Get a Grip Podcast

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Sahara Tomlin for a raw and eye-opening conversation about growing up around addiction, fentanyl, family struggles, drug dealing, and the difficult road to recovery. Sahara shares what it was like being raised by parents who were IV drug users and how addiction became part of her life long before she understood just how dangerous it could be.
Sahara opens up about becoming addicted to fentanyl pills after believing she was taking Xanax. As her addiction progressed, she found herself selling the same pills that were controlling her life. She describes trying to quit cold turkey, the frightening experiences she witnessed while spending time at her drug dealer’s house, and the hustle she saw growing up—including the way her mother navigated life in the drug world.
Her story also explores her complicated relationship with her parents and what happened when she began running with her father before making another attempt to get clean. Sahara explains how she eventually turned toward treatment, including getting on Sublocade and later receiving Vivitrol as part of her recovery journey.
This is an unfiltered conversation about the impact of growing up around addiction, the dangers of counterfeit pills, and how family cycles can shape a person's life. Sahara also shares advice for anyone struggling with addiction or trying to find a way out. Her story is a reminder that even when addiction feels like all you've ever known, change is possible and recovery can begin with a single decision.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
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In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Alex Deener for an intense and unfiltered conversation about early drug use, opioid addiction, heroin, prison, violence, relapse, and the long road to recovery. Alex's story is a powerful look at how addiction can take hold at a young age and spiral into consequences that change the course of an entire life.
Alex opens up about his childhood and getting caught with painkillers in middle school, an incident that led to a felony charge and being pushed into online school. With fewer boundaries and his drug use escalating, Alex became deeply involved with opioid pills during high school. At just 18 years old, he tried heroin for the first time, setting off a devastating chapter of addiction. He describes the progression from Opana to heroin and the dangerous decisions that pulled him further into a life centered around drugs.
Eventually, Alex was caught with cocaine and heroin and received prison time. He shares the brutal reality of incarceration, including a jail fight that left his jaw broken and the experience of being locked up at the Ohio State Penitentiary. As his addiction continued, crack cocaine became another part of his struggle. Alex also reflects on his childhood experiences with Adderall, the challenges of trying to get sober, and the repeated trips in and out of treatment that came before he began to understand what lasting recovery would require.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
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In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Lauren Hamilton for a raw, emotional conversation about opioid addiction, fentanyl, family trauma, sexual assault, relapse, motherhood, and finding recovery after years of struggle.
Lauren shares how an injury while attending nursing school led to pain management and an addiction to Percocet and tramadol. In a shocking turn, she discovers her father is also struggling with opioid addiction, and the two eventually use OxyContin together. As Lauren's addiction progresses, she becomes hooked on counterfeit Percocet 30s containing fentanyl, experiences repeated relapses, and struggles to find lasting recovery.
Lauren also opens up about surviving a violent attack and sexual assault, experiencing a miscarriage, and watching her addiction shift from opioids to crack cocaine. Even after multiple treatment attempts and devastating setbacks, becoming pregnant with her daughter pushes her to seek help and commit to sobriety.
Today, Lauren is rebuilding her relationship with her husband and working as a nurse in the recovery field, using her own experiences to help others. Her story is a powerful reminder that even after trauma, addiction, and repeated relapses, recovery and a new purpose are possible.
🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.
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getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
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#GetAGripPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #CrackAddiction #Addiction #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #MentalHealth #Recovery #Relapse #Sobriety #DrugAddiction #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionAwareness #RedemptionStory #OvercomingAddiction #RecoveryStory #Hope #Resilience #Healing #addictiontreatment

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Colleen for a raw, emotional, and eye-opening conversation about childhood trauma, losing her brother, alcoholism, blackouts, multiple DUIs, jail time, and finding a way into recovery after nearly three decades of drinking. Colleen shares the story behind her headline-grabbing experience of being a blackout drinker from the age of 11 to 39, opening up about the painful experiences and destructive patterns that shaped much of her life.
Colleen begins by reflecting on her childhood and what it was like growing up as the “bad kid.” She discusses the experiences that influenced her early years, including the devastating loss of her brother after a friend accidentally killed him. The tragedy left a lasting mark on her life, adding another layer of pain to an already complicated childhood. Colleen also reveals that she began drinking beer at just 11 years old, setting the stage for a relationship with alcohol that would continue for decades.
As Colleen got older, her experiences became increasingly complicated. She shares an unsettling childhood encounter with an older man at a movie theater and reflects on other difficult moments that stayed with her. Despite the challenges she faced, Colleen pursued her interest in art and eventually made it into the Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD). But what should have been an exciting chapter of her life quickly took a different direction when she began using cocaine during her sophomore year. What she describes as her “Cocaine Career” became another turning point in a life increasingly affected by substance use.
Colleen opens up about the progression of her drinking and the frightening reality of experiencing blackouts. She recounts receiving her first DUI without even remembering the incident, followed by a second DUI not long afterward. Her story highlights the dangers of drinking to the point of losing awareness and how addiction can continue escalating even when serious consequences begin piling up.
By age 31, Colleen was also dealing with medical issues, adding another challenge to the physical and emotional toll of years of alcohol use. As the consequences of her drinking continued, she eventually faced jail time related to her DUIs. She discusses what that experience was like and how years of destructive decisions affected her life, relationships, and future.
After years of struggling, Colleen finally made her way back to AA meetings for what would become her last time starting over. Recovery was not simply about stopping drinking; it meant confronting the past, rebuilding relationships, and learning how to approach life differently.
Colleen also discusses her relationship with her parents today and how those relationships have evolved throughout her journey. After years marked by pain, addiction, and difficult experiences, she reflects on what recovery has taught her and offers advice to anyone who may be struggling with alcohol or wondering whether change is possible.
🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.
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getagrippodcast614@gmail.com
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In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Andrew Z for a raw, emotional, and eye-opening conversation about prescription pill addiction, heroin, grief, family tragedy, relapse, and the devastating consequences of addiction. Andrew opens up about his childhood in Toledo, Ohio, how his parents' relationship shaped his early years, and how a series of unexpected life events eventually led him down a path he never imagined.
Andrew describes growing up in Toledo and navigating his parents' separation when he was just 13 years old. After his father suffered a heart attack, his parents eventually reunited, but Andrew's life would continue to take unexpected turns. He shares his early experiences with drugs, including the first time he took LSD at a Phish concert, and how baseball became a major part of his life when he went on to play in college.
Everything began to change when a baseball injury left Andrew with access to large amounts of OxyContin. What started as prescription pain management quickly spiraled into an addiction that would take over his life. Andrew explains how easily prescription opioids became a problem and how his addiction progressed as he struggled to cope with increasingly difficult circumstances.
As if his own addiction wasn't enough, Andrew's mother was diagnosed with cancer, and he found himself taking on the role of her caretaker while also dealing with his dependence on Suboxone.
Then came another devastating blow: his father was diagnosed with cancer and given just six months to live. Andrew opens up about the emotional weight of watching both parents face serious illnesses while he was battling addiction himself. One of the most heartbreaking moments of the conversation comes when Andrew recounts finding his mother dead. In the aftermath of that loss, he took 120 milligrams of Percocet 10s and stole the remainder of her medication.
Andrew also shares the shocking decision to refill his deceased mother's pain prescriptions after her death and attempt to do it again. Eventually, the pharmacy caught on, and he found himself facing serious trouble for the first time.
The conversation also turns to Columbus, Ohio, and its devastating relationship with fentanyl. Andrew discusses why the city became known for its severe fentanyl crisis and how the drug landscape has changed the realities of addiction and recovery.
In one particularly revealing moment, Andrew is asked a difficult question: Would you take OxyContin again if there were absolutely no consequences? His answer opens the door to a deeper conversation about addiction, temptation, and the complicated relationship people in recovery can have with the substances that once controlled their lives.
Andrew also discusses being prescribed benzodiazepines while in sobriety, raising important questions about medication, recovery, and the challenges of navigating treatment after addiction.
🔔 Like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories about addiction, recovery, resilience, and redemption.
Get a Grip Podcast Social Media:
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📩 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