Childhood trauma public health crisis linked to addiction, chronic disease and mortality, with faith communities seen as a key response network
Toronto, ON — A new book by researcher and nonprofit founder Michael Menard is drawing attention to what he describes as a largely unrecognized public health crisis: the long-term impact of childhood trauma on mortality, mental health, and chronic disease.
In Greater Than Gravity: How Childhood Trauma Is Pulling Down Humanity, Menard presents research connecting adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to a wide range of health outcomes, including addiction, depression, and heart disease. The book draws on more than 350 peer-reviewed studies and argues that childhood trauma may be a major underlying factor behind many of the leading causes of death.
According to Menard’s findings, childhood trauma is associated with an estimated 511,000 deaths annually in the United States, or approximately 1,401 per day.
“We’ve been treating symptoms for decades,” Menard said. “Addiction. Depression. Heart disease. Suicide. We keep naming the branches while ignoring the root. Childhood trauma is the root.”
A public health issue with broad societal impact
The book positions childhood trauma as a systemic issue that extends beyond individual health outcomes into broader social and economic consequences. Menard links early-life adversity to increased risks of substance use, mental illness, and chronic disease, highlighting the need for earlier intervention and prevention strategies.
His work builds on existing research into ACEs, which has been widely studied in public health and psychology as a predictor of long-term health challenges.
Focus on faith communities as a potential response network
A central argument in Menard’s work is that faith-based organizations may be uniquely positioned to help address the issue due to their scale and community reach.
With millions of Americans attending religious services regularly, Menard suggests that churches and similar institutions already have the infrastructure—through counselling, small groups, and outreach programs—to support individuals affected by trauma.
“Pastors counsel people in crisis every day,” he said. “What they don’t have is the awareness that childhood trauma is driving most of the pain they’re seeing — or the training to respond to it.”
Personal experience shapes advocacy
Menard’s research is informed by personal experience. Raised in a large family in Illinois, he lost two brothers to heroin addiction, which he attributes to unresolved childhood trauma.
“When you bury your brothers, you stop asking polite questions,” he said. “You start demanding answers.”
This experience led him to establish the United Against Childhood Trauma (UACT), a nonprofit organization focused on building systems for trauma awareness, prevention, and recovery.
Expanding education and training initiatives
As part of its work, UACT is developing training programs through its UACT Academy, aimed at sectors including healthcare, education, corporate environments, and faith-based organizations. The initiative is intended to provide structured approaches to identifying and responding to trauma.
Menard’s broader goal, as outlined in the book, is to shift how institutions understand and address the root causes of health and social challenges.
A growing conversation around trauma-informed approaches
The publication of Greater Than Gravity adds to an ongoing global conversation about trauma-informed care and prevention. In Canada and the Greater Toronto Area, similar discussions have emerged across healthcare, education, and community services, where organizations are increasingly adopting trauma-informed frameworks.
While Menard’s findings focus on the United States, the underlying issues—such as mental health, addiction, and chronic disease—are also relevant to Canadian policymakers and community leaders.
The book calls for a more coordinated response that integrates research, community infrastructure, and early intervention strategies to address the long-term effects of childhood adversity.
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