Get a Grip Podcast

In this gripping episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Rob Schilder for a raw, unfiltered conversation that traces the full arc of addiction—from early pain to full-blown chaos.Rob opens up about his childhood, shaped heavily by his father’s battle with cancer, and how that emotional weight followed him into his teenage years. What started as experimenting with drugs and alcohol in high school quickly escalated, leading to his first arrest at just 16—and another only nine days later. The pattern didn’t stop there. Even in college, Rob found himself in trouble again, drifting further from stability as he moved off campus and deeper into a dangerous lifestyle.Everything changed when he found heroin.What follows are some of the most intense and unforgettable moments of the episode—driving through New Jersey chasing bags, nodding out at family dinners, and witnessing firsthand what the East Coast heroin scene really looked like. Rob recounts being stuck in a hurricane while using, ending up dopesick in the ER, and the surreal moment he was given Xanax “by the grace of God.” His first detox experience—without power in the aftermath of the storm—paints a brutal picture of withdrawal and desperation.The chaos only escalates. From boosting TVs out of Walmart and trading them to dealers, to acting as a middleman in the Jersey drug scene, Rob breaks down the economics and insanity of addiction. He dives into the differences between heroin and crack, how quickly things spiraled, and the moment he entered treatment—only to face a deeply traumatic and manipulative experience involving a fake letter that pushed him over the edge.Rob doesn’t hold back as he shares the darker, more personal moments: blacking out in rage inside a treatment center, exploiting relationships, stealing from his own parents—including crawling through their room in the middle of the night—and detoxing in the basement of an ex-girlfriend’s father’s house.This episode is intense, emotional, and brutally honest. It captures the insanity of addiction in a way that’s impossible to ignore, while shedding light on the human story behind it all.If you’re looking for a story that exposes the reality of addiction without filters—this is it.
🔥 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 episode of Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Jake Knappy to unpack a raw and unfiltered story of addiction, chaos, and ultimately redemption.Jake takes us all the way back to his childhood before diving into the moment everything began to spiral—using meth for three straight weeks in high school and quickly falling into a pattern of reckless behavior. What follows is a shocking progression through multiple DUIs, fueled by a dangerous mix of Xanax, cocaine, alcohol, and eventually fentanyl.From going to school blacked out on Xanax, to experimenting with tranquilizers, Jake opens up about how his addiction escalated beyond control. His story reaches terrifying highs as he recounts getting his license back—only to pick up another DUI just a month later while using cocaine.One of the most intense parts of this episode comes as Jake describes nodding out behind the wheel, even in the back of a police car, and the life-threatening combination of fentanyl and alcohol that nearly killed him. In a moment that can only be described as divine intervention, a retired police officer saves his life after he overdoses while driving.Jake also sheds light on a growing and often overlooked issue—his deep addiction to kratom and 7-OH, substances many believe to be “safe” or “legal.” What started as a substitute spiraled into a $700-a-week habit, $30,000 in debt, and brutal withdrawals that led him right back to drinking and more DUIs.He shares the harsh reality of using even while in jail, the endless cycle of relapse, and how four years of dependency on 7-OH nearly destroyed everything in his life.But this story doesn’t end in tragedy.Jake talks about hitting rock bottom, finding faith, and beginning his recovery journey through Suboxone. In a full-circle moment, he even shares how discovering Get A Grip Podcast played a role in helping him get sober.This episode is a brutally honest look at the reality of addiction in America today—touching on kratom, fentanyl, alcohol, and the illusion of “safe highs.” More importantly, it’s a story of survival, hope, and the possibility of change.If you or someone you know is struggling, this conversation could be the wake-up call that saves a life.
