a parent being abused or threatened.
7. Household substance abuse – Living with a parent or caregiver who abused alcohol or drugs.
8. Parental separation/divorce or incarceration – Losing a parent to divorce, abandonment, or prison.

These 8 traumas (sometimes grouped differently from the original 10) are strongly linked to long-term health issues like depression, anxiety, heart disease, addiction, and even autoimmune disorders. The higher your ACE score (0–8), the greater the risk.

Healing is absolutely possible. Therapies like EMDR, somatic experiencing, IFS (Internal Family Systems), and trauma-informed coaching help thousands of adults break the cycle every year.

If you recognize several of these in your childhood, you’re not alone and you’re not broken. Understanding your ACEs is the first step toward recovery.