PODCAST · education
F#CK THE STIGMA
by Laisha Martinez
F The Stigma is a podcast dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health, addiction, trauma, and the struggles we face in society. Hosted by Laisha Martinez, we have real, unfiltered conversations with guests from all walks of life—advocates, experts, and individuals with lived experiences who share their personal stories, challenges, and triumphs.Our goal is to normalize these tough conversations, challenge societal shame, and make mental health and addiction resources accessible to all. No one should feel ashamed in their journey
Episodes
-
11 Years of Addiction, Seizures and Blackouts—How He Survived
In episode 77 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Fausto Castellanos o discuss nearly nine years of sobriety after 11 years of alcohol and cocaine addiction. In this candid conversation, we explore childhood sexual abuse and grooming, questioning sexuality after trauma,...
-
2 Near-Death Experiences Ended My Fentanyl Addiction
In episode 76 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ashley Moore who shares her raw story of her nine-year battle with heroin, meth and fentanyl addiction and the two near-death experiences that finally pushed her toward sobriety. Ashley opens up about childhood trauma,...
-
The Brutal Reality of Homelessness, Crystal Meth & Xanax Addiction
In episode 75 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Timothy Obis speaks honestly about addiction, homelessness, and life on the streets. Timothy shares his experiences with crystal meth and Xanax, the circumstances that led to homelessness, and the physical and…
more -
Alcohol Led Me to Psychosis After 8 Years Sober
In episode 74 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Dani Burd who is a professional dancer and founder of Indigo Dance Company, to discuss addiction, sobriety, relapse, and grief. Dani shares how she became an IV heroin user at 18, got sober with the help of Suboxone,...
-
Why a Doctor Risked His Marriage and Career for Drugs
In episode 73 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Dr. Kenny Clark who returns for an honest conversation about addiction, relapse, and what getting sober doesn’t automatically fix. We explore whether addiction is a disease or a choice, the biggest lies addicts tell...
-
Heroin Cost Me My Career and Custody of My Daughter | Dave Manheim
In episode 72 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Dave Manheim, opens up about his heroin addiction, using drugs while working at MTV, losing custody of his daughter, and the painful road to sobriety. He shares how he rebuilt his life and turned his darkest experiences…
more -
Meth Made Me Do the Unimaginable | Matt Barker’s SHOCKING Recovery Story
In episode 71 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Matt Barker, who was recently featured on Soft White Underbelly, joins the podcast to share how he transformed his life after decades of addiction, meth use, prison, and devastating loss. Today, Matt is sober, has earned…
more -
The Fatal Car Accident That Led Me Into Meth Addiction
In episode 70 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Pej, a professional interventionist with 19 years of sobriety and a powerful story of addiction and recovery. Pej spent nearly a decade addicted to drugs and meth while working as a drug dealer, with his addiction…
more -
I Spent 15 Years Addicted to Heroin Before I Got Sober
In episode 69 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Danny Shannon. Who shares his incredible journey from teenage addiction and years of heroin and ice use to incarceration, homelessness, countless attempts at rehab, and ultimately long-term recovery. Danny opens up about…
more -
I Was Addicted To Ketamine & Used 7OH To Detox
In episode 68 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Courtney LeRoux, who opens up about her journey with mental health struggles and addiction, beginning at just 11 years old. Growing up in South Africa before moving to the United States, Courtney’s struggles eventually led...
-
My Husband's Suicide Led Me Back to Alcohol
In episode 67 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Wendy shares her incredible journey through trauma, grief, addiction, and recovery. After witnessing violence as a child, surviving sexual assault at 15, becoming a young mother, battling alcoholism, and losing her husband...
-
How Losing My Parents to a Suicide Pact Led Me to Addiction & Prostitution
In episode 66 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Betty Guadango to share her incredible journey from addiction, prostitution, and unimaginable loss to lasting recovery and purpose. Betty opens up about growing up with parents struggling with addiction, losing both of…
more -
Skinny Vinny From Heroin Addiction & Homelessness to Co-Hosting with Steve-O
In episode 65 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Skinny Vinny (Vincent Imperati), co-host of Steve-O's Wild Ride, to share his incredible journey from addiction to recovery. Vinny opens up about losing his father to a drunk driver, battling heroin addiction alongside his...
-
I Was an Alcoholic High School Teacher Who Got 2 DUIs
In episode 64 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Elisa Saunders, recently featured on Soft White Underbelly, shares her extraordinary journey through childhood trauma, addiction, grief, and recovery. Elisa opens up about the heartbreaking experience of testifying against...
-
How Meth-Induced Psychosis Saved My Life
In episode 63 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Wild Card, who shares his powerful journey through addiction, relapse, and recovery. Growing up with a father who cooked methamphetamine, Wild Card opens up about how childhood trauma and early exposure to drugs led him…
more -
My Addiction to Heroin Led Me To Getting Trafficked
In episode 62 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Dylan Janet, who shares her powerful story of overcoming meth addiction, heroin addiction, alcohol addiction, and years of substance use. After countless attempts to get sober, surviving trauma, toxic relationships, and…
more -
I Was Addicted To Meth & Homeless At 17
In episode 61 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Connager Parks to discuss his incredible journey through mental health struggles, addiction, homelessness, and recovery. Born with a deformity caused by abuse his mother endured during pregnancy, Connager shares how...
-
My Drug Addiction Led Me to Psych Wards & 5150 Holds
In episode 60 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with musician Multifaceted Monster (Michael Smith) to discuss his battle with alcoholism, meth addiction, cocaine use, and mental health struggles. Michael shares what it was like growing up without his father, searching for a...
-
Michael Chernow Reveals the Trauma That Fueled His Addiction
In episode 59 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with entrepreneur, recovery advocate, podcast host, and founder of Kreatures of Habit, Michael Chernow, for an honest conversation about addiction, trauma, recovery, and personal transformation.Michael shares his story of…
more -
I Started Self-Harming at 6 — Then Meth Took Over My Life
In episode 58 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Cristina for a raw and honest conversation about addiction, mental health, self harm, and the reality of how the disease of addiction can fatally progress. Cristina shares how family, environment, and trauma impacted her...
-
How Heroin Addiction Led Me to Overdose 5 Times in 2 Weeks
In episode 57 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Jacob Kline who shares his raw and honest story of battling heroin addiction, how his addiction progressively took over his life, and the turning point that finally led him to sobriety and recovery. Jacob opens up about…
more -
I Was Using Heroin at 14 Years Old | The Truth About My Rock Bottom
In episode 56 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Glynis Franz shares her powerful story of addiction and recovery. From childhood trauma and her mother’s addiction to juvenile detention centers, prison, and intravenous heroin use, Glynis opens up about the reality of...
-
I Got 3 DUIs Before 20… and It Still Didn’t Stop My Addiction
In episode 55 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Dave Puhky shares how hitting rock bottom became the turning point that changed everything. In this episode, he breaks down how he quit all mind-altering substances, rebuilt his life through fitness and martial arts, and…
more -
Corey Warren EXPOSES the Truth About Addiction Nobody Talks About
In episode 54 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with @icoreywarren a sober coach and mental health advocate who shares his raw journey from heroin use in high school to alcohol addiction—and ultimately, recovery. Now dedicated to helping others, Corey breaks down the myths...
-
Men Struggling With Addiction — This Story Could Change You
In episode 53 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Alika Gambill to talk about what it really looks like to rebuild your life from the ground up. Alika opens up about the trauma he experienced growing up and how it shaped the path that led him into nearly two decades of...
-
Over 300 People Die Every Day From Overdoses… Here’s Why
In episode 52 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ahmad Hussain, founder and CEO of DEFENT, breaks down the harsh reality of the fentanyl epidemic and the truth behind the rising death toll. He shares what drives his mission to create an all-in-one fentanyl detection…
more -
Meth Addiction & Crime Took Everything From Him… Then This Happened | Garet McLendon
In episode 51 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Garet McLendon to share his powerful story of addiction, trauma, and recovery. In this episode, he opens up about the struggles that led him down a destructive path, the turning points that forced change, and what it…
more -
Surviving Narcissistic Abuse and Addiction at 14
In episode 50 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Faust Castellanos, who shares a powerful and deeply vulnerable conversation about trauma, addiction, faith, and recovery. Known for his appearance on Soft White Underbelly and several other podcasts, as well as his work as…
more -
Doctor & Felon Reveal Why Addicts Relapse
In episode 49 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Michael Lynch and Dr. Kenny Clark as they return to announce the launch of their new podcast, Solo and Doc, and have a powerful conversation about rebuilding in recovery after losing everything to addiction. We talk about...
-
Decades Lost to Addiction After My Father Took His Life
In episode 48 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Rich Bishop, who shares his journey through addiction and mental health struggles. From drinking alcohol at just two years old to later turning to opiates and other hard substances, Rich explains how he spent most of his...
-
How Our Parents Shaped Our Trauma & Addiction
In episode 47 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez welcomes back Santana Dawson for the third time for an honest conversation about change, healing, and what it really takes to grow. Together, they unpack the fear of change and how trauma shapes our present behaviors, relationships, and...
-
Career Criminal Addicted to Crack Went From Bank Robbery to Redemption
In episode 46 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Jeff, who shares his story of addiction, crime, and recovery, opening up about how growing up without a father figure and coming from a troubled family became his excuse for using drugs. He talks about how substance use...
-
How Gambling Addiction & Crack Addiction Ruined My Life
In episode 45 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Malik Keene, discussing his journey from active addiction to long-term recovery. Malik opens up about quitting drugs and alcohol, walking away from the drug dealer lifestyle, and confronting a gambling addiction that…
more -
How Survivor’s Guilt Fueled 10 Years of Addiction
In episode 44 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Travis Shields, who shares an honest conversation about addiction, grief, and recovery after more than a decade of active drug and alcohol use. Travis opens up about surviving the loss of a close friend, the survivor’s…
more -
Kidnapped as a Teen Because of Addiction
In episode 43 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ryan Ead, sharing his raw and unfiltered story of mental health struggles and addiction that began at a young age. After years of misbehavior and substance use, Ryan’s parents had him kidnapped and sent to a wilderness...
