Skip to content
PodcastsHealth & WellnessGet a Grip Podcast

Get a Grip Podcast

Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes
Get a Grip Podcast
Latest episode

223 episodes

  • Get a Grip Podcast

    How My 18-Month-Old Daughter Accidentally Took 16mg of Suboxone | Ep 215

    2026/09/23 | 1h 18 mins.
    In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Jordan Py for a raw, emotional, and at times unbelievable story about alcoholism, prescription drugs, cocaine, addiction, marriage, fatherhood, relapse, and the long road toward recovery.
    Jordan opens up about his childhood and his first experiences with alcohol before describing how drinking gradually progressed during college. What started as partying eventually became something much more serious. After landing a job as a police radio dispatcher, Jordan admits he was showing up to work extremely intoxicated. His drinking continued to escalate after he started working as a line cook, where cocaine entered the picture and vodka became a constant part of his life.
    A prescription for Vicodin would become a major turning point. Jordan describes how quickly his drug use progressed from Vicodin to Roxy 30s and eventually snorting pills. But in the middle of his addiction, Jordan met the woman who would become the love of his life.
    Even as he was building a relationship and planning a wedding, his addiction continued behind the scenes. Jordan shares the unbelievable story of receiving $10,000 for his wedding and going on his honeymoon with Norco pills taped to his leg—only for the pills to fall out during TSA.
    Eventually, his wife discovered the truth. Jordan went to treatment and was placed on Suboxone, but he was still drinking heavily. He opens up about just how much vodka he was consuming and the dangerous consequences that followed, including the terrifying moment when his 18-month-old daughter accidentally got hold of his Suboxone.
    After eventually getting off Suboxone, Jordan's alcohol use became even more intense during COVID. He describes the bizarre games he began playing with alcohol and how his drinking spiraled further out of control.
    One of the darkest moments came when his wife confronted him about his drinking. Jordan responded by drinking an entire bottle of Wild Turkey and attempting to burn down the house. He was kicked out and was finally forced to confront how far his addiction had taken him.
    Eventually, Jordan walked into an AA meeting and began taking a different path. But even years later, he explains that alcohol remained a struggle and shares the unusual deal he made with God about when he would allow himself to get drunk again.
    This is a powerful and unfiltered conversation about alcoholism, prescription drug addiction, cocaine, marriage, fatherhood, relapse, consequences, faith, and recovery. Jordan also reflects on the complicated relationship between the pain he experienced, the addiction that followed, and the possibility that he may never have met his wife without the path that prescription drugs put him on.
    If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Recovery is possible.
    🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.
    Get a Grip Podcast Social Media:
    TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio & more:
    https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
    📩 Collaboration & Business Inquiries:
    getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
    👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
    #GetAGripPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #CrackAddiction #Addiction #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #MentalHealth #Recovery #Relapse #Sobriety #DrugAddiction #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionAwareness #RedemptionStory #OvercomingAddiction #RecoveryStory #Hope #Resilience #Healing #addictiontreatment
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    I Got Banned From Jerry Springer & Fenway Park... Then Got Addicted to Crack, Fentanyl & Nitrous | Ep 214

    2026/09/20 | 2h 44 mins.
    In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Chris Cole for an intense and unbelievable story about addiction, partying, fatherhood, relapse, and recovery.
    Chris opens up about his childhood, early drinking, and how Adderall became his first real addiction. His substance use eventually escalated to cocaine, and by his senior year of high school, partying and cocaine had become a regular part of his life.
    Chris shares some wild stories from his years of partying, including getting banned from Jerry Springer and Fenway Park after a night fueled by cocaine and alcohol. He also talks about running onto the Fenway field and getting tackled, a moment that went viral on social media.
    Eventually, Chris found a passion for cutting hair and began getting his life somewhat under control. But after being introduced to Xanax, the addiction returned. Becoming a father, a breakup, and repeated relapses sent his substance use into a much darker place.
    Chris describes smoking crack, using Percocet, abusing nitrous oxide, developing a 7OH habit, experiencing seizures and withdrawal, and eventually shooting fentanyl. He also opens up about overdosing, hospitalizations, nerve damage from heavy nitrous use, and the events that finally led him to detox and treatment.
    Today, Chris is in recovery and reflects on everything he went through and what life looks like now.
    This is a raw story about addiction, relapse, fatherhood, overdose, and finding a way back.
    If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Recovery is possible.
    🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.
    Get a Grip Podcast Social Media:
    TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio & more:
    https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
    📩 Collaboration & Business Inquiries:
    getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
    👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
    #GetAGripPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #CrackAddiction #Addiction #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #MentalHealth #Recovery #Relapse #Sobriety #DrugAddiction #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionAwareness #RedemptionStory #OvercomingAddiction #RecoveryStory #Hope #Resilience #Healing #addictiontreatment
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    How I Spent $40K on Crack in 5 Months & Still Held a Job | Ep 213

    2026/09/18 | 1h 22 mins.
    In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Jason Baer for a wild, emotional, and unbelievable story about family trauma, alcohol, cocaine, crack addiction, money, crime, international drug use, and ultimately finding his way into recovery.

    Jason opens up about growing up in a chaotic home and the mental health struggles and abuse surrounding his father. He shares disturbing memories from his childhood, including an incident where his mother hit his father with a 2x4. Those experiences would shape Jason in ways he didn't fully understand until later in life.

    As Jason got older, drinking gradually became an everyday part of his life. What started as drinking eventually became a daily routine, setting the stage for an addiction that would become increasingly difficult to control.

    When Jason's father died, he inherited $80,000. But instead of using the money to build a better future, Jason was already deep into cocaine use. He eventually discovered crack cocaine and describes how quickly it took over his life. Incredibly, Jason spent approximately $40,000 in less than five months on crack while continuing to show up for work and maintain the appearance that everything was normal.

    Jason also takes Louis and Aaron through his experiences hustling in the Hilltop, where his addiction and lifestyle continued to escalate. He shares stories about getting caught up in situations that could have resulted in serious legal consequences, including an unbelievable incident while abroad.

    The story gets even crazier when Jason talks about traveling and continuing to find crack, including getting drugs in Mexico and interacting with military personnel while using crack. His addiction didn't stop when he left home—it followed him wherever he went.

    Jason also opens up about receiving another $40,000 and what happened to that money, including a period where his addiction led him to steal valuable coins. These stories reveal just how far his addiction progressed and the lengths he was willing to go to continue feeding it.

    But eventually, something had to change.

    Jason discusses the point when he finally began moving toward recovery and started confronting the addiction that had consumed so much of his life. His story is a powerful reminder that addiction can affect anyone, regardless of whether they are still working, making money, traveling, or appearing successful from the outside.

    If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Recovery is possible.

    🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.

    Get a Grip Podcast Social Media:

    TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio & more:

    https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast

    📩 Collaboration & Business Inquiries:

    getagrippodcast614@gmail.com

    👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

    #GetAGripPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #CrackAddiction #Addiction #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #MentalHealth #Recovery #Relapse #Sobriety #DrugAddiction #AlcoholAddiction
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    How Heroin at 14 Led to 4 Mini-Strokes and Brain Surgery | Ep 212

