Get a Grip Podcast

In this heartbreaking and powerful episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Tina Lester for an incredibly honest conversation about addiction, prostitution, incarceration, recovery, and unimaginable loss.Tina's story takes us back to her childhood and the beginning of her addiction to crack cocaine. She opens up about using crack while pregnant with her son, eventually becoming involved in prostitution to support her addiction, and the dangers she faced while working the streets.Tina shares some of the most frightening experiences of her life, including an encounter with a client that left her fearing for her life and the complicated relationship between prostitutes and pimps. Her addiction and lifestyle eventually led to a prostitution charge and time in women's prison, where she experienced situations that would stay with her long after her release.At one point, Tina says she made millions of dollars as an escort—but despite the money, the lifestyle came at an enormous personal cost. After getting out of prison, she relapsed and found herself back in the cycle of addiction.Then Tina's story takes an even more devastating turn.She opens up about losing her daughter to heroin addiction and learning about her death from a nurse. She then suffered the unimaginable loss of her son, who died in a motorcycle accident while under the influence. Tina also discusses the loss of her daughter to fentanyl, including the devastating reality of drugs containing extremely high concentrations of fentanyl.The losses didn't stop there. Tina shares the pain of losing her grandson and her brother and what it was like trying to process all of that while battling addiction and eventually finding recovery.Despite everything she has experienced, Tina continues to move forward and share her story. She reflects on her years walking the streets, the consequences of addiction, the people she lost, and the lessons she hopes others can learn from her life.This is a raw story of addiction, survival, grief, and the devastating impact substance use can have on an entire family—but it's also a story about resilience and the possibility of finding a way forward.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Victoria Lombardo for an incredibly raw and emotional conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, family dysfunction, abusive relationships, and finding a way forward after unimaginable loss.Victoria's story begins with a childhood surrounded by addiction and abuse. She opens up about growing up while her mother was involved in methamphetamine use and the traumatic experiences that shaped her from a young age. At just 13 years old, Victoria survived an overdose after unknowingly taking fentanyl that had been contaminated with another substance.As she got older, the trauma continued. Victoria shares disturbing experiences involving people she trusted, sexual abuse, and a suicide attempt at a Christian festival. She also discusses entering an abusive relationship and how those experiences affected her choices and her understanding of what a healthy relationship should look like.Despite everything she had been through, Victoria pursued an education in dental assisting and tried to build a future for herself. But cocaine and other drugs began taking over. She shares some unbelievable stories about using drugs with family members, selling drugs through a drive-through, and one bizarre incident involving a glove that ended up in a quesadilla and eventually in the hands of a homicide detective.Her addiction eventually became a family affair, with Victoria describing how she and members of her family were using drugs together. Meanwhile, her relationship became increasingly dangerous, including an incident where she was awakened by her boyfriend choking her and holding a gun to her head.After reaching a breaking point, Victoria's family staged an intervention—even though addiction was affecting multiple members of the family. That moment ultimately helped lead her toward treatment and recovery.But just as Victoria reached one year clean, she experienced another devastating loss: the death of her mother.Today, Victoria reflects on everything she survived, how she continues to move forward, and what she wants people struggling with addiction and trauma to know.This is a powerful conversation about survival, addiction, abuse, family, grief, and the strength it takes to rebuild your life.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes turns the microphone around and interviews co-host Louis Essig about a chapter of his life he never expected to experience.After years of sobriety from heroin addiction, Louis thought he had put his darkest days behind him. Then he landed what he considered his dream job and was prescribed benzodiazepines (benzos). What began as a legitimate prescription quickly became something much more difficult to control.Louis opens up about the reality of benzodiazepine dependence, including the brutal withdrawal symptoms, restless legs, and the consequences that followed as his prescription began spiraling out of control. He explains how addiction can take unexpected forms—even after years of sobriety—and why being clean from one substance doesn't necessarily make someone immune to another addiction.The episode also explores how Louis' benzo use became intertwined with gambling. What started as another outlet eventually created its own set of consequences, including getting caught gambling at a Pennsylvania casino.Louis shares what it was like trying to detox from benzos on his own, the mistakes he made along the way, and the moment he realized he needed to take responsibility for what was happening.In a unique twist, Aaron flips the script and puts Louis in the interviewer's seat, forcing him to confront some difficult questions about his experience and what he wants others to learn from it.This is a brutally honest conversation about relapse, prescription medication, cross-addiction, gambling, and the reality that recovery is an ongoing journey.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Catherine White for a raw and unfiltered conversation about meth addiction, life on the streets, crime, homelessness, and the difficult journey toward recovery.Catherine opens up about her childhood and the experiences that eventually led her toward substance use. When meth entered her life, things quickly began to change. She shares what happened when she progressed to shooting meth for the first time and how addiction began taking control of her decisions and relationships.Her story takes another devastating turn when her boyfriend receives a life sentence for two murders. As Catherine's addiction continued to escalate, she became involved in stealing cars, including one incident where she discovered a gun inside a stolen vehicle. She also talks about stealing from UDF and facing a felony charge as the consequences of her addiction continued to pile up.Catherine discusses her attempts at sober living and what life was really like trying to stay clean while still battling the pull of addiction. She also shares the story of leaving sober living, ending up in a rundown hotel, and stealing a running vehicle that she kept for an entire month.The conversation doesn't shy away from the realities of addiction and homelessness. Catherine talks openly about the drugs she was using, how addiction affected her life, and what it was like trying to survive while homeless in Cincinnati.Most importantly, Catherine shares where she is today and the lessons she has learned from everything she's been through. Her story is a reminder that even after addiction takes you to some of the darkest places imaginable, recovery and change are still possible.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Andrew Robbins for a raw conversation about growing up in crime, meth addiction, multiple prison sentences, and what it takes to finally break free from a life on the streets.Andrew's struggles began at an early age. By just 14 years old, he was sentenced to juvenile detention for aggravated robbery, setting him on a path that would lead to years of incarceration and addiction. He reflects on how one decision after another pulled him deeper into the criminal justice system and made prison feel like a normal part of life.As he got older, drugs became a major part of that lifestyle. Andrew shares the shocking story of using an entire gram of methamphetamine the very first time he tried it, a decision that accelerated his addiction almost immediately. He opens up about his first prison sentence, the violent realities of incarceration, and some of the most unforgettable things he witnessed behind bars.Eventually, addiction escalated even further as he transitioned to intravenous drug use. Andrew discusses how much methamphetamine and heroin he was using every day, the physical and mental toll it took, and why escaping addiction felt nearly impossible.Even after serving time, the cycle continued. He explains how he found himself back in prison during the COVID-19 pandemic and what it truly means to be labeled a "career criminal." More importantly, he challenges that label by sharing how recovery gave him the opportunity to rewrite his story.Today, Andrew uses his past to encourage others who believe they're beyond saving. His message is proof that no matter how many mistakes you've made, your future doesn't have to be defined by your past.This episode is a powerful conversation about addiction, incarceration, accountability, and redemption.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Army veteran Andrew Robbins for a heartbreaking conversation about military service, family loss, addiction, and finding hope through faith and recovery.Andrew's journey began with a childhood that led him to enlist in the U.S. Army, where he hoped to build a meaningful future. During his service, a parachuting accident left him seriously injured, introducing him to prescription opioid painkillers that would unknowingly change the course of his life.After leaving the military, Andrew returned home only to discover that his brother was battling a severe heroin addiction. As his family struggled to help him, Andrew watched addiction consume someone he loved. He shares the emotional toll of opening his home to his brother, witnessing overdoses firsthand, and the financial devastation addiction caused.The conversation takes a tragic turn as Andrew recounts the disappearance of his brother, filing missing persons reports, and the agonizing months of uncertainty before his brother was finally found. He opens up about learning how his brother died, reading the toxicology report, and the overwhelming grief that followed.Unable to cope with the loss, Andrew's own addiction spiraled. Cocaine eventually gave way to counterfeit Percocet pills, and his life quickly unraveled. He discusses leaving a successful career, hitting rock bottom, and realizing he could no longer continue living the way he had.Andrew shares how faith, the support of his church community, and a commitment to recovery helped him rebuild his life after unimaginable loss. Today, he uses his experiences to encourage others who are grieving, struggling with addiction, or searching for hope.This is a powerful conversation about loss, resilience, forgiveness, and discovering purpose after tragedy.