The Crack Addict Who Became a Med Student | David Millar

David Millar grew up at the Jersey Shore surrounded by addiction, promising himself he would never become like the people he watched struggle around him. Instead, by age 20, he was deep into alcohol, cocaine, and crack addiction. He dropped out of college, cycled through psych wards, detox centers, and rehabs, slept in the woods, stole to survive, and believed drugs would define the rest of his life. Then everything changed. David got sober, rebuilt his life one day at a time, rediscovered running, returned to school, and eventually earned acceptance into medical school despite being told his past would hold him back. Today, he is seven years sober, an ultrarunner, medical student, coach, and one of the most powerful voices in recovery. In this conversation, David shares the reality of addiction, life inside psych wards, sleeping in the woods, the treatment program that saved him, why running became his medicine, and how he transformed an addictive personality into a force for growth. This is a conversation about addiction, recovery, discipline, and what becomes possible when you refuse to quit. Thank you to our sponsors Athletic Nicotine: https://athleticnicotine.com/rideout Code "RIDEOUT" Rho Nutrition: https://rhonutrition.com/ Code “RIDEOUT” Ken’s book now available here: https://www.theothersideofhard.com/ Chapters (00:00) Meet David Millar (00:47) Running Discipline Talk (02:27) Roka Eyewear Sponsor (03:56) Beach Town Upbringing (05:23) First Drink Turning Point (08:52) Fentanyl Reality Check (11:22) Running and Recovery (12:08) College Dropout Spiral (13:32) Cross Country Comeback (15:17) Athletic Nicotine Sponsor (15:52) Cocaine at Sixteen (20:42) Work Ethic Over Talent (24:31) Nursing School Collapse (26:57) Homeless in the Woods (28:51) Stealing To Survive (29:26) Florida Detox Escape (30:59) Detox System Gaming (31:40) Sponsor Break NAD Plus (32:46) First Psych Ward Hold (35:50) Locked Ward Reality (37:48) Coke To Crack Shift (40:00) Stimulants And Meth Talk (41:01) Recovery Spark At 20 (43:39) LA Boot Camp Sober Living (46:55) Accountability Culture (51:32) Early Sobriety Pain (54:18) Sobriety Mindset Shift (55:21) Addictive Drive Reframed (57:01) Back to School Sober (01:00:01) Pre Med Leap and MCAT (01:01:12) Hiding Recovery to Get In (01:03:07) Sober Edge in Med School (01:05:06) Rotations and Daily Grind (01:06:34) Training While Studying (01:08:28) Choosing a Specialty (01:09:26) Alcohol Guidelines Critique (01:11:25) Treat Addiction Not Symptoms (01:13:58) Subutex and Vivitrol Path (01:17:32) GLP Drugs and Cravings (01:18:59) Fitness and Running as Medicine (01:22:46) Closing Thanks and Where to Find Him (01:24:08) Subscribe Sponsors and Book Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices