Podcast
The Hopeaholics
Hosted by Addicted to Hope · EN
Chad Carlsen started The Hopeaholics Podcast after his soon-to-be son-in-law died of fentanyl poisoning. Not as therapy. As a response to a crisis that kills tens of thousands of people a year while most of the country looks the other way.
Hosted by Chad and WWE superstar Natalie Eva Marie, The Hopeaholics brings on survivors of addiction, mental illness, and the kind of rock-bottom moments most people never talk about. Long-form, unfiltered conversations with people in recovery, families who've lost someone, and the professionals working inside the addiction treatment system.
327+ episodes. New episodes every Tuesday and Friday.
If you or someone you love needs help with addiction or substance use, call 949-615-8588
352episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Doing Zoom IOP With Beer In The Closet Behind Me w/ Sean Couper | The Hopeaholics Podcast #343
Jul 1001:14:23Tap to summarizeChad and Natalie sit down with Sean Couper, a personal trainer and 4.5 year sober alcoholic who spent three decades functioning at a high level in corporate healthcare. Sean covers his full story: growing up between Florida and California without a real father figure, a first drink at five years old, thirty years of high-functioning alcoholism that nearly ended with liver and kidney failure, three DUIs exactly a decade apart, his mom dying on Christmas Day 2019, and the long road from watching HIV patients' livers shut down at work to eventually watching his own body do the same. He talks about hiding bottles from his family, drinking through Zoom IOP sessions, and the moment with his daughter that finally forced his hand. He did 28 days at Cumberland Heights and walked out wanting to help people immediately. Now he does exactly that. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps: 0:00 - Cold Open0:23 - Intro1:07 - Meet Sean Couper / Nashville2:23 - Growing Up: Saint Pete and North Hollywood5:02 - First Drink at 5 Years Old5:51 - First Real Drunk at 138:35 - Finding Out His Real Father Wasn't His Dad10:16 - Moving Out at 18 / Healthcare Career11:24 - Compound Pharmacy: Mixing Meds for HIV Patients13:20 - 30 Years as a Functioning Alcoholic14:10 - Marriage and Family15:45 - The Bachelorette Party Incident19:18 - First Marriage Ends: His Ex-Wife's Pill Addiction21:41 - Single Father, Bottle a Night22:44 - Mom Dies Christmas 2019 / Three DUIs / COVID24:54 - The Doctor Flags His Liver26:57 - Physical Collapse: Jaundice, Edema, Passing Out29:17 - Relapse: "Just One Beer"30:26 - Hiding Bottles, Replacing Liquor with Water33:45 - Daughter Finds the Beer / Wife Throws Him Out34:40 - Agrees to Treatment / Zoom IOP While Still Drinking37:50 - Waving the White Flag39:26 - Telling His Daughter / The Drive to Cumberland Heights42:24 - The "Let Go and Let God" Sign44:24 - Detox, Post-Acute Withdrawal, 21 Questions Exercise47:25 - Leaving Treatment / Wanting to Help People48:31 - Going Back to School50:39 - Getting Back in the Gym / Brian Welch Connection51:18 - Becoming NASM Certified52:48 - Life Today: Full-Time Trainer, Working with People in Recovery55:17 - Fear, New Business, and Building Something New1:00:01 - Chad's First Podcast Panic Attack1:02:18 - How Natalie Joined the Show1:09:11 - Wrap Up
Transcribe →Doing Ketamine At A Wedding In Front Of A Flower Girl w/John Nettles | The Hopeaholics Podcast #342
Jul 701:27:34Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Chad and Natalie sit down with John Nettles for an unfiltered conversation about addiction, recovery, identity, and finding hope after years of chaos.John shares his journey from being adopted and discovering his biological family years later, to a decade-long battle with alcoholism, cocaine addiction, prescription Xanax dependence, and the nightlife lifestyle as a DJ and concert promoter. He opens up about multiple treatment attempts, legal trouble, blackouts, near-death experiences, and the emotional toll addiction took on both him and the people who loved him.The turning point came when one phone call challenged everything John thought he knew about sobriety, leading him to discover the difference between simply being abstinent and truly living in recovery.#TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:0:00 — Cold open 1:23 — Show intro, Natalie and Chad 4:04 — Born in Richmond, adopted 5:17 — Finding his birth parents through Ancestry.com 6:05 — His birth mom found him through his old DJ page 8:09 — His adoptive dad's own addiction and recovery 11:22 — First treatment at 16, prescribed Xanax 12:24 — First drink, using heavy by 12-13 14:41 — Parents find pills in his room, first treatment program 15:16 — Diagnosed with GAD, put on Ambien and Xanax at 16 17:10 — First time doing cocaine at 15 20:12 — First inpatient treatment, Sierra Tucson 23:10 — Concert promoter years, fentanyl hits the scene 27:57 — First DUI at 18 32:19 — The Vegas bachelor party bender 33:13 — Wedding meltdown, ketamine and a bottle of Xanax 35:35 — Grandma's house in Newport, first blackout disappearance 39:09 — Another DUI, relapses straight out of the impound lot 41:15 — A childhood friend dies, drinks through the funeral 42:44 — Back at Grandma's, wakes up with blood on his hands 45:09 — The call to interventionist Bob Mary 48:24 — His last drink and drug 49:51 — His grandmother's final days 52:02 — Staying teachable in sobriety 53:34 — Ryan Holiday and the truth about treatment 56:20 — Falls into a career working in treatment 1:00:06 — Making amends to his dad 1:01:54 — His grandmother passes days before his one-year sober 1:05:10 — Headlining a sober charity show 1:06:38 — Starting his own podcast 1:18:43 — Chad's own relapse while working in treatment 1:19:31 — What's broken about the addiction treatment industry 1:21:08 — What "the right way" to do treatment looks like 1:23:14 — Aftercare, and going home to the same life 1:25:24 — The gift of desperation
Transcribe →The Psychic Medium the FBI Actually Calls | The Hopeaholics Podcast #341
Jul 301:10:47Tap to summarizeNichole Duncan used to be a tennis pro and now she's a forensic psychic medium who works cold cases for local law enforcement and federal agencies, the kind of work where the FBI will use what she finds but will never say her name out loud in court.She walks through her first real cold case (a domestic violence victim who "came through like a stinking freight train" with the exact location and evidence of her own murder), how a mentor who used to find Soviet submarines for the U.S. government during the Cold War took her under her wing, and what it's actually like doing readings for people who can never officially admit they called her. Then the conversation turns to veterans, PTSD, and why they think ibogaine and ketamine therapy done right are doing more for guys the VA couldn't fix than another bag of pills ever did. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:00 – Cold open: a missing girl's guardian angel and a murder victim who won't stay quiet01:15 – Show intro02:44 – What a "forensic psychic medium" actually is04:25 – What happens when we die, the life review07:59 – How loved ones communicate through dreams09:48 – Meditation, ADHD, and opening up psychic ability16:24 – Nichole's first real mediumship experience (the "Jill" story)18:57 – From reading for friends to working with law enforcement20:24 – What an actual reading looks like22:01 – The missing girl case and the Nikki McKinney cold case24:16 – Nichole's autistic son's gift with animals24:58 – Angela Ford's podcast and getting trained in remote viewing29:28 – Does the work scare her or her husband30:08 – A reading that caught a stranger's heart condition31:11 – How skeptical are the feds, really32:31 – How Nichole stays emotionally unaffected by heavy cases37:26 – Being intentional about what you let into your head40:38 – Segue into veterans and PTSD41:01 – Ibogaine, DMT, and psychedelic therapy in a controlled setting42:33 – Ketamine therapy and a friend's experience44:19 – The documentary "In Waves and War"46:07 – Big pharma and the conflict of interest with veteran care1:06:15 – The preacher who taught him grace1:06:40 – Jesus, the afterlife, and the "second coming"1:07:51 – Why neither of them believes in hell anymore1:08:57 – How Nicole manages a business built on readings1:10:16 – Where to find Nichole Duncan
Transcribe →Being Addicted to Founding a Record Label w/ Blake Mathews | The Hopeaholics Podcast #340