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links and Merch: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Kimberly Ferrizzi for an incredibly honest conversation about addiction, faith, betrayal, and finding lasting recovery after losing everything.Kimberly's story begins with what appeared to be a picture-perfect life. She married her grade-school sweetheart, who went on to become a minister, and together they built a family and a future. But behind closed doors, a prescription for migraines would unknowingly open the door to a devastating opioid addiction.She shares how legitimate pain medication slowly became an obsession, leading her to manipulate prescriptions, seek out pill mills during the height of the opioid epidemic, and learn dangerous ways to misuse medications. As her addiction intensified, Kimberly found herself making choices she never imagined—including exchanging sex for pills and eventually selling herself simply to avoid withdrawal.Kimberly speaks candidly about the humiliation, desperation, and emotional toll addiction took on her family. From stealing her own children's allowance to being arrested on Christmas Eve after her husband reached his breaking point, she reveals just how far addiction pushed her from the person she once was.Even after entering treatment, the challenges didn't stop. Kimberly discusses navigating inappropriate situations during recovery, rebuilding her life from the ground up, and eventually finding love again while immersed in the biker community. She also reflects on the difference between simply abstaining from drugs and truly embracing recovery.Today, Kimberly is living proof that redemption is possible. She shares the lessons she's learned, how recovery transformed every aspect of her life, and why she continues to tell her story to give hope to others still struggling.This episode is a powerful reminder that addiction doesn't discriminate—and that no one is beyond the reach of recovery.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Quan White for an unbelievable conversation about violence, addiction, incarceration, and finding purpose after surviving experiences that most people could never imagine.Quan;s story begins with unimaginable childhood trauma. At just a young age, he witnessed his mother shoot his father multiple times—an event that forever changed the course of his life. Growing up surrounded by violence, survival quickly became the only way he knew how to live.As he entered the streets, Quan became caught in a cycle of crime and retaliation. He shares how he ended up facing an attempted murder charge, the dangers of living by the "no-snitch" code, and why street rules often create even more tragedy instead of protecting anyone.Not long after leaving prison, Quan survived another life-altering event when he was shot in the femoral artery. He opens up about nearly dying, almost accidentally shooting responding police officers during the chaos, and ultimately losing his leg as a result of his injuries.The conversation also dives into the rise of prescription opioid addiction, pill mills, counterfeit pills, fentanyl, and the devastating impact these drugs have had on communities. Quan speaks candidly about selling dangerous substances, witnessing the deadly consequences of addiction, and the emotional burden of knowing how many lives were affected.He also reflects on a fatal car accident that changed his perspective, the crimes that led to more than five years in prison, and some of the unforgettable experiences he endured while incarcerated.Today, Quan has chosen a different path. He discusses rebuilding his life, overcoming the obstacles of recovery, and why he continues to share his story to warn others about the realities of street life and addiction.This is a powerful conversation about accountability, survival, redemption, and second chances.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Kaylee Ferren for one of the most heartbreaking and inspiring stories ever shared on the show. From being born addicted to crack cocaine to surviving years of severe abuse, exploitation, addiction, and trafficking, Kaylee's journey is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.Kaylee and her twin brother entered the world already battling the effects of prenatal drug exposure and developmental challenges. Instead of finding safety, she endured unimaginable abuse throughout her childhood while living in foster care. She shares the horrific conditions she survived, the failures of the adults who were supposed to protect her, and the lasting trauma those experiences created.After eventually being removed from that environment, Kaylee continued to struggle with the emotional scars of her childhood. She opens up about self-harm, juvenile detention, and the mental health challenges that followed years of abuse.As a young adult, drugs became a way to numb the pain.What began with marijuana quickly escalated to crack cocaine, leading Kaylee into a devastating cycle of addiction. After reconnecting with her biological mother, more family trauma surfaced, sending her even deeper into substance use. Eventually, her addiction left her vulnerable to being exploited and trafficked, forcing her into situations no one should ever have to endure.Kaylee courageously shares how addiction and trafficking became intertwined, the violence she experienced, and the difficult choices she made simply to survive. She also discusses entering treatment, surviving an overdose, relapsing after leaving recovery, and what finally helped her break free from the cycle.Today, Kaylee is rebuilding her life and using her story to bring hope to others who have experienced abuse, addiction, or exploitation. Her message is proof that even after unimaginable trauma, healing and recovery are possible.This is an emotional conversation about survival, resilience, and the power of never giving up.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Troy Sierer for a remarkable story of addiction, family, redemption, and long-term recovery.Troy's addiction began during his junior year of high school when he was introduced to Quaaludes, a drug that quickly took control of his life. What started as experimenting with pills soon spiraled into a pattern of reckless behavior, including multiple DUIs before he was even out of his early twenties.While working alongside his father in the family pizza business, Troy appeared to be building a successful future. Behind the scenes, however, addiction continued to escalate. He opens up about stealing from the family business, progressing to intravenous cocaine use, and the devastating impact addiction had on the people who loved him most.Troy shares the shocking reality of injecting cocaine and crack cocaine, the desperation that comes with severe addiction, and the heartbreaking moment his father discovered his drug use. Faced with an ultimatum, Troy chose addiction over family, stealing from his father and disappearing before eventually reaching the point where he knew something had to change.The conversation explores the moment surrender finally became possible, what early recovery looked like, and how Troy built a life that has stood the test of time. He also discusses the daily practices that helped him maintain sobriety, the principles he lives by, and how he endured the heartbreaking loss of his wife while remaining committed to recovery.Today, Troy uses his experience to inspire others, proving that no matter how many mistakes you've made, it's never too late to rebuild your life.This is a powerful conversation about accountability, forgiveness, and the life-changing power of recovery.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Chris Tudor for an incredible story of addiction, world travel, relapse, and the realization that no matter where you run, you can't outrun yourself.Chris' struggles began early with juvenile detention and behavioral issues that hinted at a lifetime of chasing the next escape. After spending time at a recovery center as a young person, he believed he could leave addiction behind—but the patterns continued to follow him into adulthood.Following his first felony stop, Chris enlisted in the U.S. Army hoping to build a better future. Instead, he found that his addictive behaviors simply shifted into different areas of his life. After leaving the military, he joined a traveling sales team before eventually building a successful career growing marijuana.On the outside, life looked promising—but behind the scenes, alcoholism and opioid addiction were taking over.Chris shares how prescription OxyContin changed everything, leading him down what many knew as the "OXY Highway" before heroin completely consumed his life. In a desperate attempt to escape addiction, he moved to Detroit—once known for its massive heroin market—believing a change of scenery would somehow fix the problem.When that didn't work, Chris took his search for sobriety across the globe.From obtaining a work visa in New Zealand and experiencing opioid withdrawal on an international flight, to getting a DUI overseas and traveling through Thailand, Vietnam, and Australia in search of a fresh start, Chris discovered that geography couldn't solve what addiction had created.After returning to Ohio, his addiction became even more severe. He survived a fentanyl overdose, hit rock bottom after nodding off around his daughter, and eventually found himself homeless while using both methamphetamine and fentanyl.Chris shares what finally led him to treatment, the lessons he learned from years of running from addiction, and why true recovery only began when he stopped trying to escape himself.This episode is a powerful reminder that recovery isn't about finding a new place—it's about becoming a new person.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Rachid Yatkin for an unforgettable conversation about childhood trauma, incarceration, addiction, and the fight to rebuild a life after years of destructive choices.Rachid's story begins with a turbulent childhood marked by conflict at home. He opens up about his complicated relationship with his father, enduring abuse from his mother, and growing up as what he describes as a "Ritalin baby." He also reflects on what it was like being a student during the September 11th attacks and how those early experiences shaped the person he would become.As he got older, Rachid became involved in the streets, eventually robbing drug dealers and finding himself caught in a cycle of crime that led to burglary charges and time in prison. He shares the harsh realities of life behind bars, from witnessing violence and disturbing events to becoming involved in violent encounters himself.The conversation also explores the surprising availability of drugs inside prison and how addiction continued even while incarcerated. After his release, Rachid returned to dealing drugs before his own substance use spiraled further, eventually leading him to methamphetamine and severe alcohol addiction.At his lowest point, alcohol completely consumed his life. Rachid speaks candidly about the staggering amounts he was drinking, the terrifying experience of alcohol withdrawal that landed him in the hospital, and the moment he realized he had to make a change or risk losing everything.Today, Rachid is committed to recovery and uses his experiences to show others that no matter how dark life becomes, there is always hope for a new beginning.This episode is a powerful conversation about accountability, redemption, and the courage it takes to change.