When the Feeling Has You

Brian thought what happened at seven "wasn't a big deal", until his life started falling apart. A male survivor of childhood sexual abuse on addiction, shame, and the connection that brought him peace.

1 in 6 men have had an unwanted or abusive sexual experience. You are not alone. Free, confidential support 24/7 → 1in6.org

In this episode of You're Not Alone, the 1in6 podcast, hosts Anthony Edwards, actor and chairman of 1in6, and co-host Beau Friedlander sit down with their friend Brian Ward, a man who, at almost 55, is only now beginning to look at abuse he survived as a boy. Brian describes being groomed by a trusted teenage babysitter at seven, being told by his family to "forget it" and "move on," and the long aftermath: a sense that the world was not safe, that intimacy and connection were dangerous, and that he had to "suck it up" and be a man.

He traces how that silence put "gasoline on the flame" of his alcoholism, fueled years of self-sabotage and codependency, and left him questioning his own sexuality well into adulthood. And he shares the turning point: walking into a room of men who spoke openly about what happened to them, said "I love you, man," and showed him that connection could be safe. As Brian puts it, the opposite of addiction is connection. This is an honest, hopeful conversation about how male survivors stay silent, why it gets harder to make sense of with age, and how recovery, honesty, and peer support can turn chaos into peace.

#MaleSurvivors #YoureNotAlone #1in6

You are not alone. 1 in 6 men have had an unwanted or abusive sexual experience. Free, confidential support is available 24/7 through the 1in6 Helpline and online support groups at 1in6.org.