Inside a Police Officers Brutal Addiction to Painkillers | Addiction, PTSD, Brain Trauma & Recovery

Hal Hughes had the perfect life: a loving wife, four kids, a successful career in law enforcement, and a reputation as a local hero. But everything changed the day he was violently attacked on the job—an incident that left him with a traumatic brain injury and a slow-burning descent into darkness. In this powerful episode of Rise Above, Hal opens up about the devastating impact of PTSD, chronic pain, and addiction. He shares how opiates hijacked his life, how he almost lost everything, and what finally pulled him back from the edge. Now 9 years sober, Hal has transformed from a wounded officer into a licensed psychotherapist, keynote speaker, and mental health advocate—teaching others how to turn pain into purpose. This episode is a must-watch for anyone struggling with trauma, addiction, or identity after a life-altering event. 👥 If this conversation helps you—share it. You could save someone’s life. 📩 Join our Monday Night Rise Above Recovery Meetings: Email [email protected] for the Zoom link. #AddictionRecovery #PoliceStory #OpiateAddiction #MentalHealthAwareness #PTSDRecovery #TraumaSurvivor #RiseAbovePodcast #SobrietyJourney #FirstResponderStories #BrainInjuryRecovery #CopsAndAddiction #RecoveryIsPossible #InspirationalPodcast #RedemptionStory #RealLifeStories 00:00 Introduction & Early Childhood 02:00 Growing Up Country & Family Influences 04:30 Sports, Siblings, and Small-Town Life 06:45 School, Peers, and the Value of Activities 09:30 High School Years & Finding Identity 13:00 University, Exploration, and Love 16:00 Choosing a Career: Bartending to Law Enforcement 18:45 Corrections Officer & Early Police Work 23:00 Challenges as a Correctional Officer 25:30 Policing, Martial Arts, and Real-World Confrontations 34:00 A Life-Altering Injury: Head Trauma & PTSD 37:00 Coping, Family, and the Struggle to Recover 41:30 Returning to Work & The Second Injury 46:00 Brain Injury, Struggles at Work, and Prescription Painkillers 49:30 The Downward Spiral: Addiction & Hitting Bottom 53:30 Facing Reality: Intervention and the Road to Recovery 57:00 The Turning Point: First Steps in Recovery 01:00:00 Building a New Life: Tools, Habits, and Principles 01:05:30 More Love, Less Judgment: The Healing Circle 01:12:00 Helping Others & The Power of Small Actions 01:15:45 Imposter Syndrome & Lessons in Courage 01:18:00 Final Thoughts on Sobriety, Courage, and Hope 🔔 Join Rise Above with Kevin Lanning to watch more content on Triumph, adversity, resilience, and inspiration:    / @riseabovewithkevin   ✅ Stay Connected To Us. 👉Instagram:   / riseabovewithkevin   👉 TikTok:   / rawithk   👉 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/riseabovewithk ✅ For Business Inquiries: [email protected] ================================ ✅ About Rise Above with Kevin Lanning: Rise Above: Stories of Resilience with Kevin Lanning Welcome to Rise Above with Kevin Lanning, where resilience finds its voice. Join Kevin Lanning, a former Google Executive in sobriety, as he brings you powerful stories of individuals who have navigated life's greatest challenges and emerged victorious. About Kevin: Kevin Lanning personifies resilience. From overcoming addiction to conquering childhood trauma, his journey mirrors the triumph of the human spirit. Now, he's dedicated to sharing stories that uplift, educate, and ignite the spark within you. Join us on this journey to rise above adversity and thrive. For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: [email protected] 🔔 Hit that subscribe button for more exclusive, insightful, and inspiring videos: https://www.youtube.com/@Riseabovepod... ================================= #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #corecore #motivation #addictionrecovery #inspiration #selflove #selfhelp #loveyourself Disclaimer: We do not accept any liability for any loss or damage incurred by you acting or not acting as a result of watching any of our publications. You acknowledge that you use the information we provide at your own risk. Do your research. Copyright Notice: This video and our YouTube channel contain dialogue, music, and images that are the property of Rise Above with Kevin Lanning. You are authorized to share the video link and channel and embed this video in your website or others as long as a link back to our YouTube channel is provided. © Rise Above with Kevin Lanning