Get a Grip Podcast

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