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Shawn Mims for a powerful conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, homelessness, and the journey toward lasting recovery.Shawn's story begins with a difficult childhood that set the stage for years of destructive choices. He shares how he started smoking cigarettes at just nine years old, long before he understood the consequences of addiction. After losing his father, Shawn struggled to cope with the grief, and substance use quickly became an escape.As a teenager, marijuana became a major part of his life, eventually leading him to drop out of school. What started with weed soon escalated into experimenting with harder drugs, pulling Shawn deeper into a lifestyle of addiction and crime.By just 18 years old, Shawn was facing multiple felony burglary charges. He reflects on the decisions that led him there, the consequences that followed, and the experiences that shaped his outlook on life—including a memorable psychedelic experience that forced him to confront parts of himself he had been avoiding.When heroin entered the picture, everything changed. Shawn opens up about his first experience with the drug, the rapid downward spiral that followed, and how addiction eventually left him living in a homeless shelter with nowhere left to turn.Despite years of struggle, Shawn found a way out. He shares what recovery looked like for him, the changes that helped him stay sober, and why he believes anyone can rebuild their life no matter how far they've fallen.This episode is an honest conversation about loss, addiction, second chances, and the hope that recovery can bring.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with T.Y. Brooks for a raw and honest conversation about growing up in the streets, juvenile detention, addiction, and finding a new path through recovery.T.Y.'s struggles began at an early age. After getting into trouble as a kid, he spent two and a half years in the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), an experience that shaped much of his teenage years. Once back on the streets, he quickly became immersed in the drug culture, experimenting with opioids and finding ways to make money through illegal hustles.He opens up about trying OxyContin for the first time, selling counterfeit drugs, and how partying with substances like MDMA eventually led him down an even darker road. When methamphetamine entered his life, everything changed.T.Y. shares what it was like discovering meth before the COVID-19 pandemic, how the drug evolved over the years, and the terrifying moment he unknowingly used meth that had been contaminated with fentanyl. He discusses the dangers of today's illicit drug supply, the increasing risk of accidental overdose, and how addiction became harder than ever to escape.After attempting to clean up his life, T.Y. experienced setbacks and relapse before finally finding a recovery that worked for him. He reflects on the lessons he learned through addiction, what sobriety looks like today, and why he believes anyone struggling can still turn their life around.This episode is a powerful conversation about resilience, accountability, and hope in the face of addiction.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes and Louis Essig sit down with Eddie Pennington for a gripping conversation about growing up in addiction, surviving the streets, and finding hope after years of substance abuse and legal trouble.Eddie's story begins in a home where addiction was already a part of everyday life. Raised by an alcoholic father and a mother battling crack cocaine addiction, he was introduced to alcohol at a young age, drinking Little Kings while still a kid. As if that wasn't enough, a devastating car accident during his early teens became another defining moment in his life.As Eddie got older, his drug use escalated from experimentation to full-blown addiction. He shares how he became involved in transporting drugs on trips to Florida, eventually developing a severe crack cocaine addiction before progressing to intravenous drug use.The conversation dives into the realities of street life, including boosting stolen vehicles, committing retail theft, passing fraudulent checks, and the criminal lifestyle that funded his addiction. Eddie explains how those choices eventually caught up with him, leading to serious charges and life-changing consequences.After getting sober, Eddie believed the worst was behind him. But addiction had one more chapter to write. He opens up about relapsing while in a relationship, becoming addicted to fentanyl, surviving another devastating car accident, and nearly losing his life to an overdose.Today, Eddie reflects on the lessons he learned through recovery, the importance of accountability, and why he continues to share his story to help others who are still trapped in addiction.This episode is a powerful reminder that no matter how far addiction takes you, recovery is always possible.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes sits down with Lynn Vetum for a powerful conversation about addiction, incarceration, relapse, and the long journey to lasting recovery.Lynn's story begins with what appeared to be a normal childhood, but everything started to change after leaving private school and entering a new environment. Like many people, her first experiences with alcohol seemed harmless at the time, but they quickly escalated into a lifestyle of partying, substance abuse, and increasingly dangerous choices.After being kicked out of college, Lynn found herself bartending, where cocaine, Vicodin, and Percocet became part of her daily life. What started as recreational drug use soon evolved into a full-blown opioid addiction, eventually reaching the point where she was taking 8 to 10 Percocet 30s every day just to function.As prescription pills became harder to find, heroin entered the picture.Lynn shares the terrifying progression from swallowing pills to injecting heroin, working at a gentlemen's club while battling addiction, and the moment she crossed a line she never imagined she would. She also opens up about overdosing, being arrested, and entering rehab for the first time—only to discover that recovery would be much more complicated than simply stopping the drugs.The conversation takes several unexpected turns as Lynn discusses attending the world-renowned Passages Malibu treatment center, being arrested there by the U.S. Marshals, and being extradited from California back to Ohio. She also shares the remarkable story of her mother's chance encounter with former Ohio Governor John Kasich during one of the darkest periods of her life.Even after finding recovery, the battle wasn't over. Lynn explains how fentanyl changed the landscape of addiction, why it felt different from heroin, how alcohol nearly became a substitute for opioids, and what finally helped her achieve lasting sobriety after years of relapse and legal trouble.Today, Lynn dedicates her life to helping others by sharing her story, writing about recovery, and proving that no matter how hopeless addiction may seem, change is always possible.This is an honest conversation about addiction, accountability, redemption, and the work it takes to build a new life.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes sits down with Lauren Shoemaker for a powerful conversation about addiction, loss, recovery, and finding hope after years of chaos.Lauren's story begins with a difficult childhood before addiction slowly took hold during her late teens and early twenties. What started with cocaine quickly escalated, leading to intravenous drug use and a lifestyle centered around survival. She shares how addiction consumed every aspect of her life, from selling methamphetamine to terrifying encounters—including being held at gunpoint while involved in the drug trade.The conversation also explores Lauren's battle with anorexia, offering an honest look at the physical and emotional toll of an eating disorder alongside addiction. She reflects on the heartbreaking loss of her child's father to liver failure and how grief pushed her even deeper into substance use.As heroin entered the picture, Lauren's life spiraled further. She opens up about stealing from retail stores to support her addiction, the moment she was finally caught, and the unbelievable discovery that she was more than seven months pregnant without knowing it.Lauren shares what it was like entering jail on a felony warrant while seven and a half months pregnant, making the difficult decision to place her son for adoption, and relapsing shortly after giving birth. She speaks candidly about the cycle of relapse and recovery, surviving a near-fatal fentanyl overdose, and the treatment program that finally helped her begin rebuilding her life.Today, Lauren is focused on recovery, healing, and creating a future she once thought was impossible. Her story is a testament to resilience and proof that recovery can begin even after the darkest moments.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Jason Mains for an incredible story of violence, addiction, prison, relapse, and the ongoing fight for recovery.Jason's life was marked by trauma from an early age. As a teenager, he survived a brutal assault after being jumped and thrown from an overpass—an event that changed the trajectory of his life. Just two years later, at 17 years old, Jason made a decision that would alter everything when he shot another person, leading to a lengthy prison sentence before he was even an adult.While incarcerated, Jason witnessed unimaginable experiences, including discovering an inmate who had taken his own life. Prison became a place where survival was the priority, but addiction would continue to follow him long after his release.Once back on the streets, alcohol and cocaine quickly took over. Jason explains why drinking always led him back to cocaine, how his addiction escalated into crack cocaine, and the dangerous lifestyle that followed—including robberies, violence, and repeated trips through the criminal justice system.Throughout the conversation, Jason also shares the unexpected role art and music played in his life. From creating portraits while in prison to performing music after his release, he reflects on how creativity gave him purpose, even as addiction continued pulling him back.The episode takes another unbelievable turn as Jason discusses experimenting with methamphetamine, taking massive amounts of LSD, relapsing after four years of sobriety, and ultimately finding himself back in jail and treatment.Today, Jason is once again fighting for his recovery and speaks candidly about the challenges of staying sober, taking responsibility for his past, and continuing to move forward one day at a time.This is a raw conversation about consequences, redemption, and the reality that recovery is often a journey—not a straight line.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Ben Solove to discuss a lifetime of alcoholism, repeated second chances, and the decision that finally changed everything.Ben's story begins with an ordinary childhood, but like many people, his relationship with alcohol started at a young age. What seemed like harmless drinking gradually became a dependence that followed him through high school, college, and adulthood.After attending The Ohio State University, Ben eventually dropped out and took a job at Chi-Chi's, where drinking became woven into his everyday life. He shares stories from the restaurant industry, following the Grateful Dead across the country, and the culture that normalized heavy drinking while masking a growing addiction.As alcohol tightened its grip, the consequences became impossible to ignore. Ben opens up about drinking on the job, the first DUI that should have been a wake-up call, and how he ultimately accumulated five DUIs in just five years. He reflects on the legal trouble, damaged relationships, and the emotional toll of watching his life slowly unravel.The conversation also explores his first marriage, the divorce that followed, and the moment he realized he could no longer continue living the way he had been. Through drug court, accountability, and a willingness to finally change, Ben began rebuilding his life from the ground up.After completing the program, Ben moved to Key West hoping for a fresh start. While life continued to throw unexpected challenges his way, including another painful relationship ending, he remained committed to his recovery and the life he had worked so hard to build.This episode is an honest conversation about alcoholism, consequences, redemption, and proving it's never too late to start over.