Get a Grip Podcast

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/officialgetagrippodcast
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📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
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#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/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 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/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 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/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 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/officialgetagrippodcast
For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below:
📩 Email: getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
👇 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