Breaking Down Addiction

National Addiction Specialists
  • 5.0 (9)
  • MENTAL HEALTH

Breaking Down Addiction is a podcast from National Addiction Specialists featuring real stories of recovery, resilience, and hope. Each episode dives deep into the lived experiences of people overcoming addiction—raw, unfiltered, and rooted in healing.

Episodes

  1. #10 Todd Mulligan: From Intervention to Purpose—How Recovery Rebuilt a Life

    3D AGO

    #10 Todd Mulligan: From Intervention to Purpose—How Recovery Rebuilt a Life

    Todd Mulligan’s story is a blunt look at how fast opioid addiction can take over—and what it actually takes to come back. In this episode of Breaking Down Addiction, hosts Jonny Phillip and Chad Elkin sit down with Todd to trace the arc from prescription pain pills after multiple accidents, to an 11-year spiral that included street pills, Suboxone misuse, benzodiazepines, and daily meth use. Todd shares what it was like realizing withdrawal for the first time, the delusions and chaos of late-stage addiction, and the surreal moment he discovered he was on Intervention. He also explains why being “sent to Tennessee” for treatment at Cumberland Heights ended up changing everything—especially through the structure and accountability of Stillwaters. Today, Todd works in the recovery space helping families navigate admissions and find quality care. This conversation is practical, unfiltered, and full of hope—without pretending recovery is easy. You’ll Hear: • Why pills felt like “the answer” because they removed anxiety immediately • How fast “medical use” turned into everyday dependence—and why it went out of control immediately • What withdrawal felt like the first time (“I thought I had the flu”) • What it’s like to be deep in addiction while being filmed for Intervention • Why boundaries—not rescuing—are the turning point for many families • The moment craving finally lifted, and what “surrender” looked like for Todd • Why purpose and service became the long-term fuel for staying sober Why Listen: • To understand the link between pain, anxiety, and opioid misuse • To hear the reality of relapse risk, treatment resistance, and what finally breaks through • To learn how structure, accountability, and community can rebuild a life • To get practical guidance for families on boundaries and family programming • To be reminded that as long as someone is breathing, there is still a chance If you or someone you love is struggling, help is available. Learn more about National Addiction Specialists and the Breaking Down Addiction podcast. https://www.nationaladdictionspecialists.com/ The video of this episode is available: https://youtu.be/mFCH5b_QmPE

    48 min
  2. #9 Brandon Fendor: From Combat to Community—How Recovery Rebuilt a Life of Purpose

    JAN 22

    #9 Brandon Fendor: From Combat to Community—How Recovery Rebuilt a Life of Purpose

    Brandon Fendor’s story is a raw journey through war, trauma, addiction, and ultimately, redemption. A Marine Corps veteran with four combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, Brandon returned home carrying survivor’s guilt, untreated PTSD, and severe physical injuries. What began as prescribed pain medication quickly escalated into opioid addiction, heroin use, and a life marked by isolation, paranoia, and near-suicidal despair. At his lowest point—overdosing in a Burger King parking lot and sitting alone with a pistol in his mouth—one phone call from his mother changed everything: “I want my son back.” Now sober and purpose-driven, Brandon has turned his pain into a mission. As a leader at Treehouse Recovery Tennessee in Nashville, he is helping redefine addiction treatment through community, discipline, movement, and whole-person healing—mental, physical, social, and spiritual. His work focuses on brotherhood, accountability, and rebuilding identity for veterans and others struggling with addiction. You’ll Hear: •What combat trauma and survivor’s guilt really feel like after coming home •Why “being over there was easy—and coming home was the hard part” •How pain medication numbed more than physical pain •The moment heroin stopped being about getting high and became about “feeling normal” •Why pride and ego keep people stuck—and why asking for help is real strength •How Treehouse Recovery Tennessee is changing the way addiction is treated Why Listen: •To understand the hidden cost of war, trauma, and untreated pain •To hear an honest account of addiction without shame or filters •To see how community, discipline, and movement can restore purpose •To be reminded that recovery is possible—even after the darkest moments If you or someone you love is struggling, help is available. Learn more about Treehouse Recovery Tennessee at treehouserecoverytn.com Contact Brandon directly: brandon.fendor@treehouserecovery.com

    53 min
  3. #8 Will Drury: From Dope Sick to Dad Again—Finding Hope in the Cold Cell and a New Calling

    12/29/2025

    #8 Will Drury: From Dope Sick to Dad Again—Finding Hope in the Cold Cell and a New Calling

    Will Drury’s story is a raw, winding path through grief, addiction, jail, and the kind of recovery that rebuilds a life from the ground up. He started using at 13, lost close friends to DUI tragedies, and by 18 he was a “kid having a kid”—while sliding deeper into alcohol, weed, and eventually opioids. Hydrocodone turned into oxycodone, tolerance turned into withdrawal, and survival became a daily chase to not get sick. Will shares what it was like to walk into a methadone clinic at 20, live in and out of jail, and later endure opioid withdrawal behind bars—alone, freezing, and hallucinating in what he calls the “turtle suit.” But the episode doesn’t stay in the dark. Will opens up about the moment a simple prayer cracked something open, how treatment and the AA community helped him grow up fast, and how he rebuilt trust—especially with his son, Tyson. Today, Will has turned his recovery into service, helping others find a path forward and creating Forge Recovery Home, a safe place for men to transition into sober living. You’ll Hear: How early grief and trauma helped fuel Will’s addictionThe “lines in the sandbox” that kept moving—from weed to pills to IV drug useWhat it’s like to be dope sick at 19 with no idea what’s happeningThe methadone clinic experience at 20—and why he felt “out of place”Withdrawal in jail: the cold cell, hallucinations, and the “turtle suit”The stolen truck story that became a turning pointThe prayer that shifted everything: “God, let your will be done.”How recovery helped him become a dad again—and rebuild a real lifeWhy boundaries matter: “Love them from a distance.”How Will’s purpose became a calling—and led to Forge Recovery HomeWhy Listen: To understand how addiction hijacks choices long before someone “looks” addictedTo hear a brutally honest account of withdrawal, jail, and what people don’t talk aboutTo be reminded that grief and shame don’t have to be a life sentenceTo see what’s possible when recovery becomes community, responsibility, and serviceTo hear a story that proves it’s never too late to come home—to your life, and to the people you love

    1h 18m
  4. #7 Misty Pearson: From Prescription to Prison to Purpose—Finding Hope After Addiction

    12/17/2025

    #7 Misty Pearson: From Prescription to Prison to Purpose—Finding Hope After Addiction

    Misty Pearson’s story begins where many never expect addiction to start: a legitimate injury, a doctor’s prescription, and a life that looked “put together.”  One torn ACL set off a chain reaction—opioids, shame, escalation, arrests, and ultimately nine and a half years of incarceration. But Misty’s story doesn’t end there. Through forced sobriety, deep personal reckoning, faith, and an unwavering commitment to growth, Misty chose a different path.  Today, she works in addiction treatment, serves as a Hope Ambassador, and dedicates her life to helping others find recovery—even while carrying the lifelong consequences of her past. This episode is a raw, honest conversation about pride, shame, systemic failure, redemption, and what it really takes to rebuild a life after addiction. You’ll Hear: How a routine ACL injury and opioid prescription led to addictionWhy pride and shame kept Misty from asking for helpThe moment incarceration became a turning point—not the endWhat nine and a half years in prison taught her about recovery and responsibilityHow support systems can determine success or relapse after releaseWhy recovery doesn’t erase consequences—and why that truth mattersHow Misty turned her story into service through treatment work and advocacyWhy Listen: To understand how addiction can begin quietly—and escalate fastTo hear a powerful example of accountability without self-destructionTo learn what long-term recovery actually requiresTo be reminded that healing is possible, even after prisonTo find hope that transformation can come from the hardest placesIf you or someone you love is struggling, this episode is proof that it’s never too late to ask for help—and that choosing to “leave better” can change everything.