Jun 3001:17:05Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Blake Mathews shares his story of addiction, adoption, and finding faith through music. Adopted at birth and raised in a Jewish household in Phoenix, Blake started DJing weddings and bar mitzvahs at 13 and built a career in music and nightlife while quietly hiding a worsening addiction for over a decade. By the time he moved to Nashville in 2014 to chase a career in the arts, he was a high functioning alcoholic leaning on psychedelics, convinced they made him a better artist, while the people closest to him had no idea how bad it had gotten.Blake opens up about hitting bottom in Nashville, calling his dad for help, and getting into treatment within 48 hours, only to relapse after walking away from music entirely and moving back to Phoenix. He found lasting sobriety on a sober hike up a mountain he stumbled onto by chance, and he's been sober since. Today, Blake is the founder of Sober House Records and co-founder of Formerly Intoxicated, a nonprofit bringing music and healing arts into treatment centers and prisons. He shares how a chance encounter with two strangers praying in a coffee shop changed everything, and how he turned his pain into a mission: redemption is real, prevention is possible, and recovery is for everyone. #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:0:00 Intro1:26 Meet Blake Matthews2:27 Handing flip flops to a barefoot stranger in 100 degree heat4:33 The fentanyl crisis hiding in plain sight6:14 The DM Chad got this morning7:13 Chad's stance on calling it fentanyl poisoning9:43 Adopted at birth, and the search for belonging12:12 Functioning addict, DJing weddings since age 1313:50 Chasing music to Nashville, and hitting a wall17:21 The night he called his dad19:09 What his graduation photos actually showed20:31 Moving home, and walking away from music22:00 Relapse, one beer with an old friend23:00 The mountain hike that changed everything26:40 The recover out loud movement29:08 Connection as the opposite of addiction31:35 The lie that drugs make you more creative33:51 Bringing music into treatment centers and prisons35:15 The starving artist trap47:01 First job in recovery, teaching kids life skills49:20 Leaving it all to go full time into Sober House Records51:22 Opening his first sober living home53:39 Raised Jewish, and why Jesus was a bad word56:19 Two strangers praying in a coffee shop57:25 The 10pm Bible study that didn't end until 4am58:21 The night he gave his life to Jesus1:01:34 Inside his album, Unbury Your Burdens1:03:11 Still wrestling with depression after finding faith1:04:22 Stacking wins1:05:43 The fastest way out of depression1:09:08 How his family sees him now1:13:11 What Formerly Intoxicated actually does
Transcribe →From Drinking Everyday to Winning a World Championship w/ Ryan Foley | The Hopeaholics Podcast #339
Jun 2601:19:29Tap to summarizeIn this episode of The Hopeaholics Podcast, Ryan Foley shares his powerful story of alcoholism, mental health, surrender, fatherhood, and the unexpected life recovery gave him. Ryan grew up outside of Chicago, went on to attend Cornell University, built a successful career, and eventually worked at companies like Google and Groupon before addiction began taking over his life. For years, he was able to function on the outside while drinking every day, but behind the scenes his body was shutting down. He opens up about drinking a handle a day, waking up in withdrawal, shaking, sweating, and reaching the point where doctors told him that if he kept drinking, he could die.Ryan also shares his experience being diagnosed with bipolar disorder at 20 years old, the shame he carried around mental health, and why getting sober was the only way he could truly begin treating what was underneath. Today, Ryan is nearly five years sober, a husband, father of two with a third baby on the way, a performance coach, and a world champion professional sailor. He shares how recovery brought him back to athletics, led him into a completely different career, and gave him a life he never thought was possible. From surrendering in treatment to launching "Big Tuesday," a movement encouraging men to lift heavy, stay disciplined, and take ownership of their health, Ryan's story is a reminder that recovery does not just save lives — it can completely transform them.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of 'Off the Record', exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholicsGo to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholicshttps://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch:https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction.Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com
Transcribe →The 10-Car Crash That Exposed Her Secret Addiction w/ Elisa Saunders | The Hopeaholics Podcast
