F#CK THE STIGMA

In episode 54 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with  @icoreywarren  a sober coach and mental health advocate who shares his raw journey from heroin use in high school to alcohol addiction—and ultimately, recovery. Now dedicated to helping others, Corey breaks down the myths surrounding alcohol, addiction, and sobriety, while offering real insight into how addiction impacts t...

In episode 53 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Alika Gambill to talk about what it really looks like to rebuild your life from the ground up. Alika opens up about the trauma he experienced growing up and how it shaped the path that led him into nearly two decades of addiction. He shares the chaos of that lifestyle, his struggle with addiction, and the reality of trying...

In episode 52 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ahmad Hussain, founder and CEO of DEFENT, breaks down the harsh reality of the fentanyl epidemic and the truth behind the rising death toll. He shares what drives his mission to create an all-in-one fentanyl detection device and why urgent action is needed to address this national crisis. Don’t forget to like, comment, and...

In episode 51 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Garet McLendon to share his powerful story of addiction, trauma, and recovery. In this episode, he opens up about the struggles that led him down a destructive path, the turning points that forced change, and what it really takes to rebuild your life from the ground up. From hard truths about relapse to finding purpose in s...

In episode 50 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Faust Castellanos, who shares a powerful and deeply vulnerable conversation about trauma, addiction, faith, and recovery. Known for his appearance on Soft White Underbelly and several other podcasts, as well as his work as a pastor, clinical therapist, and founder of a peptide company, Fausto opens up about the sexual abuse...

In episode 49 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Michael Lynch and Dr. Kenny Clark as they return to announce the launch of their new podcast, Solo and Doc, and have a powerful conversation about rebuilding in recovery after losing everything to addiction. We talk about what it felt like to be absent fathers during active addiction and how they worked to repair and rebuil...

In episode 48 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Rich Bishop, who shares his journey through addiction and mental health struggles. From drinking alcohol at just two years old to later turning to opiates and other hard substances, Rich explains how he spent most of his life searching for escape. He also opens up about the devastating loss of his father, who battled severe...

In episode 47 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez welcomes back Santana Dawson for the third time for an honest conversation about change, healing, and what it really takes to grow. Together, they unpack the fear of change and how trauma shapes our present behaviors, relationships, and mindset. They dive deep into how our parents and childhood experiences impact who we become, how we res...

In episode 46 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Jeff, who shares his story of addiction, crime, and recovery, opening up about how growing up without a father figure and coming from a troubled family became his excuse for using drugs. He talks about how substance use within his family normalized addiction and led him down a path of criminal behavior, repeated prison time...

In episode 45 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Malik Keene, discussing his journey from active addiction to long-term recovery. Malik opens up about quitting drugs and alcohol, walking away from the drug dealer lifestyle, and confronting a gambling addiction that deeply impacted every area of his life. He shares how multiple DUIs and compulsive gambling became major tur...

In episode 44 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Travis Shields, who shares an honest conversation about addiction, grief, and recovery after more than a decade of active drug and alcohol use. Travis opens up about surviving the loss of a close friend, the survivor’s guilt that followed, and how that pain drove him deeper into substance use. He also reflects on losing mul...

In episode 43 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ryan Ead, sharing his raw and unfiltered story of mental health struggles and addiction that began at a young age. After years of misbehavior and substance use, Ryan’s parents had him kidnapped and sent to a wilderness program in the Utah desert, where he was forced to survive for three months. Instead of helping, the exper...

In episode 42 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Matt Anderson, who shares his raw and honest journey through mental health struggles, addiction, incarceration, and recovery. Now 9 years sober, Matt opens up about going to jail at just 15 years old, being exposed to hard drugs at a young age, and growing up with an abusive father where fighting became his outlet. After hi...

In episode 41 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Mike Eaton, who has 17 years sober and opens up about the turning point that changed his life forever. After years of failed attempts to get sober, Mike’s addiction led to a fatal drunk driving accident that took someone’s life, resulting in him getting sober while incarcerated. He shares what it was like to confront the we...

In episode 40 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Emily, who shares her journey with alcoholism, starting from drinking at a young age and the struggles that followed her into high school, including an abusive relationship that shaped how she coped with pain. She opens up about using alcohol to numb the grief of losing a close family member and how that loss deepened her a...

In episode 39 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with William Mitchell, who was wrongfully sentenced to life in prison for attempted murder at just 23 years old and ended up serving 18 years behind bars. William opens up about battling crack addiction, how prison transformed him, and the moment he found his faith in Christianity. He shares how becoming a minister and paralegal...

In episode 38 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Cindy, who opens up about using heroin at just 11 years old, growing up in a chaotic and painful environment, and losing control of her life to addiction. She shares what it was like entering 13 different treatment centers, the multiple rock bottoms that forced her to confront the reality of her addiction, and the moments t...

In episode 37 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Chris Yarnell, In this episode, Laisha sits down with a guest who opens up about a lifetime of stigma, trauma, and addiction. He talks about growing up in a household shaped by alcohol and drugs and how fractured family dynamics fueled his early substance use. He shares how his drinking escalated through adolescence, how a...

In episode 36 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ashley Pertuno, who bravely shares her story of surviving childhood abuse by a close family member, the trauma that fueled her addiction, and the mental health battles that followed her into adulthood. Ashley reveals how this pain shaped her relationships with men, pushed her deeper into substance use, and followed her thro...

In episode 35 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Josh, who opens up about his journey from decades of jail, prison, and active heroin addiction to now celebrating 15 years sober. Josh keeps it real about what life was like in and out of institutions, what finally pushed him to change, and how he’s managed to stay grounded in recovery ever since. It’s an honest, no-fluff c...

In episode 34 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Tabitha, who shares powerful journey from a childhood filled with chaos, trauma, and abuse to finding recovery and rebuilding her life. Growing up in a toxic household in Baltimore, she faced early exposure to addiction, violence, and pain that led her down a path of substance use, incarceration, and survival on the streets...

In episode 33 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Ansu, who shares his powerful story of battling alcoholism for over a decade while struggling with identity, family abandonment, and a toxic marriage. From growing up between cultures and living as a “functional” addict to hitting rock bottom and finding faith, Ansu opens up about his journey toward healing, self-discovery,...

In episode 32 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Tim Fritz to share his powerful story of battling active alcoholism and addiction. Tim opens up about how the loss of his father deeply impacted his life and became a driving force behind his substance use. Together, Laisha and Tim break down the thought processes that come with being in active addiction—the denial, the sha...

In episode 31 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Maggie who opens up about her journey through addiction, recovery, and rebuilding her life. She shares what it was like growing up around addiction, experimenting as a teen, and facing early arrests and probation. From her first rehab stay—where she admits she tried to “beat the system”—to the depths of opiate and heroin ad...

In episode 30 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Michael to share his story of addiction, recovery, and rebuilding his life. From early identity struggles to his first experiences with substances, legal trouble, and near-death moments, Michael opens up about what it took to reach rock bottom and finally seek treatment. He discusses relapse, homelessness, and the importanc...