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Being bullied in school. Being called names because of my apperance behind my back by people who I thought were friends. I hope no one ever gets to experience that.

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I would really like to thank my Mom for always supporting me through thick and thin. And reminding me I am amazing, even during the days when my self worth hit rock bottom. Love you Amma!😊

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I was sent away to live without my parents and used to talk to them once a day.
Due to this, till today, i have not been able to open up to anybody because i think everybody will leave and no one cares enough about me to listen to my problems.
If someone is going through the same, stay strong, you are not alone. We are all here for you. Find your person and talk to them about your ACEs. You will get through this.

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I remember being told by a teacher I was just booksmart and lacked common sense. I remember being told that there is not point in only studying so much. This made me question and double think every word that came out of my mind. It slowly made me silent and scared to have a conversation with someone since I didn't want to be judged. Let's stop adverse childhood experience. #letcarebloom

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School Life was very challenging for me, I met a lot of temporary people. Post SSLC, I was put in an Elite school where I didn't feel much welcomed and was mostly by myself and with my thoughts for a couple of years until I randomly sat next together with a guy whom I never knew then that I'd still call him my best friend an 11 years later.

If you feel down, depressed or you imagine you have no one in your life. It's just a phase you're living through, it isn't permanent. Great people who make you do unbelievable things are waiting out there. Just days or months ahead ♥️

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How I became a superhero !
How I became a superhero

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How I became a superhero !
How I became a superhero

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I had a really good life, until I turned ten. That's when my mom got diagnosed with stage 3 cancer. It came a shock to us, because she seemed really healthy and cheerful as eve.It was hard. Mom and dad were coming and going as mom was getting treated. Even on the days when she came home, she was emotionally unstable and cried a lot. I was caught between emotions of fear and sadness and it was too overwhelming. Two years went by and mom got cured. But things were never normal at home again, we were on the verge of a financial crisis and mom blamed herself for it. She was too emotional and it wasn't really easy conversing with her. But in time we got better. When I was on my 12th standard, I was doing a serious research on dissociative identity disorder and I ended up realizing that my body had developed coping mechanisms after mom got sick. I cannot comprehend with people's emotions, I cannot feel sadness and I can't cry. It doesn't feel too bad, but I haven't been able to connect with people on a deeper level. And I couldn't be sad or cry even when my best friend passed away. But I cheer myself up saying that I have a super power! I cannot get hurt emotionally.

This was my first ACE. Life went on and surprised me with another one ! But hey, it did make me who I am today.

~ Nishanth

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I have vague memories of being pampered as a kid but most of my memories are of my dad abusing me everyday, my mom throwing me out of the house, endless cries and sleeping in the bathtubs afraid that dad might find and hit me again. And then, I used to be bullied in school for my looks. As an adolescent, all this got me looking for love in strangers and I ended up in pretty awful situations, made some awful friends, almost got myself an LSD supplier. I have been sexually molested four times, once by my boyfriend, once by our family pandit, once by a friend and another time, I don’t even know who that was. I later started taking therapy and got diagnosed with anxiety disorder, depression and borderline personality disorder. At the time, I also started cutting and biting myself, got pretty suicidal and as well committed once but came back alive. It’s a train wreck here but the show must always go on. I think the only thing that’s kept me going is that the belief that someday, everything’s just going to be okay and that someday, I’ll feel the sunshine on my skin just like everyone else. Until then, to my younger self, I’m only human.

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ACE.
A few days back, when this session was conducted regarding ACE, I wasn't aware of this term. After knowing what it is exactly, I realized I have travelled my journey through ace.
Since childhood I have seen my dear ones getting sick or I lost them early. But I am really thankful to all the people I have now, who supported me throughout and chose not to leave me/us abandoned.
This journey was hard but I am glad I have my own inner family with me and MAD ❤️
-Astha

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I am Thank ful to my friends and family to help me and support me always :-)

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For Creating a Safe Space and Inspiring me to become a better version of Myself !

