Show notes
In episode 28 of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with Catie to share a raw and powerful story of addiction, self-harm, and healing. Catie opens up about growing up in a chaotic household, experimenting with drugs at a young age, and spending seven years trapped in addiction while battling self-harm. She talks about how trauma, toxic and addictive relationships, and the stigma surrounding substance use shaped her path, leading to moments of pain, legal troubles, and loss. Through honesty and vulnerability, Catie reflects on her journey of finding strength, building self-worth, navigating grief, and learning healthier ways to cope with life’s challenges. Today, with over a decade of sobriety, Catie is a wife, a mother of two children, and an addiction counselor helping others find hope and healing. Together, Laisha and Catie dive into the realities of addiction, mental health, treatment systems, motherhood, mindfulness, and breaking the stigma to create space for empathy and understanding.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 Introduction & Katie's Sobriety Journey01:10 Family History & Early Substance Exposure03:10 Coping With Trauma & First Drug Experiences06:03 Growing Up in a Chaotic Household09:01 Teenage Years: Self-Harm, School, and Escape13:20 Addictive Patterns: Relationships & Escalation17:40 Legal Troubles & Turning Point22:00 Early Recovery: Loss, Grief, and Healing26:30 Growing Up in Recovery & Learning Life Skills31:15 Building Self-Worth & Staying Clean36:00 Therapy Styles: Compassion and Empathy41:00 From Addiction to Mental Health Advocacy47:40 Comorbidity: Treating Addiction & Mental Health55:00 The Realities of Treatment Systems & Stigma01:03:00 Individual Healing Journeys & Supporting Others01:13:00 Motherhood, Loss, and Life Lessons01:24:00 Mindfulness, Living In The Moment & Parenting01:32:00 Understanding & Explaining Addiction01:38:00 Destigmatizing All Struggles & Empathy in Practice01:45:00 Closing Thoughts & ReflectionsFTS Medication Assistance Program | Apply today : https://www.fthestigma.com/pages/rx-assistanceDonate to support! : https://www.fthestigma.com/pages/donatePod links |Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/46dw6sl5t344p6PlBcykb3?si=35349a057d564bacApple Podcast | https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/f-ck-the-stigma/id1691599224Fuck 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 | https://instagram.com/fukthestigmaTikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@fthestigmaFacebook | https://www.facebook.com/FTStigmaX | https://x.com/fthestigmaSubscribe for more! | https://www.youtube.com/@fthestigmaTags 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, DUI, DWI#fthestigma #podcast #addiction #overdoseawareness #nonprofit #mentalhealth #mentalillness