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Justin Allen for a brutally honest conversation about alcoholism, homelessness, crack cocaine, incarceration, and the long road back to recovery.Justin's addiction began at an early age. While most kids were focused on school, he was already selling drugs in middle school. By 17, he was not only becoming a father, but also developing a severe alcohol addiction that would dominate the next chapter of his life.What started with drinking eventually spiraled into multiple DUIs, homelessness, repeated treatment attempts, and years of living in survival mode. Justin shares what it was like sleeping in his car during the middle of winter, working third shift while homeless, and trying to piece together a life with nowhere to call home.The episode takes an emotional turn as Justin discusses the terrifying reality of alcohol withdrawal, witnessing another inmate die while detoxing in jail, and the devastating cycle of leaving treatment only to relapse again. As alcohol stopped being enough, cocaine and crack entered the picture, pulling him even deeper into addiction.Justin also opens up about going to prison, becoming dependent on Suboxone, experimenting with methamphetamine while incarcerated, and enduring one of the worst withdrawals of his life. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on the impact addiction had on his children, losing custody, and the painful consequences of putting alcohol before everything else.But this isn't where the story ends.Justin shares how recovery finally began to take hold, the setbacks he faced along the way, and what he's learned through years of fighting for sobriety. His story is one of perseverance, accountability, and hope for anyone who believes they're too far gone to change.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Christina Rudd for a deeply personal conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, mental health, and the difficult road to healing.Christina's story begins with a childhood marked by abandonment and abuse. After her parents left, she endured sexual abuse by a family member—an experience that shaped much of her early life. As a teenager, she found herself in juvenile detention, navigating a teen pregnancy, and struggling to find stability while growing up far too fast.Throughout high school, Christina's life became increasingly chaotic. She shares stories of reckless behavior, stealing cars, becoming a young mother, and trying to build a normal family life despite carrying years of unresolved trauma.Everything changed when methamphetamine entered the picture.Christina opens up about how addiction rapidly took over her life, leading to paranoia, violence, and a mental health crisis that landed her in a psychiatric hospital after attempting to harm her then-husband. She speaks candidly about the devastating consequences of addiction, including losing custody of her child after a chaotic party and the painful impact substance abuse had on her family.But Christina's story doesn't end there.She explains how treatment became a turning point, the work she put into maintaining long-term sobriety, and the therapies that helped her heal from years of trauma. Today, Christina is living proof that recovery involves much more than simply putting down the drugs—it's about rebuilding your life from the inside out.This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is possible, even after years of addiction, trauma, and heartbreak.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Latisha Barnes for an unforgettable conversation about surviving addiction, life on the streets, incarceration, and ultimately finding recovery after decades of chaos.Latisha's story began with a difficult childhood that was shaped by family struggles and instability. By just 14 years old, she was pregnant, living on her own, and trying to survive in one of the toughest environments imaginable. At 15, she had become a mother while navigating life in the streets with little support and few options.Not long after, heroin entered her life—and everything changed.Latisha shares how she was introduced to heroin, what led her deeper into addiction, and how she eventually graduated to using raw heroin. She opens up about the hustles that funded her addiction, robbing drug dealers, living by the street code, and the mindset that allowed her to survive more than two decades in active addiction.The conversation also explores her many encounters with the criminal justice system, including the unbelievable story of how she ended up in prison over just two dollars. Through it all, Latisha raised seven children while battling heroin addiction and cycling through jail more than 20 times.After years of living in survival mode, something finally changed.Latisha reflects on the moment that pushed her toward recovery, the challenges of rebuilding her life, and how she transformed from someone consumed by addiction into someone living with purpose. Today, she uses her story to inspire others and prove that no one is beyond redemption.This episode is a powerful reminder that your past does not have to define your future.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Eric Wright for an honest and eye-opening conversation about growing up in Chicago, addiction, relapse, and finding hope after years of chasing a high.Eric's story begins on the streets of Chicago, where he started smoking and selling marijuana while still in school. As he got older, he became immersed in the city's rave scene, experimenting with party drugs and experiencing the dangerous highs that came with them. After an early run-in with the law, Eric entered his first treatment center as a teenager, where he was introduced to Alcoholics Anonymous long before he believed he needed it.Everything changed when heroin entered the picture.Eric shares what it was like being introduced to heroin in a city where the drug was everywhere, eventually becoming involved in selling it and learning hard lessons from both the streets and law enforcement. He also talks about attending a Scientology-based rehab program, moving across the country in search of a geographical cure and repeatedly discovering that changing locations couldn't fix what was happening inside.Throughout the years, addiction continued to evolve. Eric opens up about insurance fraud following a car accident, finding brief periods of stability, and then watching everything unravel again after becoming hooked on potent gas station products containing kratom-derived compounds. He shares how one relapse led to another, from crack cocaine and methamphetamine to severe alcohol dependence.The conversation also explores the devastating impact addiction had on his family, including his relationship with his son, surviving an alcohol withdrawal seizure, and the painful realization that he had to completely surrender if he wanted to live.Today, Eric is rebuilding his life one day at a time. He reflects on what finally changed, how the obsession to use eventually lifted, and what recovery looks like after finding hope again.This is a powerful conversation about relapse, resilience, and proving that it's never too late to start over.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Carmen Honeycutt for a shocking and deeply personal story of addiction, loss, survival, and recovery.Carmen's struggle with substance abuse began at a young age and quickly escalated into a devastating addiction to Opana, one of the most powerful prescription opioids of its time. What started as experimentation soon became a daily battle that would consume every aspect of her life.At just 19 years old, Carmen found herself pregnant while working in the restaurant industry and navigating a complicated relationship. As she became a young mother, addiction continued tightening its grip. She opens up about being introduced to Opana 40s, the powerful hold the drug had on her, and the desperate lengths she went to in an attempt to escape both addiction and emotional pain.The story takes an unexpected turn when her child's father is detained by ICE and eventually deported. Determined to stay with him, Carmen travels to his home country, where she experiences a completely different way of life while battling addiction and withdrawal far from home.As her addiction progressed, heroin entered the picture and changed everything. Carmen shares the terrifying reality of intravenous drug use, the differences between heroin and prescription opioids, and how her dependence eventually led her into prostitution to support her habit.This episode offers a raw look at the realities of addiction—the isolation, the desperation, the overdoses, and the consequences that follow. Carmen discusses multiple near-death experiences, involvement from Child Protective Services, losing control of her life, and the heartbreaking moments that finally forced her to confront her addiction.Most importantly, she shares how recovery finally clicked, what life looks like today, and why she continues to speak openly about her experiences to help others who are still struggling.This is a story of survival, redemption, and hope for anyone who believes they are too far gone to change.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Lauren Hayes for an incredibly honest conversation about addiction, trauma, recovery, and the dangers of emerging substances that many people still know very little about.Lauren's story begins with a chaotic childhood that led her into risky situations at a very young age. By the fourth grade, she was already partying with high school students, setting the stage for years of unhealthy coping mechanisms and destructive choices. At 15, she met the man who would become her husband, and by 18 she was a mother. Soon after, she discovered she was expecting twins while living in a tiny apartment and struggling to make ends meet.As life became more overwhelming, Lauren found herself battling an eating disorder that influenced many of her decisions surrounding substances and self-image. Everything changed when she began working at a pharmacy. What started as taking a couple of hydrocodone pills quickly spiraled into a serious addiction. With access to medications and opportunities that few people have, Lauren found herself trapped in a cycle she couldn't control.Throughout the episode, she shares the realities of addiction, her experiences seeking help from healthcare providers, and the long road toward recovery. But recovery wasn't a straight line. From moving to Florida for a fresh start, to returning to Ohio, surviving mental health crises, family tragedies, DUIs, theft charges, and the collapse of a 20-year marriage, Lauren's story is one of resilience through repeated setbacks.The conversation takes a particularly important turn as Lauren discusses her experience with 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a powerful compound found in some kratom-derived products. She explains how quickly it took hold of her life, how it felt compared to prescription opioids, and how it eventually led her into dangerous combinations with stimulants and methamphetamine.Lauren also shares the terrifying moment her addiction nearly killed her, how her son helped save her life, and why she believes more people need to understand the risks associated with substances that are often misunderstood or underestimated.This episode is a powerful story of survival, motherhood, addiction, recovery, and hope.