Lots of Love to you all ❤️❤️❤️

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Looking at this, first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, gives me strength

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I'm someone who is usually happy, has a good set of friends and caring family. But even then, there are certain instances from my childhood which have shaped the way I look at people today, men to be specific. Knowing that not everyone is the same, logically makes sense but my past experiences have almost always made me believe otherwise. This has probably been my biggest ACE, which to this date, I continue battling with. I don't usually talk about it a lot, but I'm considering to of late.

Grateful for this campaign, this community which creates a safe space for people to openly talk about their ACEs and gives hope that yes! it is indeed reversible. All it takes it acknowledgement, care and certain positive actions every single day. One day at a time :)

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I am grateful to you for accepting me the way I am and helping me grow and understanding in silence and in words

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I have 4+ ACEs as a child and until last year I didn't know there was a concept which meant it was natural and common. I felt I was the only one who had to go through it. Having look back at those situations, all I had was myself to face a few and for others, I had friends. But what helped was care and kind filled words told by my parents and grandma. I got lucky Today, whenever I face a situation, it doesn't feel that big. All I do whenever any adversity comes is remember the first one I faced and tell to myself, this is a smaller one, we will surpass it together

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Was sexually  abused as a child.. never told anyone... I have always blamed myself for it..  I recently came out to my parents and now they act like it just didn't happen ... like I have not been depressed for yrs now.. like they taking care of me for 15days can cure my mental problems from last almost 3 yrs. It's just like this in my house pretend to be fine pretend to be happy or else my parents will quarrel there will be fights they wont talk for days... and that's how I grew up pretending to be happy and pretending to like everything.
Now I have no idea who I am! What I like ! What I hate! ... nothing just a pushover... will do anything for anyone and act to be happy everywhere.

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Yes,I overthink and get sad easily. So from past few days I was thinking Why should anyone feel pain more than happiness. I guess anyone being alone think something or the other so,to go through this I talked to my friends,played with myself when I'm alone and thinking about the good vibes made me better.And telling myself that there are people who care about us.
The theropy I followed is just smile and be strong no matter what the situation is!

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the best moments in life are because of the little things we do. Small deeds and gestures add more value, but sometimes they are undervalues. For example: putting up a smiling face on a hard day could make the person on the other side feel happy too!
Take a deep breath, enjoy your day :) Love& Hugs

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Searching for happiness in small moments.

I was a big time overthinker and killed my own peace of mind. After knowing about ACE i have started looking for happiness in small small moments and not thinking about anything else. I am really happy that you people came with such beautiful concept and shared it with the world.

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My life was all chill and cheerful and happy till I completed my schooling. After I completed my 12th grade I got into traumatic disasters one by one. The first one being me having guy friends which my parents hate and think that every other guy I talk to is my boyfriend, next I got into a weird fwb/dating ish relationship (which I totally regret till date) and my parents finding that he and I talk on the phone and for that I was grounded severely (I mean it) and the next one where I get into a stupid relationship and bring the guy home and my parents find the guy in my room and they hit me and him so much that I even wanted to kill myself then. So after this I was not respected at all by my parents and some of my relatives who knew all this. My parents don't trust me with me having an Instagram account even now. The worst thing is I'm 20 and I'm still not allowed to have my phone at night when I go to sleep and instead I should submit it to them and they check my phone regularly. I hope all of this changes one day🤞🏻

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I want to sit around a campfire talking about all your stories in a cold winter. I would feel like being at home then ❤️

Remember. Sometimes, I don't know if its gonna be fine,
but I'm sure YOU are gonna be fine. You have all of us ❤️

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No one here is alone we have us self love is most important.
Nothing is permanent your pains, your sorrow,your worry everything will change don't worry about today tommorow is waiting for u..