Jun 2301:16:58Tap to summarizeThe 10-Car Crash That Exposed Her Secret Addiction w/ Elisa Saunders | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Elisa Saunders shares an incredibly raw story of addiction, trauma, survival, and the long road to recovery after decades of chaos behind the scenes of both alcoholism and the treatment industry. Elisa spent nearly 30 years drinking while maintaining the image of a functioning professional, all while cycling through alcohol, Xanax, cocaine, and the kind of self-destruction that nearly killed her. She opens up about the pain of childhood abuse, the emotional wounds that followed her into adulthood, and how addiction became both an escape and a prison she couldn’t break free from. The conversation dives into her time working in the treatment world during some of its most corrupt years, where she witnessed body brokering, fraud, and the exploitation of vulnerable people seeking help. Elisa also shares the terrifying consequences of her own addiction, including a DUI, a devastating ten-car pileup, and the moment she realized she was either going to get sober or die. Even after getting clean, she reveals the brutal emotional reality of early recovery, including the shame, depression, and suicidal thoughts she had to fight through without numbing herself. Today, Elisa uses her story and experience to advocate for ethical treatment, real recovery, and better solutions for people trapped in addiction.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:05:09 - 30 Years of Drinking While Working as a Schoolteacher00:05:32 - Booze, Xanax and Cocaine Becoming Her Routine00:08:17 - Entering the Wild West of the Treatment Industry00:08:54 - The Real Story Behind Body Brokering in Florida00:10:29 - Watching Corrupt Treatment Operators Get Busted00:11:09 - Seeing People Brokered Out of AA Meetings00:12:30 - Testifying Against Her Half Brother After Childhood Abuse00:16:58 - Realizing She Could Never Stay Stopped00:18:50 - The DUI That Exposed How Out of Control Her Life Had Become00:19:12 - Causing a Ten-Car Pileup and Hiding It as a Teacher00:22:22 - Reaching the Point Where She Knew She Was Going to Die00:22:47 - Going to Treatment Because Jail Was the Alternative00:24:50 - Getting Sober and Still Wanting to Kill Herself00:25:58 - “I Never Felt Good Enough” Without Alcohol00:58:57 - The Recovery App She Believes Could Help Save Lives
Transcribe →The Opposite of Addiction Isn’t Sobriety with Stefanos Sifandos | The Hopeaholics Podcast
Jun 1901:34:51Tap to summarizeThe Opposite of Addiction Isn’t Sobriety with Stefanos Sifandos | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Stefanos Sifandos joins the show for a deep and thought-provoking conversation about trauma, relationships, addiction, personal growth, and the journey toward true emotional freedom. As an internationally recognized relationship coach, author, and speaker, Stefanos has spent years helping people understand the hidden wounds that shape their behaviors, beliefs, and connections with others. He opens up about growing up in a household marked by violence, chaos, and emotional struggle, and how those early experiences led him on a lifelong search for healing and self-discovery. The conversation explores the powerful link between addiction and disconnection, why so many people avoid their emotions, and how unresolved childhood experiences continue to influence adult relationships. Stefanos also shares his perspective on attachment, vulnerability, masculinity, fatherhood, and the importance of developing a deeper relationship with yourself. Throughout the episode, he explains how generational trauma gets passed down, why meaningful connection is essential for healing, and what it takes to break destructive patterns that keep people stuck. With a unique blend of personal experience, psychology, spirituality, and practical wisdom, Stefanos offers insights that challenge conventional thinking and encourage lasting transformation.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:13:24 - Growing Up Overweight, Insecure and Finding Fitness00:14:37 - Violence, Chaos and Trauma Inside His Childhood Home00:16:17 - Why His Difficult Childhood Sparked a Lifelong Study of Relationships00:23:12 - The Human Need for Belonging00:23:32 - Why the Opposite of Addiction Is Connection00:24:13 - Addiction, Isolation and the Emotions We All Share00:25:15 - Discovering He Was Neurodivergent00:35:03 - Why Society Teaches Us to Avoid Feeling00:36:23 - How Generational Trauma Gets Passed Down00:57:16 - Living in Denial and Hiding in the Shadows00:58:46 - Insecurity, Jealousy and Going Through Your Partner’s Phone01:01:13 - How Fatherhood Opened His Heart01:05:08 - Working With His Wife and Confronting His Ego01:06:33 - The Meaning Behind His Book Tuned In and Turned On01:07:12 - How Childhood Shapes Adult Relationships, Love and Attachment
Transcribe →California’s Failed Addiction Policies Explained with Laurie Davies | The Hopeaholics Podcast
Jun 1601:01:50Tap to summarizeCalifornia’s Failed Addiction Policies Explained with Laurie Davies | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, California Assemblywoman Laurie Davies joins the show for an important conversation about addiction, fentanyl, homelessness, mental health, and the policies shaping recovery across the state. Representing California’s 74th Assembly District, Laurie has become a leading voice in the fight to improve treatment access, protect recovery programs, and address the devastating impact of the fentanyl crisis. She shares how personal experiences with addiction, mental illness, and loss have influenced her work and strengthened her commitment to helping vulnerable families. The conversation explores the unintended consequences of policies like Proposition 47, the challenges surrounding homelessness and accountability, and why many people seeking treatment still struggle to find available beds when they are finally ready for help. Laurie also discusses insurance fraud in the treatment industry, legislative efforts to protect patients, and the importance of expanding quality recovery resources throughout California. Throughout the episode, she offers a candid look at what is happening behind the scenes in government and what still needs to change to save lives. From mental health reform and public safety to recovery, faith, and personal responsibility, this conversation tackles some of the most urgent issues facing communities today.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:13:42 - Protecting Treatment Centers and Stopping Fraud00:14:52 - The Insurance Fraud Crisis Hurting Treatment Centers00:18:32 - New Legislation to Protect Addiction Treatment Patients00:22:23 - How Prop 47 Changed Addiction and Homelessness00:24:18 - Prop 36 Passes but Goes Unfunded00:28:40 - Why Consequences Can Help Save an Addict’s Life00:30:52 - Homelessness, Addiction and Accountability00:35:01 - Addiction as a Spiritual Problem00:36:47 - Her Family’s Experience With Severe Mental Illness00:40:56 - The Crisis of Finding Treatment Beds in California00:41:24 - Every Hour Matters When Someone Asks for Help00:42:05 - Losing a Loved One to Fentanyl00:42:49 - Why She Carries Narcan Everywhere00:52:21 - “You’re Only One Person Away From a Fentanyl Death”00:56:14 - The Audit That Exposed Major Oversight Failures
Transcribe →The Day He Finally Got Tired of Being Homeless w/ CRASH | The Hopeaholics Podcast
Jun 1201:01:19Tap to summarizeThe Day He Finally Got Tired of Being Homeless w/ CRASH | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Crash shares the incredible story of how he went from living homeless on the streets of Santa Ana for years to finding recovery, purpose, and a new life in sobriety. After first experimenting with heroin as a teenager, Crash spent more than a decade trapped in addiction, cycling through homelessness, arrests, failed treatment attempts, and countless moments that could have ended his life. He opens up about sleeping on the streets, losing hope, and believing that recovery simply wasn't possible for someone like him. The conversation dives into the realities of addiction, what life is actually like for people living unhoused, and the devastating toll drugs take on families, friendships, and self-worth. Crash also shares the turning points that led him to treatment, the people who refused to give up on him, and the moment he finally became willing to change. Today, he dedicates his life to helping others escape the same darkness by connecting people struggling with addiction to treatment and recovery resources. His story is a powerful reminder that no one is too far gone, no matter how hopeless their situation may seem.