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this deeply emotional episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Bob Miller to share the story of Dareion Davis—a young man whose life was filled with promise, challenges, redemption, and ultimately tragedy.Bob first met Dareion when he was just a kid and quickly became much more than a mentor. As Dareion's family struggled, Bob stepped in to help, eventually bringing him into his home and obtaining temporary guardianship. What began as an effort to help a young man find stability grew into a father-son relationship built on love, trust, and hope.Throughout the conversation, Bob reflects on Dareion's childhood, his years growing up in Grandview, and the potential he showed as a football player. From high school athletics to earning an opportunity to play football at Muskingum University, Dareion appeared destined for success. But like so many young people, he also faced challenges, poor decisions, and struggles that threatened to derail his future.Bob shares stories of giving Dareion second chances, watching him battle through difficult periods, and eventually seeing him embrace sobriety and begin rebuilding his life. Their relationship grew stronger than ever as Dareion worked toward becoming the man everyone knew he could be.Then everything changed.In one of the most heartbreaking moments ever shared on the podcast, Bob recounts the day he learned Dareion had been shot and killed by a drunk teen. He describes receiving the devastating news, navigating interactions with law enforcement, and trying to make sense of a tragedy that forever changed his life.The conversation also explores the court proceedings that followed, the sentencing of the young woman responsible, and the remarkable story of Bob's encounter with her father. Through unimaginable grief, Bob found a way to extend compassion while continuing to honor Dareion's memory.The episode concludes with a powerful reading from one of Dareion's organ donation recipients, highlighting how even in death, his life continued to impact others in meaningful ways.This is a story about family, redemption, forgiveness, loss, and the enduring impact one person can have on the lives around them.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Gary King for a wild and emotional journey through addiction, survival, recovery, and second chances.Gary's story begins with a difficult childhood before he dropped out of high school and moved to Nashville looking for a new start. Instead, he found himself pulled deeper into a world of substance abuse. What started with cocaine quickly escalated into Xanax, prescription opioids, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin.Along the way, Gary found himself living a life few could imagine. He shares stories of stealing nitrous oxide tanks, supplying drugs at major music festivals, and navigating the chaos of addiction while convincing himself he still had control. But addiction had other plans.Everything changed when Gary began experiencing severe health issues and discovered he had cancer. He underwent an 18-hour surgery that saved his life, but the pain management that followed would introduce him to powerful prescription opioids, setting the stage for years of addiction to Percocet, OxyContin, Opana, Xanax, and more.As the drugs intensified, so did the consequences.Gary opens up about waking up in hospitals after Xanax blackouts, finding a friend dead after a night of drug use, and eventually progressing from snorting methamphetamine to injecting meth and heroin. He shares the devastating impact addiction had on his family, including the heartbreaking moment he had to tell his daughter he was leaving to seek treatment.This episode is a raw and honest look at the destruction caused by addiction, the reality of withdrawal and recovery, and the hope that exists on the other side.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Chelsea Tipton for a powerful conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, loss, and finding a way forward.Chelsea's life was filled with instability from the very beginning. Growing up with parents who struggled with legal troubles and incarceration, she faced challenges that most children could never imagine. As family trauma continued to mount, including the loss of her father and the emotional impact it had on her siblings, Chelsea found herself navigating foster care placements, psychiatric wards, and a childhood marked by uncertainty.As she entered her teenage years, substance use became an escape. What started with marijuana and alcohol quickly progressed into pills and eventually methamphetamine. After dropping out of school in the eighth grade, Chelsea found herself surrounded by addiction and unhealthy relationships that pulled her deeper into a dangerous lifestyle.She opens up about meeting people who normalized drug use, being paid in methamphetamine to babysit, and the devastating consequences addiction had on every aspect of her life. The conversation becomes even more emotional as Chelsea shares the pain of losing her mother and the relapse that followed.As her addiction escalated, Chelsea eventually began injecting methamphetamine, reaching some of the darkest moments of her life. Yet through all the chaos, loss, and self-destruction, she ultimately found a path toward recovery.This episode is an honest look at how childhood trauma can shape a person's future, the grip addiction can have on someone's life, and the hope that recovery can offer even in the darkest circumstances.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Joey Blake for a raw and unforgettable conversation about addiction, poverty, fatherhood, and recovery.Joey's story begins with humble beginnings, born to a 14-year-old mother and raised in circumstances that made life difficult from the start. By the time he was a teenager, he was already experimenting with alcohol and marijuana, while simultaneously facing the responsibilities of becoming a father at just 16 years old. Less than a year later, he was expecting another child.As the pressure mounted, Joey found himself chasing money, drugs, and escape. He shares how he blew through $200,000 in just a few months, the destruction addiction brought into his life, and the chaos that followed. From methamphetamine and crack cocaine to a devastating opioid addiction, Joey's life spiraled into survival mode.The conversation dives deep into life in the Bottoms of Columbus, Ohio, where addiction, poverty, and crime became everyday realities. Joey opens up about running a Florida pill mill operation, encounters with Child Protective Services, dangerous living conditions, and the heartbreaking impact addiction had on his family and children.Despite years of chaos, loss, and self-destruction—including the death of his mother from an aneurysm related to substance abuse—Joey eventually found a way out.He shares the moment recovery finally started to make sense, the importance of finding the right sponsor, and how sobriety transformed not only his life but the lives of his children. Today, Joey is navigating recovery, raising a large family, and proving that change is possible no matter how far someone has fallen.This episode is a powerful reminder that addiction doesn't care where you come from—but recovery is available to anyone willing to fight for it.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Amanda Long to discuss her journey from addiction and chaos to recovery and purpose.Amanda grew up with young parents and describes a childhood that often left her searching for direction and stability. As she entered her teenage years, rebellion became a way of life, leading her down a path of risky decisions and eventually substance abuse.What started with pills quickly escalated into a much more serious addiction. Amanda shares how opioids and heroin took control of her life, the consequences that followed, and the challenges she faced as addiction became stronger than anything else around her.Despite the devastation addiction brought into her life, Amanda refused to give up. She opens up about the turning points that led her toward recovery, the hard work required to rebuild her life, and the lessons she learned along the way.Today, Amanda is living proof that recovery is possible. Not only has she found sobriety, but she now dedicates her life to helping others who are struggling with addiction find hope and a path forward.This is a powerful conversation about resilience, redemption, and the incredible transformation that can happen when someone decides to fight for a better life.If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, Amanda's story is a reminder that no matter how far you've fallen, recovery is possible.Subscribe to *Get a Grip Podcast* for more real stories of addiction, recovery, redemption, and second chances.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Ashtyn for a brutally honest conversation about addiction, toxic relationships, the adult entertainment industry, and the long road to recovery.Ashtyn's story begins with a difficult childhood and early exposure to situations no young teenager should have to navigate. She opens up about being involved with an 18-year-old when she was only 13, setting the stage for years of unhealthy relationships and destructive decisions.As addiction entered the picture, methamphetamine quickly became a major part of her life. Over time, she found herself caught in a cycle of drugs, unstable relationships, and survival. After reconnecting with her child's father, life continued to spiral as she entered the world of stripping, where she experienced both the fast money and the dangers that came with it.The episode takes several shocking turns as Ashtyn shares stories about meeting a wealthy sugar daddy, being robbed after leaving the strip club, and eventually being introduced to fentanyl—a drug that would dramatically change the course of her life.From selling drugs and transporting them across state lines to driving under the influence and risking everything for her addiction, Ashtyn's story is a powerful look at how quickly life can unravel when substance abuse takes hold.But this isn't just a story about addiction.It's also a story about survival, accountability, and recovery. Ashtyn shares the moment she finally began fighting for her life, the humbling experiences that came with treatment, and how she eventually found a new path in recovery.This conversation is raw, emotional, and filled with lessons for anyone struggling with addiction or loving someone who is.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this powerful episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Rich Davenport for a heartbreaking story of childhood trauma, addiction, loss, and recovery.Rich's struggles began at just 5 years old when his mother was diagnosed with cancer. As her health deteriorated, his childhood quickly unraveled, eventually leading him into foster care and a series of emotional battles that few children should ever have to face. By the age of 7 or 8, he was already engaging in self-harm and being admitted to psychiatric hospitals as he searched for a way to cope with overwhelming pain.As he entered his teenage years, drugs became an escape. Rich shares how he was introduced to cocaine at just 13 or 14 years old before eventually finding methamphetamine—a substance that would completely take over his life. What started as using quickly evolved into manufacturing meth, pushing him deeper into addiction and further away from any sense of stability.Then came the moment that changed everything.At 21 years old, Rich watched his mother die while the two of them were using methamphetamine together. It's a devastating story that still impacts him today and became one of the defining moments of his life.After years of chaos, grief, and addiction, Rich eventually found his way into recovery. He discusses the brutal mental withdrawal that comes with methamphetamine addiction, the challenges of rebuilding a life after years of substance abuse, and the unexpected moment he met his father while in treatment.Rich also shares why he eventually stepped away from traditional recovery meetings, what has helped him maintain his recovery journey, and the lessons he's learned through survival, loss, and healing.This is a raw conversation about addiction, family, grief, mental health, and the possibility of finding hope after unimaginable pain.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this unforgettable episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Mickey Mills to share one of the most shocking and inspiring recovery stories ever featured on the show.Born in St. Petersburg, Russia and adopted into the United States, Mickey's life was shaped by trauma from an early age. After losing a close friend to suicide and experiencing abuse, she spiraled into addiction, overdosing on benzodiazepines and experimenting with heroin by just 15 years old.Mickey opens up about homelessness, toxic relationships, living under bridges, moving across the country, entering the sex industry, and becoming involved in criminal activity tied to addiction and human smuggling operations near the border. What began as substance abuse evolved into a life marked by exploitation, trafficking, violence, and survival.She also provides powerful insight into the psychology of abusive relationships, addiction, methamphetamine use, dissociation, and the realities many never see behind trafficking and sex work.Through overdoses, near-death experiences, dangerous situations, and devastating betrayals, Mickey somehow survived. Life-changing moments eventually led her toward recovery, motherhood, and a new purpose.Today, she works with survivors of human trafficking and uses her experience to help others escape situations she once believed she would never survive herself.This episode is a raw look at addiction, trauma, recovery, and redemption—and a reminder that transformation is possible.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Isabella Hoover to share a story filled with addiction, betrayal, toxic relationships, family struggles, and ultimately recovery.Isabella's life started with challenges from day one. Born addicted and suffering a stroke as a baby, she faced obstacles long before she could understand them. As a teenager, she was dealt another devastating blow when her mother was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, sending Isabella deeper into a lifestyle of partying and poor decisions.What followed was a relationship that would completely change the course of her life.Isabella opens up about meeting the father of her child, the shocking betrayals that followed, and the chaos that consumed their lives. From infidelity and addiction to increasingly bizarre and toxic situations, she shares the reality of being trapped in a relationship fueled by drugs, manipulation, and dysfunction.As opioid use escalated, Isabella found herself battling addiction while trying to navigate pregnancy, motherhood, and a crumbling relationship. She also tells the terrifying story of nearly dying from severe kidney abscesses and spending a month in the hospital, where powerful pain medications contributed to an even deeper dependence on fentanyl.The situation only became more complicated after the birth of her child. Child protective services became involved, custody battles emerged, and Isabella was forced to make impossible decisions about her future and the future of her baby.Through it all, she eventually found the strength to break free from addiction, leave behind the chaos, and begin rebuilding her life.This episode is a raw and emotional look at how addiction and toxic relationships can destroy lives—and how recovery can create a path forward even when everything seems lost.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Kenny Maupin to talk about how addiction can happen to anyone — even someone who had a good childhood and loving family. Kenny opens up about growing up in a stable home before his parents divorced at a young age, something that quietly affected him more than he realized at the time.What started with marijuana and alcohol eventually progressed into harder drugs and ultimately IV heroin use. Kenny shares how addiction slowly took over his life, changing the way he thought, lived, and viewed himself. He talks honestly about the emotional pain, the progression of substance abuse, and how quickly recreational use turned into full-blown dependency.Throughout the conversation, Kenny reflects on the choices he made, the people he hurt, and the moments that forced him to confront the reality of his addiction. But this episode is also about hope, transformation, and purpose. Today, Kenny is sober and dedicating his life to helping other people break free from addiction and rebuild their lives.This is a powerful reminder that addiction does not discriminate. No matter your upbringing, background, or circumstances, anyone can fall into the cycle — and anyone can recover with the right help, honesty, and support.If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode offers real insight, encouragement, and proof that recovery is possible.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Tree Burns for one of the rawest conversations yet. Raised in chaos with a mother addicted to cr4ck and a father constantly in and out of prison, Tree’s childhood spiraled fast. By just 9 years old he was already getting high, running the streets, robbing convenience stores, and getting lit at school while trying to survive a life with no real stability.As the violence, partying, and addiction escalated, Tree found himself in and out of trouble, spending years in DYS and later bouncing from house to house, couch to couch, and relationship to relationship just trying to make it. From drinking and fighting constantly to becoming homeless after a police encounter, his life only kept getting darker.Things took an even harder turn when he was introduced to m3th and eventually started selling f3ntanyl throughout southeastern Ohio. Tree opens up about the paranoia, daily drug use, chasing people down in a U-Haul after being robbed, and the criminal lifestyle that eventually led to direct indictments and serious consequences.One of the most heartbreaking moments of the interview comes when Tree talks about smoking cr4ck with his own father for the first time — a cycle of addiction passed down from generation to generation. What started as a broken childhood turned into years of destruction, benders, arrests, lies, and losing himself completely.But this episode is more than just addiction and crime. Tree reflects deeply on becoming a father, losing relationships, hitting rock bottom, and finally realizing that the life he was living was built on lies. He shares how honesty with his probation officer became the first real step toward getting clean and how reflection changed the way he sees himself and the world around him today.This is a powerful story about generational trauma, survival, addiction, consequences, and redemption. If you’ve ever struggled, loved someone battling addiction, or wondered how people end up trapped in these cycles, this episode gives an unfiltered look into that reality.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this intense and brutally honest episode of Get A Grip, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Carl Wilson for one of the most chaotic and emotional conversations the podcast has ever had. Carl takes listeners deep into his past, opening up about a rough childhood filled with instability, violence, and early exposure to addiction. From getting hooked on painkillers in high school to spiraling into harder drugs later in life, Carl tells his story with raw honesty and zero filters.What starts as stories about growing up in a small town quickly turns into unbelievable tales of addiction, bad decisions, heartbreak, and survival. Carl talks about the wild side of his younger years, including reckless partying, cow tipping adventures, and the toxic relationships that followed him through adulthood. He also shares painful moments from his personal life, including getting caught cheating by his wife and how those choices impacted everyone around him.The conversation gets even heavier when Carl opens up about the abuse he suffered at the hands of his stepfather, including a violent incident involving a 2x4 that left lasting emotional scars. He explains how trauma and untreated mental health issues shaped many of the decisions he made later in life, eventually leading to a stay in a mental hospital. Louis and Aaron guide the conversation through some dark territory as Carl explains the paranoia, breakdowns, and psychosis he experienced during years of heavy drug use.Carl also shares the stories behind trying cocaine and meth for the first time, describing how quickly things escalated once those substances entered his life. One of the craziest moments of the episode comes when he tells the full story of a terrifying car accident while high on coke, Jack Daniels, and weed — a moment that could have easily ended his life or someone else’s.Despite all the darkness, the episode also has moments of humor, reflection, and honesty that make it impossible to stop listening. Carl speaks openly about regret, survival, relationships, and trying to find meaning after years of destruction. The episode closes with an absolutely unbelievable psychosis story that leaves Louis and Aaron speechless and perfectly captures just how insane Carl’s journey has been.This is one of the rawest and most unforgettable episodes of Get A Grip yet.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

On this intense and emotional episode of Get a Grip Podcast, hosts Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Brandy Harden for a brutally honest conversation about addiction, trauma, loss, and survival. Brandy opens up about her chaotic upbringing, growing up with her father after her mother left when she was young, and how rebellion and risky behavior began early in her life.From stealing cars in high school to buying a house at just 19 years old, Brandy’s story is full of extreme highs and devastating lows. She shares how toxic relationships and bad decisions pulled her deeper into the drug world, including being manipulated into transporting meth, cheating with dealers, and spiraling into addiction herself. What started as experimentation quickly turned into a lifestyle filled with dangerous situations, self-destruction, and losing control.Brandy talks openly about using drugs while working professional jobs, including at CPS and Job & Family Services, where addiction completely overtook her life. Despite passing drug tests and maintaining appearances for a time, behind the scenes she was battling severe mental health struggles, reckless spending, and a growing dependency that drained her emotionally, financially, and spiritually. She describes blowing through tens of thousands of dollars, losing her home, becoming homeless, and eventually hitting rock bottom.The episode becomes even more heartbreaking as Brandy reflects on losing contact with her daughter, a pain she still carries every day. She also recounts terrifying moments of addiction, including wrecking her car while high, hitchhiking across Ohio while dopesick, struggling through methadone treatment complications, and experiencing the traumatic death of someone she loved after desperate attempts to save his life.But through all the chaos, Brandy’s story is ultimately one of honesty, accountability, and hope. She speaks about where she is today, the lessons addiction has taught her, and the message she wants others to hear before they lose everything. She also shares emotional words directed toward her children and discusses her plans for recovery moving forward.This episode of Get a Grip Podcast is raw, heartbreaking, and deeply human — a conversation about addiction, mental health, motherhood, grief, and the long road toward healing and redemption.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