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I believe in life we always need something to look forward to.
It helps us to move forward and keep going.
Through hard times and experience we indeed come out stronger than before..but we still need many a times something to hold on to
That could be ur happy place
A place guarded by ur own self which only belongs to you
It could just be an image, a memory or something that u just read
For me, it is magical world of Harry Potter.
It helped me to remain myself even when it felt tough.
I'm grateful for it

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My sweeto
She has the most beautiful smile in the world. Everything gets better when I see her smiling. Maybe the people she is working with know the power of her smile. She is the most beautiful girl to ever exist(at least for me). With her almost everything seems to be perfect. She has become a part of me, more important to me than I am to myself. But I seem to be lost since the day you left without saying anything. The easiest things seem to be difficult now. The hope to do good, be good, inside me, it has been dying slowly. One needs to keep his/get heart happy to do things in life. Coz if the heart stops pumping blood, it chokes the brain. No matter how clever of a person you are. My reason for happiness was you. One cannot lie to one's own heart, but I do, when it asks me, 'when will I be happy again?', and I answer, ' when I will meet sweeto, hug her tight, everything will be fine then, and I am gonna meet her tomorrow'. I know that there isn't any tomorrow, but I need to lie, for surviving, coz if I die,  mummy wouldn't know what killed me, neither would my dad. Falling for someone is not a choice that one makes, its the call of one's heart. I have been waiting just to hear your voice since ages. Waiting for you is like a probability (1/100...), the zeros keep increasing as the days pass, but the hope to meet you never dies. Yes you have a new world, new friends, you are doing fine, everything is perfect for you, you don't want me anywhere near, but I cannot tell this to my heart, coz it has love and only love for you, like a mother loves her child, unconditional, no matter how the child treats her. I don't believe in the theory of punar janma, but I want to, now, coz maybe next janma, we can be together, maybe, next time, I can be happy. But if you ever read this, I want you to know, that I am waiting for you, I will keep waiting, till my last breath. Maybe the gods know that if I see you, I am gonna die of happiness, so they are keeping us apart. But you be happy and keep smiling. You have been always in my prayers and always will be. Stay happy. I request all the people at MAD to take care of each other, that way even my sweeto will also get all the care and love, by all the beautiful people there.

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My childhood has taught me nothing is permanent, both happiest and extremely worst moments. Don't ever stop yourself for whatever happened.. Everything will be wonderful once you start believing in yourself! Keep moving on!! Life is all about moving on with courage :)

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A shoutout to all the people who have helped me or supported me in any point of time in my life. You all have made a lot of things easy for me. Also kuddos to everyone who are there caring for others. You guys are the true gems.❣️

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Probably not as bad as the others but being told that I was over acting or faking it when in reality I am actually talking about how I feel is the worst thing in the world. I can't trust sharing my feelings anymore and I'm scared that if something happens to me or if I am hurt people will say I'm over acting.

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Can girls not be forced into nigha just because they are 20 years old. We all have dreams and ambition and wearing a hijab and being someones wife cannot be the only responsibility.

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Out of all the people in this world, my mom body shames me so much for being fat even after one hundred people fat shaming me already. I've tried to go on diets and all sorts of things since I was 16 but my body just won't reduce its size. I've learnt to love my body now

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I have always felt that I am not important to anyone. Even if people tell that I matter to them, it is difficult for me to believe. I tend to be more hard on myself and critically judge myself and blame myself for others actions. And it takes a split second for me to trust others . It is becoming hard as days pass by. After coming to know more about ACE, I wanted to be a person who is kind with self like how I am with others. I am trying and I am learning. I am sure that one day I will overcome all of these. I am so grateful that I am a part of Make a difference.

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During this lockdown a lot of my childhood memories got triggerd and it started becoming hard for me. I was not able to accept few things and I started to create hate in my heart towards everyone around me. There was this one day where I got a chance to listen to ACEs of my team and I got to share some, I shared only a little, I wasn't brave enough. But listening to the shares of the fellows from other cities, made me understand that people have gone through worse and something that I faced is a common one. This made things easier. It's the trust and space that I got in MAD is making me grow into a better person.