Get a Grip Podcast

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.

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#GetAGripPodcast #AddictionRecovery #RecoveryJourney #CrackAddiction #Addiction #SoberLife #WeDoRecover #MentalHealth #Recovery #Relapse #Sobriety #DrugAddiction #AlcoholAddiction

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

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.

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Tom McDonald for a powerful and eye-opening conversation about alcoholism, addiction, DUIs, family, prison, recovery, and what it takes to rebuild your life after decades of drinking.
Tom describes growing up with a good childhood before discovering vodka and eventually spending 10 years working as a bartender. His relationship with alcohol continued to grow until he found a job working for a liquor distributor—putting him even closer to the substance that would eventually consume his life.
Tom opens up about getting two DUIs on the same day, getting married, and becoming a father to his daughter while still struggling with alcoholism. After eventually making his way into a halfway house and getting a year of sobriety, Tom found himself replacing alcohol with another addiction: crack cocaine.
For a period of time, Tom was smoking crack but wasn't drinking. He talks about the vodka he drank, how every single dime he made seemed to go toward alcohol, and just how completely his addiction took control of his life.
After years of drinking, Tom's addiction eventually led to his eighth DUI. But this time, something happened that changed everything. His 10-year-old daughter wrote him a letter, forcing him to confront the impact his drinking was having on the people he loved most.
That letter became one of the biggest turning points in Tom's life.
After his eighth DUI, Tom was sentenced to three years in prison and required to attend 2,000 AA meetings. He finally began the process of getting sober after nearly 30 years of drinking.
But sobriety wasn't just about putting down the vodka. Tom had to rebuild his relationship with his daughter, learn how to live differently, and eventually discover a new purpose by helping other people struggling with addiction.
Today, Tom works in recovery and helps people battling all kinds of substance use issues. He shares what he's learned from decades of addiction and recovery, including some of the challenges people face with Medicaid and accessing treatment.
Tom also offers his first piece of advice to someone who is on Day One of sobriety—a simple message that could make all the difference for someone trying to change their life.
🔔 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

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Ronnie Schaffer for a raw and deeply personal conversation about growing up with an alcoholic and abusive father, getting into the party scene at a young age, working in his dad’s bar, opioid addiction, fentanyl, loss, and ultimately finding a path toward recovery.
Ronnie opens up about his childhood and the impact his father's alcoholism and abuse had on him. He shares some unbelievable stories from growing up before talking about his teenage years, including dealing weed and throwing a massive high school party that would become one of many turning points in his life.
After getting kicked out, Ronnie found himself living at the top of a bar before eventually becoming a bartender at his dad's establishment. What initially seemed like a way to make a living quickly became a lifestyle centered around the bar. Ronnie talks about his daily routine, drinking, and eventually starting to pop Percocet.
Things began to spiral after Ronnie was kicked out of working at his dad's bar. His opioid use intensified, eventually leading him to get high using his grandmother's fentanyl patches.
Then Ronnie's world was hit with another devastating loss when his dad developed throat cancer and passed away.
Ronnie also opens up about one of the darkest moments of his addiction, including an incident involving a nail gun, before explaining how he eventually found his way toward medication-assisted treatment.
Today, Ronnie is taking 18mg of Suboxone a day and talks openly about what life in recovery on MAT looks like for him. He shares his perspective on Suboxone, what has helped him stay on track, and the advice he would give to anyone struggling with opioid addiction.
This is a powerful conversation about childhood trauma, addiction, grief, and finding a way to survive—and ultimately rebuild your life.
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