    2026/09/16 | 40 mins.
    In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Cory Baton for a raw and deeply personal conversation about childhood abuse, addiction, relapse, serious health complications, and the fight to finally build a life in recovery.
    Cory opens up about a difficult childhood and the abuse he experienced growing up. By just 14 years old, Cory was already caught in the grip of addiction, using crack cocaine and eventually shooting heroin intravenously. What began at an incredibly young age would turn into years of substance use and consequences that would affect nearly every part of his life.
    Cory talks about starting to shoot drugs at 14 and being introduced to OxyContin at 15. His story offers a disturbing look at how early exposure to drugs can quickly escalate and how difficult it can be to break free once addiction takes hold.
    After periods of trying to get his life back on track, Cory experienced relapse and found himself facing another devastating chapter. He suffered a stroke and ultimately needed brain surgery, adding an unimaginable medical crisis to an already difficult battle with addiction.
    One of the most powerful moments of the conversation comes when Cory describes being on Sullivant Avenue with a walker, physically struggling after everything he had been through, while still trying to find drugs. It's a striking example of just how powerful addiction can become—and how far someone can fall while still chasing the next high.
    But Cory's story doesn't end there.
    He explains what is different about his sobriety this time and what has changed in his mindset after years of addiction, relapse, and consequences. Cory also shares advice for anyone currently struggling with substance use or trying to find their way back into recovery.
    This is an intense and emotional conversation about childhood trauma, crack cocaine, IV heroin use, OxyContin, relapse, stroke, brain surgery, homelessness, and the difficult road toward recovery.
    If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Recovery is possible.
    🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.
    Get a Grip Podcast Social Media:
    TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio & more:
    https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippodcast
    📩 Collaboration & Business Inquiries:
    getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
    👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
    #GetAGripPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #CrackAddiction #Addiction #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #MentalHealth #Recovery #Relapse #Sobriety #DrugAddiction #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionAwareness #RedemptionStory #OvercomingAddiction #RecoveryStory #Hope #Resilience #Healing #addictiontreatment
  • Get a Grip Podcast

    How I Started Smoking PCP at 12, Became a Heroin Addict, and Lost Everything | Ep 211

    2026/09/13 | 48 mins.
    In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes sits down with Dave Marcus for an intense and unbelievable conversation about growing up with drug-addicted parents, being exposed to drugs from an early age, dealing drugs, heroin addiction, homelessness, psychosis, jail, and ultimately finding a reason to change his life.
    Dave opens up about growing up in a household surrounded by addiction. His father was an amphetamine chemist, meaning drugs were a part of Dave's environment from a very young age. By just 12 years old, Dave was smoking PCP, and his substance use would continue to escalate as he got older.
    After being expelled from multiple schools, Dave was introduced to Percocet and OxyContin. Before long, he found himself learning the street economy—dealing drugs on corners and even driving prostitutes around to make money and support his lifestyle.
    Eventually, Dave became hooked on heroin.
    His addiction would cost him almost everything. Dave talks about losing his daughter's mother and his daughter, eventually finding himself living out of his car and struggling to survive.
    Dave also shares one of the darkest and most chaotic periods of his addiction, including a terrifying episode of psychosis while shooting speedballs and experimenting with dangerous ways of using drugs. His behavior became increasingly unpredictable as his addiction spiraled further out of control.
    Even family became involved in the chaos. Dave describes participating in grocery store scams with his mother and aunt, eventually watching his mother get arrested as a result of one of those schemes. He also opens up about his experiences in jail and what those moments taught him.
    Eventually, Dave began taking steps toward a different life. He went through detox, started attending meetings, and began looking for something beyond the cycle of drugs and survival.
    Today, Dave is working on developing a book and a game while reflecting on the experiences that shaped him. He explains the moment his perspective began to change and what ultimately helped him see that there could be something more waiting for him on the other side of addiction.
    This is a raw and unfiltered story about childhood trauma, addiction, heroin, homelessness, family, crime, psychosis, incarceration, recovery, and the power of changing your perspective.
    If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Recovery is possible.
More Health & Wellness podcasts
About Get a Grip Podcast
Get a Grip Podcast is hosted by Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes, both in recovery from addiction and alcoholism. In each episode, they share their unfiltered stories of overcoming addiction, time in prison, and struggles with mental health—mixing raw honesty with humor. The podcast gives a voice to the underdog, breaking down the stigma surrounding addiction and recovery. Through candid conversations and real-life experiences, Louis and Aaron inspire others on their journey, showing that while recovery is challenging, it’s possible. Tune in for laughter, hope, and stories of transformation.
Podcast website

Listen to Get a Grip Podcast, Sleep Magic: Sleep Hypnosis & Meditation for Sleep Podcast and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features