I Thought My Dad Dying Made Me an Addict, I Was Wrong

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 shame, and the endless cycle of chasing escape. Through raw honesty and reflection, Tim shares what it truly took to find his way out and begin the journey toward healing and self-awareness. This conversation sheds light on the emotional roots of addiction and serves as a reminder that recovery is possible, no matter how lost you may feel. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that challenge stigma and bring awareness to mental health and addiction. Chapters | 00:00 Intro & Growing Up in Baltimore 01:30 Early Childhood and Family Dynamics 03:30 Losing a Parent and Turning to Substances 06:30 Is Addiction Nature or Nurture? 08:00 Personal DUI Experiences & Defining Addiction 11:00 Identifying as an Addict—Comparison and Craving 15:00 The Spiritual, Mental, and Physical Nature of Addiction 18:30 Impact of External Consequences and Unmanageability 21:30 Adolescence into College—Escalating Drinking 24:30 College Years and the Struggle to Control Drinking 28:00 The Obsession with Control & Attempts to Moderate 32:00 Substances Beyond Alcohol and Cross-Addiction 36:00 Why Alcohol Feels Different Than Other Drugs 39:00 Misconceptions: Is it Just Willpower? 43:00 Material Success vs. Internal Fulfillment 47:00 Reaching Bottom: The Path to Treatment 51:00 Medical Marijuana, Relapse, and True Recovery 55:00 Spiritual Experience & Life with a Higher Power 01:00:00 Advice for Those Struggling & Breaking Stigma 01:01:30 Closing Thoughts and Farewell FTS Medication Assistance Program | Apply today : https://www.fthestigma.com/pages/rx-a... Donate to support! : https://www.fthestigma.com/pages/donate Pod links | Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/46dw6sl... Apple Podcast | https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast... Fuck the Stigma is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that believes people shouldn’t be judged or labeled based on their mental health status. Whether you are struggling with an addiction or have been taking meds for a diagnosis, our community doesn’t judge and seeks to collectively end the stigma around mental health. Our mission is to normalize mental health and mental illness as widespread, treatable, and acceptable. We do this by providing useful resources, improving access to services for those who need help, sharing stories, and building a community of young people who all agree… Follow us! Website | https://fthestigma.com/ Instagram |   / fukthestigma   TikTok |   / fthestigma   Facebook |   / ftstigma   X | https://x.com/fthestigma Subscribe for more! |    / @fthestigma   Tags in this video ↓ fthestigma, podcast, addiction, recovery, trauma, anxiety, depression, ptsd, mentalhealth, mentalillness, nonprofit, vulnerability, youth, healthandwellness, god, sobriety, relapse, treatment, loss, grief, addicts, recovery, addict, relationships, psychological, experience, spiritual, spirituality, alcoholic, addiction recovery, insanity, psychosis, story, neglect, jail, prescription, alcoholic, alcoholism, treatment, diagnosis, prison, criminal, psychology, doctor, dealer, baltimore diagnosis, felony, felonies, forgiveness, spiritual, DUI #fthestigma #podcast #addiction #overdoseawareness #nonprofit #mentalhealth #mentalillness