I Drank Vodka Every Day for 30 Years, Found Crack, Got 8 DUI's, and Somehow Survived | Ep 210

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig and Aaron Garnes sit down with Tom McDonald for a powerful and eye-opening conversation about alcoholism, addiction, DUIs, family, prison, recovery, and what it takes to rebuild your life after decades of drinking.

Tom describes growing up with a good childhood before discovering vodka and eventually spending 10 years working as a bartender. His relationship with alcohol continued to grow until he found a job working for a liquor distributor—putting him even closer to the substance that would eventually consume his life.

Tom opens up about getting two DUIs on the same day, getting married, and becoming a father to his daughter while still struggling with alcoholism. After eventually making his way into a halfway house and getting a year of sobriety, Tom found himself replacing alcohol with another addiction: crack cocaine.

For a period of time, Tom was smoking crack but wasn't drinking. He talks about the vodka he drank, how every single dime he made seemed to go toward alcohol, and just how completely his addiction took control of his life.

After years of drinking, Tom's addiction eventually led to his eighth DUI. But this time, something happened that changed everything. His 10-year-old daughter wrote him a letter, forcing him to confront the impact his drinking was having on the people he loved most.

That letter became one of the biggest turning points in Tom's life.

After his eighth DUI, Tom was sentenced to three years in prison and required to attend 2,000 AA meetings. He finally began the process of getting sober after nearly 30 years of drinking.

But sobriety wasn't just about putting down the vodka. Tom had to rebuild his relationship with his daughter, learn how to live differently, and eventually discover a new purpose by helping other people struggling with addiction.

Today, Tom works in recovery and helps people battling all kinds of substance use issues. He shares what he's learned from decades of addiction and recovery, including some of the challenges people face with Medicaid and accessing treatment.

Tom also offers his first piece of advice to someone who is on Day One of sobriety—a simple message that could make all the difference for someone trying to change their life.

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