Doctor Chooses Drugs Over Wife & Career

In this episode of F The Stigma Podcast, host Laisha Martinez sits down with guest Dr. Kenny Clark, a physician who opens up about his personal journey through addiction, recovery, relapse, and healing. Kenny shares how he battled over a decade of substance use while navigating the intense demands of medical school, and how the loss of his father led him to cope through substances. After achieving more than 10 years of sobriety, a prescription for Xanax—meant to help with his sleep—triggered a relapse, sending him back into the chaos of addiction. In this raw conversation, Kenny reveals parts of his story he's never shared before, reflecting on the pain, lessons, and hope he's found in his continued path to recovery. His story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and serves as a beacon of inspiration for anyone facing the challenges of mental health or addiction. Chapters | 00:00 Intro & FTS Medication Assistance 00:38 Welcoming Kenny & Revisiting Community 02:09 Recovery Journeys and First Addiction 04:43 Downward Spiral: From Student to Active Addiction 10:39 The Progression and Rationalization of Addiction 16:59 Living with Loss, Consequence, and Regret 22:00 Medical Career & The Cost of Compulsion 26:10 First Recovery, 12-Step Programs, and Years of Sobriety 33:03 Complacency, Gradual Relapse & Losing Connection 39:59 Relapse: Doctor Prescriptions and Spiraling Downward 46:02 Losing Everything—Jobs, Hope, and Home 52:00 Suicidal Despair and an Unexpected Lifeline 54:46 What Changed: Open-Mindedness and Step Work 57:34 The Power of Amends and Emotional Transformation 01:00:54 Finding God Through Recovery and Community 01:07:05 Addiction as a Disease: A Doctor’s Perspective 01:12:09 Spiritual Growth, Community and Lasting Hope 01:15:02 Closing Message: Recovery, Hope & Gratitude Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more conversations that challenge stigma and bring awareness to mental health and addiction. Pod links | Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/46dw6sl... Apple Podcast | https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast... Follow us! Website | https://fthestigma.com/ Instagram | Instagram: fthestigmapod TikTok | TikTok: fthestigma Facebook | Facebook: fthestigmapod 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, los angeles, psychological, experience, spiritual, spirituality, alcoholic, robbery, addiction recovery, insanity, psychosis, story, neglect, doctor, physician #fthestigma #podcast #addiction #overdoseawareness #mentalhealth #mentalillness