Reading for one of the most raw and honest conversations yet. Matthew opens up about the struggles that shaped his life from an early age, beginning with the devastating loss of his father when he was still a child. Without guidance and dealing with unresolved pain, he found himself searching for acceptance and purpose in all the wrong places.As Matthew shares, that pain eventually led him down a destructive road filled with violence, crime, and poor decisions. What started as a troubled childhood spiraled into robberies, assaults, and nearly a decade spent in prison. Behind bars, things only became darker as he fell deeper into addiction and became hooked on drugs while incarcerated. Feeling hopeless and trapped in a cycle he couldn’t escape, Matthew reached some of the lowest points of his life.But this story is not just about prison, addiction, or mistakes — it’s about transformation. Matthew talks candidly about the turning points that forced him to take accountability and begin rebuilding himself from the inside out. Through sobriety, perseverance, and a commitment to changing his life, he has been able to break free from the path that once defined him.Today, Matthew is sober, thriving, and focused on building a better future while sharing his story in hopes of helping others who may feel lost, addicted, or beyond redemption. His journey is a reminder that your past does not have to determine your future and that even after years of hardship, it is possible to find purpose, healing, and hope.This episode of Get a Grip is a powerful conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, incarceration, accountability, redemption, and what it truly takes to turn your life around. Matthew’s story is intense, inspiring, and proof that change is possible no matter how far gone someone may feel.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

On this episode of the Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Brother Will for an unforgettable conversation about survival, violence, addiction, prison, redemption, and what it really takes to change your life after years of chaos.Brother Will tells his story from the very beginning — growing up in unstable environments, moving from hood to hood, and learning hard lessons at an early age. He opens up about the moment he discovered his father had another family, the emotional impact of finally meeting his real father, and what it was like growing up surrounded by poverty, addiction, and street culture.As the conversation unfolds, Brother Will speaks candidly about watching crack addiction tear through his family and community, finding himself trapped in the streets as a teenager, and becoming involved in robberies, guns, and gang activity at a young age. He shares stories about robbing pizza delivery drivers and corner stores, getting caught with a gun at school, surviving violent situations, and eventually becoming numb to the danger around him.This episode goes even deeper as Brother Will explains the mentality that comes with street life — including nearly catching a murder case after a heated confrontation, what it feels like to shoot somebody, getting into shootouts, and why beating serious charges made him feel untouchable at the time. He reflects on how quickly pride, anger, alcohol, and the streets can destroy a person’s future when there’s no guidance or healing underneath it all.Brother Will also gives a brutally honest look into prison life, including the worst things he witnessed behind bars and how incarceration shaped his mindset. He talks about his struggles with alcoholism, relapsing after trying to get sober, and one of the darkest moments of his life involving alcohol and violence that forced him to confront who he had become.But this episode is more than just stories from the streets. It’s ultimately about accountability, growth, and transformation.Brother Will explains how he slowly began rebuilding his life, getting clean, staying sober, and finding purpose after years of destruction. He speaks openly about recovery, attending AA, bouncing back after setbacks, and learning how to live differently after being addicted to the streets for so long. His message to younger people facing similar circumstances is powerful, honest, and full of hard-earned wisdom.This is one of the rawest and most emotional episodes of the Get a Grip Podcast so far — a real conversation about trauma, survival, consequences, and redemption from someone who truly lived it.If you enjoy authentic long-form conversations and real stories about overcoming adversity, make sure to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this intense episode of Get a Grip, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Vinny Walton for one of the most shocking addiction stories ever told on the podcast. From growing up during Florida’s infamous pill epidemic to surviving fentanyl addiction, overdoses, scams, withdrawals, and losing everything — Vinny tells the full truth with nothing held back.Vinny opens up about his chaotic childhood, watching his father spiral into crack and cocaine addiction, and the terrifying moment his dad nearly shot him with a shotgun. He describes growing up in a house flooded with pills during the height of Florida’s “pill mill” era and how selling his dad’s prescriptions became normal at a young age.The conversation dives deep into the beginning of Vinny’s own addiction — from taking his first Perc 30 to becoming fully dependent on oxy and eventually fentanyl. He talks about battling withdrawals while competing in rap battles, running elaborate Metro PCS scams to fund his addiction, flipping phones for drug money, stealing deposits, and ultimately getting caught.Things only get darker when Vinny reveals what fentanyl addiction really looked like: taking up to fifteen 30s a day, overdosing for the first time, withdrawing while sick with COVID, suffering seizures while trying to quit, and watching his entire life collapse around him. He also shares the heartbreaking moment his son was born withdrawing and how losing his child became one of the turning points that forced him to face reality.But this episode isn’t just about destruction — it’s about survival and recovery. Vinny explains what finally pushed him to get clean, showing up to rehab completely blasted, and how Suboxone ultimately helped save his life.This is a raw, emotional, and brutally honest conversation about addiction, family trauma, fentanyl, recovery, and redemption that you won’t forget.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this gripping episode of the Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Ron Don for a raw and unforgettable conversation about addiction, violence, prison, and redemption. Ron opens up about the dark road that led him deep into substance abuse, the choices that nearly destroyed his life, and the moment he almost took another man’s life in a violent encounter that changed everything.From surviving the chaos of addiction to facing the brutal reality of prison, Ron shares the pain, fear, and consequences that came with living on the edge. But this episode goes beyond crime and punishment — it dives into the mindset of a man battling inner demons while searching for a second chance.Louis and Aaron ask the hard questions as Ron reveals what prison was really like, how addiction controlled his decisions, and what ultimately pushed him toward change. This is a powerful story of accountability, survival, and the difficult journey toward redemption.If you’re interested in true stories about addiction, prison life, transformation, and overcoming darkness, this episode will leave a lasting impact.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

On this episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Dustin Ryan for one of the wildest and darkest conversations we’ve had yet. Dustin opens up about growing up surrounded by addiction, chaos, crime, and loss — and how those experiences shaped his life from a young age.From shocking childhood stories and early exposure to drugs and sex, to felony charges, family trauma, and brutal moments from addiction culture, this episode goes deep into the realities most people never see. Dustin shares raw, unfiltered stories about his uncle, life around fentanyl, violence, and the mindset of someone who felt “born an addict.”⚠️ Viewer discretion advised: This episode contains discussions of addiction, crime, death, violence, prostitution, and other disturbing topics.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this powerful episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Dion Evans for an unbelievable story of trauma, addiction, prison, and redemption.Dion’s life started with pain early on. After being hit by a drunk driver as a child and suffering traumatic brain injuries that would permanently impact the way he thought and reacted to the world, his life slowly spiraled into chaos. He talks openly about stealing from a young age, battling an identity crisis, and growing up while his family dealt with the heartbreaking reality of his sister being born sick.As the years went on, the streets and addiction took control. Dion explains how OxyContin became the beginning of a much darker road—one filled with burglaries, police chases, jail cycles, and eventually facing decades behind bars. One of the craziest moments of the episode comes when Dion explains how he received an 18-year prison sentence for robbing a correctional officer’s house while already on the run.Inside prison, everything changed.From humiliation and violence to meeting former Ohio State football star Maurice Clarett behind bars, Dion shares the moments that slowly forced him to confront who he had become. He opens up about apologizing to the correctional officer he robbed, learning accountability, and beginning the long process of rebuilding his life from the ground up.This episode is more than just a prison story. It’s about consequences, transformation, and proving that your worst mistakes don’t have to define the rest of your life.By the end of this conversation, Dion shares where he is today, the accomplishments he’s made since prison, and what life looks like a year after first appearing on the podcast.This is one you do not want to miss.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Chase Tomak for one of the most intense and unfiltered conversations yet—a story that starts in chaos and somehow finds its way to hope.Chase was born into addiction, entering the world as a crack baby and immediately facing odds stacked against him. By the time he was in 5th grade, he was already being expelled from school, and soon after, thrown into a foster care system that would bounce him through over 40 different homes. What he experienced inside those homes is hard to hear—violence, neglect, and kids hurting each other and animals, all while he tried to survive and repeatedly attempted to run away.Eventually landing at Buckeye Boys Ranch, things didn’t stabilize—they escalated. This is where addiction began tightening its grip, setting the stage for a life filled with crime, trauma, and destruction. Chase opens up about deeply disturbing moments from his past, including forcing his own sister into a life-threatening situation, catching serious charges involving kidnapping and weapons, and spiraling further into chaos.Then came fentanyl.Chase describes what he calls “falling in love with fent”—a relationship that nearly cost him everything. Over 100 overdoses. Violence. Running from consequences. Watching the people around him break, including a girlfriend battling her own demons and attempting to take her life.But somehow… he survived.At his lowest point, something shifted. Chase began the long road toward recovery, eventually getting clean and entering treatment. It’s there he meets the woman who would become his wife—but even that journey wasn’t smooth, with relapse still part of the story before real change took hold.This episode is raw, dark, and brutally honest—but it’s also a reminder that even the most broken paths can lead somewhere better.If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation could be the one that hits home.