In this powerful and deeply personal episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes turns the microphone around and interviews co-host Louis Essig about a chapter of his life he never expected to experience.
After years of sobriety from heroin addiction, Louis thought he had put his darkest days behind him. Then he landed what he considered his dream job and was prescribed benzodiazepines (benzos). What began as a legitimate prescription quickly became something much more difficult to control.
Louis opens up about the reality of benzodiazepine dependence, including the brutal withdrawal symptoms, restless legs, and the consequences that followed as his prescription began spiraling out of control. He explains how addiction can take unexpected forms—even after years of sobriety—and why being clean from one substance doesn't necessarily make someone immune to another addiction.
The episode also explores how Louis' benzo use became intertwined with gambling. What started as another outlet eventually created its own set of consequences, including getting caught gambling at a Pennsylvania casino.
Louis shares what it was like trying to detox from benzos on his own, the mistakes he made along the way, and the moment he realized he needed to take responsibility for what was happening.
In a unique twist, Aaron flips the script and puts Louis in the interviewer's seat, forcing him to confront some difficult questions about his experience and what he wants others to learn from it.
This is a brutally honest conversation about relapse, prescription medication, cross-addiction, gambling, and the reality that recovery is an ongoing journey.
🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope.
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