🔥 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 deeply raw and emotional episode of Get a Grip Podcast, hosts Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Alysha Shbasky to share a story that is as heartbreaking as it is powerful.Alysha’s journey into addiction started early—watching her mom misuse opiates and cocaine before she ever touched weed herself. By high school, she was introduced to meth, and by 16, she was already experiencing withdrawal in jail. What followed was a chaotic and dangerous relationship where addiction, abuse, and manipulation took over her life. From being unknowingly injected while blacked out on Xanax to enduring ongoing abuse, Alysha opens up about the darkest moments she lived through as a teenager.As her addiction progressed, she and her boyfriend turned to boosting and selling to survive, leading to arrests and eventually prison at just 19 years old. Even after losing her boyfriend to a tragic death, the cycle of addiction continued—pulling her deeper into dangerous situations, including getting involved with a pharmacist and the DEA eventually stepping in to end it.Her story only intensifies from there—unstable living situations, toxic relationships, and moments of absolute desperation. Alysha shares about attempting to take her own life, only to discover she was pregnant. What should have been a turning point instead became another chapter of chaos—using while pregnant, going into labor early while under the influence, and even trying to get high in the hospital.After the birth of her child, addiction continued to take hold. She later found herself pregnant again—this time waking up to the shocking reality of delivering twins prematurely while battling a crack addiction. Despite eventually gaining custody of her children and achieving two years of sobriety, relapse struck again, leading to multiple OVIs and losing everything she had fought to rebuild.But Alysha’s story doesn’t end there.In this episode, she shares how she finally broke free from the cycle, what it took to get clean for good, and how she’s rebuilding her life today. This is a story of pain, survival, relapse, and ultimately redemption.⚠️ Viewer discretion advised: This episode contains intense discussions of addiction, abuse, and trauma.🎙️ If you or someone you love is struggling, this conversation is one you need to hear.🔥 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 episode of Get a Grip Podcast, hosts Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Cameron Brewster for a raw and unfiltered conversation about a life shaped by trauma, addiction, prison, and ultimately redemption.Cameron opens up about his early childhood, growing up with his father in prison for murder and the instability that led him into the foster care system. As he got older, he found himself chasing money and escape—working long hours while diving deeper into cocaine, Xanax, and Klonopin, eventually leading to a devastating car wreck that could have ended everything.After the death of his best friend, Cameron’s life spiraled even further, pulling him into crime, addiction, and a path that would land him in a West Virginia prison facing serious time. From stealing his late father’s tools to fund his addiction, to navigating the harsh and violent realities of prison life, Cameron shares what it was really like behind those walls—including the moment he knew things were about to go bad, the call to his mom, and the violent altercation that followed.After serving time and getting out, the cycle continued as he fell back into addiction. Things escalated when his brother was involved in a fatal shooting during a robbery, bringing even more chaos and consequences into his life. Cameron eventually found himself back in prison, dealing with intense situations—including tensions that nearly sparked a riot.At his lowest point, after another release, Cameron overdosed—an experience that became the turning point in his life. In this episode, he shares how he finally found sobriety and began rebuilding from the ground up.This is a story of pain, loss, consequences, and ultimately hope. Cameron’s journey is a reminder of how far someone can fall—and how powerful it is to come back.🎙️ Don’t miss this intense and inspiring episode.🔥 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 the Get A Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Josh Shaw to unpack a wild story of early crime, addiction, and building an underground empire during the height of the pill mill era.Josh’s journey starts young—getting arrested at just 9 years old, fighting in juvenile detention, and being prescribed high doses of Adderall as a kid. By high school, he was already dealing weed, getting expelled, and quickly moving into selling harder drugs. Everything escalated when he was introduced to Oxy, eventually leading him to sell and use pills taken from his own home.By just 19 years old, Josh found himself running an opiate operation through pain clinics—sponsoring people, moving large amounts of pills, and becoming deeply embedded in Florida’s pill mill scene. With connections inside pharmacies and money pouring in, he lived fast—blowing hundreds of thousands through gambling and addiction while his empire grew.But it didn’t last. Federal agencies shut everything down, and what followed was a rapid سقوط into heavier drug use, risky behavior, and life-threatening moments—including overdoses, hallucinations, and encounters with powerful psychedelics.Amid the chaos, Josh also faced devastating personal loss and his own battles with mental health, leading to a breaking point that forced change.After serving time and hitting rock bottom, Josh finally found his way into treatment and recovery—marking the beginning of a new chapter.This is a raw look inside the rise and fall of a young “pill mill kingpin,” and what it takes to come back from the edge.⚠️ Viewer discretion advised: This episode contains discussions of drug use, addiction, violence, and mental health.

🔥 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