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Brandon Muth for one of the most intense and eye-opening conversations yet—a story marked by trauma, addiction, violence, and ultimately, transformation.Brandon’s life started with chaos early on, including a near-fatal accident where he was hit by a dump truck as a child, followed by another serious injury not long after. Pain, both physical and mental, became a recurring theme—and by 16, drugs and alcohol had already taken hold.What follows is a rapid descent. Brandon shares how his addiction escalated into reckless and dangerous behavior, including robbing a convenience store on Xanax with socks over his hands in a blackout state. He explains the progression from Loratab to heroin—shockingly influenced by someone in the medical field—and how quickly things spiraled once heroin entered the picture.One of the most chilling moments of the episode comes when Brandon recounts a night where, under the influence of heroin and alcohol, he nearly took a woman’s life—something he has to live with every day. That moment set off a chain of consequences, leading to a potential 16-year prison sentence and a decision to take his case to trial.Brandon takes listeners deep inside the prison system, eventually landing in a level 4, supermax environment. Even behind bars, the addiction didn’t stop—he talks about using meth in prison, the realities of “tune,” and the mental toll it took, including hearing voices and losing touch with reality. The chaos followed him even after release, including violent incidents at a halfway house and being sent back to prison again.He also opens up about the lesser-seen side of incarceration—owing thousands of dollars inside, navigating prison politics, and the constant pressure of survival.But somewhere along the way, something shifted.Brandon shares the moment things finally started to click, what led him to begin changing, and how his mindset today is completely different from the man he once was. His outlook on life, responsibility, and accountability has been hard-earned through years of consequences and reflection.This episode is raw, unsettling, and real—but it’s also a powerful example of how even the darkest paths can lead to change.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Tyler James to tell a story that starts in a quiet small town and spirals into a life consumed by addiction, chaos, and survival.Tyler opens up about his early years, growing up in a place where not much seemed out of the ordinary—until he was introduced to Hydrocodone at 17. What started as experimentation quickly escalated, leading him to Chicago where everything changed. He shares the intense and painful reality of using for the first time intravenously, including missing veins and learning the hard way what he calls “slow” heroin.From there, things accelerate fast. Tyler talks about the dangerous mix of meth and heroin, and how that combination pushed him into a cycle that felt impossible to escape. Legal trouble followed, starting with a DUI, but that was only the beginning. As pills turned into heroin, his life unraveled—leading to homelessness, desperation, and stretches of being awake for weeks at a time while deep in addiction.One of the most intense parts of his story includes being up for three straight weeks, completely caught in the grip of meth and heroin—a moment that captures just how far things had fallen. He also recounts violent encounters on the street, including having a gun pulled on him and being beaten by a dealer, painting a raw picture of the reality that comes with that lifestyle.But Tyler’s story doesn’t end there.He shares the turning point—what finally made him decide to get sober—and what that day actually looked like. The conversation shifts into his life today, including his experience in a Medication-Assisted Treatment (M.A.T.) program and what recovery really looks like on a daily basis.Tyler’s message is honest and direct: recovery isn’t easy, but it’s possible. He closes by offering real advice to anyone struggling, speaking from lived experience rather than theory.This episode is a powerful reminder of how quickly things can fall apart—and how, even after everything, it’s still possible to rebuild.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this episode of Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Michael Larkin to unpack a story that starts in the heat and chaos of Miami and winds its way through addiction, consequences, and ultimately, recovery.Michael takes us back to his early years growing up in Miami, where experimenting started young—first with weed, then quickly escalating into harder substances. He shares what it was like walking into something as normal as an English class while high on cocaine, and how fast that lifestyle became normalized. What begins as curiosity turns into patterns, including getting caught with weed at school and already brushing up against consequences at a young age.One of the standout moments comes when Michael talks about being left alone while his family went on vacation—what should have been freedom quickly turned into something much darker. From there, his journey takes him from Miami to Ohio, where he’s introduced to the drug that would take hold of his life: heroin.Michael opens up about his first time using heroin, the grip it had on him, and the lifestyle that followed. He shares vivid stories from Miami during the early days of his addiction, including catching his first felony charges around the time the McGriddle first dropped—a detail that oddly timestamps one of the lowest points of his life. From fights and warrants to constant run-ins with the law, the chaos only intensified.But the deeper struggle came in the attempts to get clean. Michael speaks honestly about going to rehab not to get better, but still chasing a high. He describes the exhausting cycle of trying—and failing—to stay sober over a two-year stretch, and just how difficult it is to keep going back after relapse. The conversation dives into the mental battle of recovery, the stigma, and the reality of medications like Suboxone.Now on the other side, Michael reflects on where he’s at today and what it really takes to build a life in recovery. His story is raw, unfiltered, and a powerful look at both the darkness of addiction and the possibility of change.If you or someone you know is struggling, this episode is a reminder that even after years of setbacks, there is still a way forward.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this powerful and deeply unsettling episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Brittany Hanson to uncover a story that is as heartbreaking as it is eye-opening. From the very beginning, Brittany’s life was shaped by instability and danger—growing up without her father and being exposed at a young age to environments no child should ever experience. What follows is a chain of events that pulls her deeper into trauma, survival, and ultimately, addiction.Brittany shares what it was like living under the same roof as a predator, and later being placed into a foster home where life became the complete opposite—strict, sheltered, and disconnected from the outside world. But that sense of safety wouldn’t last. As a young woman trying to find connection, she meets someone online who would change her life forever.What starts as a normal interaction quickly turns into a nightmare. Brittany recounts the chilling moment she woke up strapped to a bed, realizing she had been taken and trafficked. In a shocking turn, a man intervenes—paying $2,000 to get her out and ultimately saving her life. It’s a moment that feels almost unreal, yet it becomes one of the few turning points in an otherwise chaotic journey.From there, Brittany’s story continues through toxic relationships, addiction, and crime. She opens up about being involved with an alcoholic partner, running a drug operation out of her home, and spiraling to the point of robbing a Walmart. Her struggles intensify as substance use takes over—leading to an overdose and deeper involvement with meth and opiates.She also shares the painful reality of falling in love with someone who became violently abusive, and the terrifying moment she realized she had to escape before it cost her life. Through it all, Brittany paints a vivid picture of how quickly things can escalate—and how hard it is to break free once you’re trapped in the cycle.But this episode isn’t just about the darkness. Brittany takes us through her recovery process—what it actually looked like to start over, rebuild, and fight for something different. Her honesty about the long road back and the mental battles along the way brings a sense of hope to an otherwise heavy story.She closes by speaking directly to the audience, offering hard-earned advice for anyone struggling, feeling stuck, or losing hope.This is one of those conversations that stays with you. It’s intense, emotional, and at times difficult to hear—but it’s real. And that’s exactly what Get A Grip Podcast is all about.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives

In this raw and unfiltered episode of the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig takes the conversation out of the studio and into the streets of Columbus, Ohio—coming face-to-face with the harsh realities that so many people walk past every day.This isn’t a distant discussion about addiction or homelessness. It’s real people, real stories, and real pain—captured in the very environments where survival is a daily battle.Louis sits down with men and women living on the streets, many of whom are caught in the grip of alcohol dependency and the devastating rise of fentanyl use. These are individuals with pasts, families, dreams, and turning points—stories that often go unheard beneath the surface of their current circumstances. Through honest conversations, they open up about how they got here, the choices and traumas that shaped their path, and the reality of trying to survive while battling addiction.You’ll hear about the cycle—how quickly things can spiral, how fentanyl has changed the game entirely, and how difficult it is to escape once you’re in it. But you’ll also hear moments of clarity, resilience, and humanity that cut through the chaos—reminders that these are people, not statistics.Louis approaches each conversation without judgment, creating space for honesty and connection in places where both are often rare. The result is a powerful, eye-opening look at addiction and homelessness that challenges assumptions and forces a deeper understanding of what’s really happening behind the scenes.This episode is heavy, but it’s important. It shines a light on a crisis that’s happening in real time—and asks the viewer not to look away.🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience.Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below!Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcastFor Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:📩 Email: [email protected]👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.#getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives