Rise Above with Kevin Lanning

Robert Cruz shares his unbelievable story of addiction, gang violence, prison, armed robbery, and ultimately redemption. After losing his brother at 13, Robert turned to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain. What started with marijuana eventually spiraled into heroin addiction, gang life, violent crime, prison sentences, and multiple arrests.

Robert opens up about being charged with attempted murder, serving years in prison, robbing people to feed his addiction, and hitting rock bottom after realizing how far heroin had taken him. He also shares the powerful moment that changed everything and how he’s now approaching 16 years sober.

This is one of the rawest addiction and recovery stories ever shared on Rise Above.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment.
Call or Text: 844-443-5669
Visit: https: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may

#addiction #heroinaddiction #sobriety #prisonstory #recovery #ganglife #mentalhealth #riseabovepodcast

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Alkhuzama Zaini shares her powerful story of alcoholism, blackouts, college addiction, mental health struggles, and finding sobriety at a young age. From moving to America from Saudi Arabia, to drinking a bottle of vodka a day at ASU, hiding her addiction from family, terrifying withdrawals, and ultimately rebuilding her life through recovery, this is a raw and honest conversation about Gen Z addiction, validation, isolation, and healing.

This episode discusses alcoholism, mental health, blackouts, recovery, relapse, therapy, family dynamics, and the reality of getting sober young.

Follow Alkhuzama:
TikTok & Instagram: @alkhuzamazaini

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment.
Call or Text: 844-443-5669
Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may

#addiction #sobriety #alcoholism #recovery #mentalhealth #sober #alcoholaddiction #genz #recoveryjourney #podcast

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Kyle Caughman grew up in a small town with a great family, played sports, and had no trauma… but one decision changed everything.

What started with pain pills quickly spiraled into shooting heroin, driving hours to buy drugs, and selling it back in his hometown. As addiction took over, Kyle lost control of his life, faced multiple felonies, lost custody of his son, and found himself trapped in the cycle of fentanyl.

“I did a lot of drugs by myself… I’d take a shot and just wake up hours later.”

After years of addiction, jail time, and hitting rock bottom, Kyle finally reached a breaking point and chose a different path. Today, he’s over 2 years sober, rebuilding his life, his family, and his future.

This is a raw, unfiltered story about heroin, fentanyl, crime, and what it really takes to get clean.

If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode could be the wake-up call.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment.
Call or Text: 844-443-5669
Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=may

#heroinaddiction #fentanyl #addictionrecovery #sobrietyjourney #drugs #recovery #dopestory #cleanandsober #addictionhelp #mentalhealth

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Rachel Hechtman opens up about her journey from binge drinking, cocaine use, and crippling anxiety to nearly 5 years of sobriety. Unlike many addiction stories, Rachel never had a dramatic rock bottom—but what she did experience was just as powerful: years of guilt, shame, and mental health struggles that slowly became unbearable.

From waking up on bathroom floors to battling paranoia and depression, Rachel shares how her breaking point wasn’t one moment—it was the accumulation of pain.

In this episode, we dive into:
• Why not everyone needs a “rock bottom” to get sober
• How alcohol made her anxiety 10x worse
• The turning point that changed everything in 2021
• Walking miles through Central Park to fight cravings
• Building a sober community from scratch
• How she turned her pain into purpose helping others

If you’ve ever questioned your relationship with alcohol or felt stuck in the cycle, this episode will hit home.

🎙️ Rachel is now the creator of “Sober in Central Park” and helps others find freedom from addiction.

If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction or mental health, you don’t have to do it alone. Reach out to my partners at Compassion Behavioral Health. They offer individualized care and a full continuum of treatment.
Call or Text: 844-443-5669
Visit: https://compassionbehavioralhealth.com/?utm_source=rise%20above%20with%20kevin%20lanning&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=april

#Sobriety #AddictionRecovery #Alcoholism #MentalHealth #SoberLife #RecoveryJourney #Anxiety #CocaineAddiction #RelapsePrevention #RiseAbove
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In this episode, I sit down with Karina Miesner for a raw Q&A covering the most asked questions around addiction, relapse, and sobriety.

We break down real experiences from both sides of recovery including rock bottom moments, near relapses, triggers, relationships, trauma, and what actually works when it comes to staying sober.

Karina opens up about hitting rock bottom in the ICU with liver disease, while we both share the truth about relapse, shame, and how recovery really happens.

If you’re struggling, early in sobriety, or trying to understand addiction, this episode gives you honest, unfiltered answers from people who’ve lived it.

Topics include:


What rock bottom actually looks like


Can you get sober without rehab?


Triggers that almost caused relapse


Is relapse part of recovery or failure


Therapy, trauma, and EMDR


Relationships in early sobriety


Daily routines that keep us sober


Letting go of your old identity

This is the conversation people need but rarely hear.

Follow Karina Miesner:
Instagram: @karinamiesner (update if needed)
TikTok: @karinamiesner

Full episode based on real Q&A from the Rise Above community

If this helped you, share it with someone who needs it.

#addictionrecovery #sobrietyjourney #recoveryispossible #mentalhealthmatters #relapseprevention #soberlife #addictionhelp #12steprecovery #traumahealing #recoverycommunity

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