#wedorecover #TheHopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:04:21 - First Experiences With Heroin at 15 and 1700:05:06 - Living Homeless on the Streets of Santa Ana for Seven Years00:06:04 - Dropping Out of School and Spiraling Into Addiction00:07:33 - More Than a Decade Living on the Streets00:09:53 - Waking Up at His Dad’s House After Hitting Rock Bottom00:10:27 - First Attempt at Rehab in Florida00:11:00 - Relapsing Immediately After Treatment00:18:07 - 110 Days Sober and Rebuilding His Life00:18:52 - “I Hit Rock Bottom and Found a Basement”00:19:50 - Helping Other Homeless Addicts Get Into Treatment00:20:20 - The Viral Recovery Story That Started a Movement00:21:58 - How Victor and Fresh Start Rescue People From the Streets00:30:56 - Helping 15+ Friends Get Clean Together00:31:50 - What Recovery Looks Like Today00:32:32 - Accepting a Higher Power in Recovery00:36:01 - The Reality of Open Drug Use in Santa Ana00:36:25 - Getting Swept, Arrested and Losing Everything00:37:19 - Why Hope Matters More Than Resources00:38:11 - Getting a Taste of Sobriety for the First Time00:39:01 - Becoming an Inspiration to Friends Still Struggling00:43:14 - Why Service Is Essential to Recovery00:44:06 - The Story Behind the Nickname “Crash”00:44:55 - Opiates Left His Neck Permanently Bent Forward00:57:24 - Celebrating Sobriety and Looking Toward the Futur
Transcribe →The Fentanyl Crisis Is Worse Than You Think w/ Luis Romero | The Hopeaholics Podcast
Jun 901:13:35Tap to summarizeThe Fentanyl Crisis Is Worse Than You Think w/ Luis Romero | The Hopeaholics PodcastIn this episode of the Hopeaholics Podcast, Luis Romero shares his incredible journey from heroin addiction, gang involvement, and felony charges to becoming a powerful voice in recovery and fentanyl awareness. With over 13 years sober, Luis opens up about the darkest moments of his addiction, the impact of losing his father at a young age, and how searching for belonging led him down a destructive path. He shares the life-changing decision to stay in treatment longer than planned, the challenges of being a "dry drunk," and the personal growth that allowed him to become someone his family could be proud of. We also dive into the fentanyl epidemic, the dangers of counterfeit pills, fentanyl-laced drugs, and the heartbreaking losses that inspired Luis to launch Fuck Fentanyl San Diego and dedicate his life to saving others. This conversation is filled with powerful recovery insights, raw honesty, and an important message about grief, purpose, and honoring the people we've lost by living a meaningful life. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, this episode offers hope, perspective, and proof that lasting recovery is possible.#thehopeaholics #redemption #recovery #AlcoholAddiction #AddictionRecovery #wedorecover #SobrietyJourney #MyStory #Hope #wedorecover #treatmentcenter #natalieevamarieJoin our patreon to get access to an EXTRA EPISODE every week of ‘Off the Record’, exclusive content, a thriving recovery community, and opportunities to be featured on the podcast. https://patreon.com/TheHopeaholics Go to www.Wolfpak.com today and support our sponsors. Don't forget to use code: HOPEAHOLICSPODCAST for 10% off!Follow the Hopeaholics on our Socials:https://www.instagram.com/thehopeaholics https://linktr.ee/thehopeaholicsBuy Merch: https://thehopeaholics.myshopify.comVisit our Treatment Centers: https://www.hopebythesea.comIf you or a loved one needs help, please call or text 949-615-8588. We have the resources to treat mental health and addiction. Sponsored by the Infiniti Group LLC:https://www.infinitigroupllc.com Timestamps:00:03:30 - Why He Started Fuck Fentanyl San Diego00:06:57 - 13 Years Sober and Life After Heroin00:14:59 - Living an Animalistic Life Chasing Heroin00:16:08 - Family Taking Him In During Addiction00:17:14 - Heroin Addiction, Gangs and Catching a Felony Case00:18:08 - Running From Police After a Party Gone Wrong00:26:45 - Staying in Treatment an Extra Four Months to Survive00:33:30 - Recovery Turned Him Into Someone His Family Could Be Proud Of00:34:10 - The Pain of Being a Dry Drunk for Nine Years00:43:24 - Losing His Father at 10 and the Impact on His Addiction00:45:24 - His Father Died of a Heart Attack at 3300:46:31 - Seeking Validation Through Gangs After Losing His Dad00:48:11 - How His Friend’s Death Sparked His Mission and Podcast00:58:04 - Why Illicit Fentanyl Is Pure Poison01:00:39 - The Shocking Reality of Fake Fentanyl Pills01:01:48 - A Celebration Turned Fatal After Fentanyl-Laced Cocaine01:05:24 - Honoring Loved Ones Instead of Letting Grief Destroy You01:06:02 - Living Life in Honor of His Father and Best Friend
Transcribe →