    50 min
  5. #6 Patrick Custer: From Rock Bottom to Radical Resilience—How Sobriety, Identity, and a Brain Tumor Shaped a Life of Hope

    12/01/2025

    #6 Patrick Custer: From Rock Bottom to Radical Resilience—How Sobriety, Identity, and a Brain Tumor Shaped a Life of Hope

    Patrick Custer’s story is a masterclass in courage. Raised in a conservative religious home, Patrick spent his early life feeling “different” and carrying shame he couldn’t name. Addiction took hold in college, spiraling him from functioning student to around-the-clock drinking and stimulant use. At 24, a family intervention saved his life—and sobriety opened the door to years of healing, identity acceptance, and profound self-discovery. But the greatest test came five years into recovery: a terrifying diagnosis of a brain tumor—the very fear that had haunted him since childhood. What followed was a season of surgeries, MRSA infections, life-threatening complications, and the slow loss of hope from even his closest loved ones. Yet Patrick never picked up a drink. Instead, his resilience, spiritual grounding, and community became the lifeline that pulled him through. Today, Patrick is the creator and host of Rooted Recovery Stories and The Patrick Custer Show, using storytelling to bring hope, understanding, and compassion to those navigating trauma, addiction, and mental health battles. You’ll Hear: •How growing up in a conservative, Pentecostal environment shaped Patrick’s early shame and internal conflict •Why “tomorrow” became the lie that fueled his addiction—and how he finally broke the cycle •The powerful intervention that sent him to treatment at 24 •How ADHD shaped his recovery, his learning style, and his self-understanding •The shocking brain tumor diagnosis that nearly took his life—and how he stayed sober through it •Why storytelling became his greatest tool for healing and helping others Why Listen: •To see what it truly looks like to rebuild your identity after addiction •To understand the emotional and neurological realities of recovery and ADHD •To hear how someone can face their lifelong worst fear without relapsing •To experience the power of community, metaphor, and vulnerability in long-term sobriety •To be reminded that resilience often appears the moment we decide to show up for ourselves This episode is a testament to what happens when honesty meets hope—and why your story, no matter how painful, might be the key to someone else’s healing.

    1h 26m
  6. #5 Justin Lowry: From Cocaine to Compassion—How Recovery Sparked a Dental Revolution

    11/10/2025

    #5 Justin Lowry: From Cocaine to Compassion—How Recovery Sparked a Dental Revolution

    Justin Lowry’s story is a wild ride through chaos, collapse, and ultimately, radical redemption. Starting drugs at age 12, Justin’s life spiraled through addiction, business success, bankruptcy, and homelessness—until a near-death hospital stay and jail time forced him to face the truth: he was the problem. Now sober and thriving, Justin has turned his pain into purpose through Smiles for Recovery, a nonprofit providing free dental implants for people in recovery. What began as a small idea in a borrowed dental chair has become a $6.5M movement that restores not just teeth, but dignity, confidence, and hope. You’ll Hear: How Justin’s childhood chaos and family addiction shaped his early yearsThe collapse of his multimillion-dollar business and his spiral into cocaine useThe jail stay and suicide attempt that became his turning pointHow one mentor and a doctor’s faith gave him a second chanceThe creation of Smiles for Recovery and the miraculous 98% sobriety success rate among patientsWhy restoring a smile can be the most powerful act of recoveryWhy Listen: To witness one man’s transformation from destruction to serviceTo understand how trauma and addiction freeze emotional growth—and how healing restarts itTo see how one small act of compassion can ripple into life-changing impactTo be reminded that purpose, not perfection, is what sustains recovery

    1h 6m
  7. #4 Ryan Fowler: From the NFL to Addiction—and the Fight for a Better Life

    10/17/2025

    #4 Ryan Fowler: From the NFL to Addiction—and the Fight for a Better Life

    Former NFL linebacker Ryan Fowler opens up about the hidden world of pain, pressure, and performance inside professional football—and how it led to years of addiction. From Vicodin on the sidelines to a staff member supplying players in the locker room, Fowler shares how the drive to be perfect, strong, and “capable” nearly cost him everything. Now in recovery, Ryan talks about rebuilding his life, mending relationships, and finding peace in simply being enough. His story is one of brutal honesty, resilience, and redemption—showing that recovery isn’t just about quitting substances, but reclaiming your sense of worth. You’ll Hear: What life in the NFL was really like behind the scenes — and how painkillers became part of the gameHow Fowler’s need for validation and perfection fueled his addictionThe shocking locker-room system that supplied drugs to playersHis descent into Adderall and Kratom dependency after footballThe breaking point that led him to call for help—and what recovery looks like todayWhy his biggest victory came after the gameWhy Listen: To understand the hidden link between performance, pain, and addictionTo hear a rare, first-person account of NFL culture and mental healthTo be reminded that redemption is possible, no matter how far you fallTo find hope and practical insight for your own recovery—or someone you love

    1h 3m
  8. #3 Orlando Andrews: Coming Home to Yourself

    09/30/2025

    #3 Orlando Andrews: Coming Home to Yourself

    What if the real trauma begins when you’re not allowed to be yourself? In this powerful conversation, Orlando Andrews shares his deeply personal recovery journey—one shaped by loss, discovery, and bold innovation. From confronting the failures of $60,000 treatment programs with 70% relapse rates, to developing new solutions like the SPARC device, Orlando is pushing the industry to rethink what recovery can look like. He speaks candidly about the “soul rupture” of operating outside your morality, the dangers of normalized escapism, and the original trauma of being forced to hide your authentic self. But this isn’t just critique—it’s hope. Orlando shows how long-term recovery is possible when we build systems that honor authenticity, address trauma, and provide real tools for healing. You’ll hear: Why Orlando walked away from high-cost treatment centers with poor outcomesHis vision for Recovery Matters and the future of long-term recovery careThe original trauma of not being allowed to live authenticallyHow PTSD can stem from being forced to act outside your moralityTools and innovations like the SPARC device that are changing recovery todayTune in to hear Orlando’s vision for Recovery Matters and why coming home to yourself is the ultimate goal of recovery.

    1h 9m
  9. #2 Kim Ryan: My Chaos

    08/29/2025

    #2 Kim Ryan: My Chaos

    Episode 2: My Chaos – Kim Ryan on Trauma, Recovery, and the Moment She Knew She Was Okay In this powerful and deeply honest episode, Kim Ryan joins host Jonny Phillip to share her remarkable story of addiction, trauma, and transformation. From surviving the chaos of substance use to finding long-term recovery and peace, Kim opens up about the darkest chapters of her life—and the unexpected moments of clarity that brought her back. You’ll hear: What trauma-informed care really looks likeThe surprising day she realized she was finally okayHow peer support saved her lifeWhy she would name her recovery story “My Chaos”Her story of HUSTLE Recovery and her vision for community healingWith brutal honesty and hard-won wisdom, Kim’s story reminds us that recovery isn’t just possible—it’s worth it. Available now wherever you get your podcasts. #BreakingDownAddiction #AddictionRecovery #TraumaHealing #HarmReduction #PeerSupport #RecoveryIsPossible

    1 hr
  10. #1 Mitzi Dawn: Trainwrecks and Pink Clouds

    07/31/2025

    #1 Mitzi Dawn: Trainwrecks and Pink Clouds

    Welcome to the debut episode of Breaking Down Addiction, a podcast by National Addiction Specialists. In this raw and unfiltered conversation, singer-songwriter and recovery advocate Mitzi Dawn shares her powerful journey—from growing up in the rooms of AA to discovering, later than expected, that addiction hadn’t skipped her after all. Mitzi opens up about the early days of using, the isolation and denial that followed, and the moment someone finally looked her in the eye and said, “You’re a drug addict.” That moment changed everything. We dive into: Why fun was part of the problemWhat she’d say to her younger self in active addictionThe difference between getting sober and staying healedHer unexpected path from Nashville songwriter to clinical directorWhy programs like Smiles for Recovery and Treehouse are saving livesAnd the emotional cost of waiting to be seen, valued, and lovedShe reminds us: “I wanted to give up a million times. I’m really glad I didn’t.” Whether you’re in recovery, love someone who is, or just want to understand addiction better—this conversation will move you. Listen now. Subscribe. Share hope.

    1h 8m
  • 10 Episodes

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Breaking Down Addiction is a podcast from National Addiction Specialists featuring real stories of recovery, resilience, and hope. Each episode dives deep into the lived experiences of people overcoming addiction—raw, unfiltered, and rooted in healing.

Information

  • Creator
    National Addiction Specialists
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Breaking Down Addiction
  • Show Website
    Breaking Down Addiction