-
Losing My Friends to Overdoses Nearly Killed Me Too
In episode 42 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Matt Anderson, who shares his raw and honest journey through mental health struggles, addiction, incarceration, and recovery. Now 9 years sober, Matt opens up about going to jail at just 15 years old, being exposed to hard...
-
My Drunk Driving Accident Took A Life
In episode 41 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Mike Eaton, who has 17 years sober and opens up about the turning point that changed his life forever. After years of failed attempts to get sober, Mike’s addiction led to a fatal drunk driving accident that took someone’s...
-
How Grief and a Toxic Relationship Fueled My Alcohol Addiction
In episode 40 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Emily, who shares her journey with alcoholism, starting from drinking at a young age and the struggles that followed her into high school, including an abusive relationship that shaped how she coped with pain. She opens up...
-
I Served A Life Sentence In Prison For Attempted Murder
In episode 39 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with William Mitchell, who was wrongfully sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder at just 23 years old and ended up serving 18 years behind bars. William opens up about battling crack addiction, how prison transformed...
-
It Took Me 13 Rehabs to Finally Stop Using Heroin
In episode 38 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Cindy, who opens up about using heroin at just 11 years old, growing up in a chaotic and painful environment, and losing control of her life to addiction. She shares what it was like entering 13 different treatment…
more -
Ex Marine’s Fight Against Physical Abuse and Cocaine Addiction
In episode 37 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Chris Yarnell, In this episode, Laisha sits down with a guest who opens up about a lifetime of stigma, trauma, and addiction. He talks about growing up in a household shaped by alcohol and drugs and how fractured family...
-
How Sexual Abuse Shaped My Addiction and My Relationship With Men
In episode 36 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ashley Pertuno, who bravely shares her story of surviving childhood abuse by a close family member, the trauma that fueled her addiction, and the mental health battles that followed her into adulthood. Ashley reveals how...
-
I Lived Under a Bridge For Years Because of My Drug Addiction
In episode 35 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Josh, who opens up about his journey from decades of jail, prison, and active heroin addiction to now celebrating 15 years sober. Josh keeps it real about what life was like in and out of institutions, what finally pushed...
-
Surviving Childhood Sexual Abuse & Heroin Addiction
In episode 34 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Tabitha, who shares powerful journey from a childhood filled with chaos, trauma, and abuse to finding recovery and rebuilding her life. Growing up in a toxic household in Baltimore, she faced early exposure to addiction,...
-
I Spent Over a Decade Battling Alcoholism Until God Saved My Life
In episode 33 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ansu, who shares his powerful story of battling alcoholism for over a decade while struggling with identity, family abandonment, and a toxic marriage. From growing up between cultures and living as a “functional” addict to...
-
I Thought My Dad Dying Made Me an Addict, I Was Wrong
In episode 32 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Tim Fritz to share his powerful story of battling active alcoholism and addiction. Tim opens up about how the loss of his father deeply impacted his life and became a driving force behind his substance use. Together…
more -
My Dad Died From The Same Addiction I Escaped
In episode 31 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Maggie who opens up about her journey through addiction, recovery, and rebuilding her life. She shares what it was like growing up around addiction, experimenting as a teen, and facing early arrests and probation. From her...
-
Crack Addiction Was My Rock Bottom
In episode 30 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Michael to share his story of addiction, recovery, and rebuilding his life. From early identity struggles to his first experiences with substances, legal trouble, and near-death moments, Michael opens up about what it took...
-
Losing A Multi-Million Dollar Company to Drugs & Addiction
In episode 29 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Joe as he opens up about his journey through pain, addiction, and redemption. From a rough childhood marked by school struggles, trauma, and searching for belonging, Joe shares how early challenges led him down a path of...
-
Struggling with Self Harm Through 7 Years of Addiction
In episode 28 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Catie to share a raw and powerful story of addiction, self-harm, and healing. Catie opens up about growing up in a chaotic household, experimenting with drugs at a young age, and spending seven years trapped in addiction...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
F The Stigma is a podcast dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health, addiction, trauma, and the struggles we face in society. Hosted by Laisha Martinez, we have real, unfiltered conversations with guests from all walks of life—advocates, experts, and individuals with lived experiences who share their personal stories, challenges, and triumphs.Our goal is to normalize these tough conversations, challenge societal shame, and make mental health and addiction resources accessible to all. No one should feel ashamed in their journey
HOSTED BY
Laisha Martinez
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does F#CK THE STIGMA have?
F#CK THE STIGMA currently has 152 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is F#CK THE STIGMA about?
F The Stigma is a podcast dedicated to breaking the stigma around mental health, addiction, trauma, and the struggles we face in society. Hosted by Laisha Martinez, we have real, unfiltered conversations with guests from all walks of life—advocates, experts, and individuals with lived experiences...
How often does F#CK THE STIGMA release new episodes?
F#CK THE STIGMA publishes regularly with 152 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to F#CK THE STIGMA?
You can listen to F#CK THE STIGMA on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts F#CK THE STIGMA?
F#CK THE STIGMA is created and hosted by Laisha Martinez.
URL copied to clipboard!