How I Spent $40K on Crack in 5 Months & Still Held a Job | Ep 213

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Jason Baer for a wild, emotional, and unbelievable story about family trauma, alcohol, cocaine, crack addiction, money, crime, international drug use, and ultimately finding his way into recovery.

Jason opens up about growing up in a chaotic home and the mental health struggles and abuse surrounding his father. He shares disturbing memories from his childhood, including an incident where his mother hit his father with a 2x4. Those experiences would shape Jason in ways he didn't fully understand until later in life.

As Jason got older, drinking gradually became an everyday part of his life. What started as drinking eventually became a daily routine, setting the stage for an addiction that would become increasingly difficult to control.

When Jason's father died, he inherited $80,000. But instead of using the money to build a better future, Jason was already deep into cocaine use. He eventually discovered crack cocaine and describes how quickly it took over his life. Incredibly, Jason spent approximately $40,000 in less than five months on crack while continuing to show up for work and maintain the appearance that everything was normal.

Jason also takes Louis and Aaron through his experiences hustling in the Hilltop, where his addiction and lifestyle continued to escalate. He shares stories about getting caught up in situations that could have resulted in serious legal consequences, including an unbelievable incident while abroad.

The story gets even crazier when Jason talks about traveling and continuing to find crack, including getting drugs in Mexico and interacting with military personnel while using crack. His addiction didn't stop when he left home—it followed him wherever he went.

Jason also opens up about receiving another $40,000 and what happened to that money, including a period where his addiction led him to steal valuable coins. These stories reveal just how far his addiction progressed and the lengths he was willing to go to continue feeding it.

But eventually, something had to change.

Jason discusses the point when he finally began moving toward recovery and started confronting the addiction that had consumed so much of his life. His story is a powerful reminder that addiction can affect anyone, regardless of whether they are still working, making money, traveling, or appearing successful from the outside.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, you are not alone. Recovery is possible.

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