I hope that those of you who read this blog don’t tire of my posts regarding holidays, but these are some difficult times for survivors of sexual abuse. Most survivors I know where abused by a family member, not a stranger. Those family members were usually present at some or all of the holidays, whichContinue reading “Holiday Difficulties”
Tag Archives: relationships
Hanging out and Healing
Last weekend, I got to spend some time with a couple of other survivors. One of them lives out of the state and was here to attend a family function. So, another friend of mine drove to have breakfast and hang out with him for the morning. It was a good time to talk andContinue reading “Hanging out and Healing”
Getting Older…
I turned 53 in July, and I don’t necessarily feel that age. At least, in my head I don’t feel over 50. Of course, I realize that I can’t sprint like I used to when I was in high school. I have difficulty keeping my eyes open when I’m reclining while watching a movie atContinue reading “Getting Older…”
Predators
A friend of mine who I hadn’t seen in about four years visited southern California this weekend. We talked a great deal about many things, but since he knows that I’m a survivor, our conversation did talk about childhood sexual abuse. He was uncertain if he had been molested by his priest as a childContinue reading “Predators”
Male Shame
I’ve recently been listening to a podcast on the topic of suicide and suicidal ideation. Today, the host made a very profound statement, at least for me, about how men view shame. For us (and I’m generalizing here), males feel the most shame when they are perceived to be weak. As I pondered that statement,Continue reading “Male Shame”
Friendship Struggles Continued…
If you have read some of my other post, you know very well that I have struggled with building and maintain friendships all of my life. Upon some reflection the past few weeks, I believe I’ve had a small breakthrough. And just to start off, I am fully responsible for the position I find myselfContinue reading “Friendship Struggles Continued…”
Circle of Friendships
Regardless of what kinds of trauma you have experienced, I have found that various groups of friends and levels of intimacy within those groups is really important. I’ve talked about this idea before, but I think that I’ve matured and learned even more about how this concept works. We naturally have these circles of friendsContinue reading “Circle of Friendships”
Sharing Vulnerability
I was talking with a friend today at the gym, and he mentioned that he had a pretty rough week. Surprisingly, he mentioned to me that some friends had ghosted him recently, and he was trying to navigate that experience because he believed that these friends were trusted people whom he had known for aContinue reading “Sharing Vulnerability”
Emotional Immaturity
For most of my life, I have been an emotionally immature man. I can function well in social situations, I can handle friendships and relationships in a way that is not alarming, and I understand what good emotional health looks like. But I believe, like many survivors, I was stuck emotionally at the age whenContinue reading “Emotional Immaturity”
Having Difficulties during the Holidays?
Many survivors struggle a lot with the holiday season. Most of the times, the holidays bring memories of past sexual abuse with a family member. The holidays are a constant reminder of those times, even if the sexual abuse hasn’t occurred in many years. For many survivors, even if the holidays don’t bring about sexualContinue reading “Having Difficulties during the Holidays?”
Harry L. Estes 