How I Found Out I Was 7 Months Pregnant After Smoking Crack

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Aaron Garnes sits down with Lauren Shoemaker for a powerful conversation about addiction, loss, recovery, and finding hope after years of chaos. Lauren's story begins with a difficult childhood before addiction slowly took hold during her late teens and early twenties. What started with cocaine quickly escalated, leading to intravenous drug use and a lifestyle centered around survival. She shares how addiction consumed every aspect of her life, from selling methamphetamine to terrifying encounters—including being held at gunpoint while involved in the drug trade. The conversation also explores Lauren's battle with anorexia, offering an honest look at the physical and emotional toll of an eating disorder alongside addiction. She reflects on the heartbreaking loss of her child's father to liver failure and how grief pushed her even deeper into substance use. As heroin entered the picture, Lauren's life spiraled further. She opens up about stealing from retail stores to support her addiction, the moment she was finally caught, and the unbelievable discovery that she was more than seven months pregnant without knowing it. Lauren shares what it was like entering jail on a felony warrant while seven and a half months pregnant, making the difficult decision to place her son for adoption, and relapsing shortly after giving birth. She speaks candidly about the cycle of relapse and recovery, surviving a near-fatal fentanyl overdose, and the treatment program that finally helped her begin rebuilding her life. Today, Lauren is focused on recovery, healing, and creating a future she once thought was impossible. Her story is a testament to resilience and proof that recovery can begin even after the darkest moments. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Title of First Chapter 01:00 Childhood 04:30 My Early 20s & Cocaine Addiction 12:30 How Cocaine Led Me to IV Drug Use 15:20 Selling Meth & Being Held at Gunpoint 17:30 Living with Anorexia 20:00 Losing My Son's Father to Liver Failure 28:30 Why I Turned to Heroin 30:20 Shoplifting to Support My Addiction 32:40 My Last Theft 34:00 I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant Until 7½ Months 36:15 Going to Jail 7½ Months Pregnant 37:30 Giving My Son Up for Adoption & Relapsing After Birth 40:00 The Cycle of Relapse and Recovery 44:00 Finding a Recovery Program That Worked 48:00 My Worst Fentanyl Overdose 52:00 The Relationship That Almost Cost Me My Sobriety 54:00 Life at 6 Months Sober 58:00 Advice for Anyone Struggling with Addiction 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below! Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippod... For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: [email protected] 👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments. #getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglivesdaily