Quitting Drinking at 24 (Before It Destroyed My Life) – Greg Fitzsimmons

Getting Sober After Cancer & Toxic Shame – Jesse Case

Comedian Jesse Case joins Forrest Shaw on I've Got A Problem to talk about addiction, drinking through cancer treatment, and the toxic shame that can drive self-destructive behavior. Jesse shares honest stories about getting diagnosed young, hiding how bad things had gotten, and the difficult process of quitting alcohol and learning how to face life without running from himself. It's raw, funny, and packed with real stories about alcohol, illness, isolation, anxiety, toxic shame, and learning how to stop running from yourself. 🎧 If you've ever felt stuck in a cycle, hidden how bad things really were, or wondered why "feeling okay" can be so hard to hold onto, this episode hits hard and still makes you laugh. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on addiction, recovery, mental health, and comedy. ——————————————————————————————————————— Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & Meet Jesse Case 00:52 – The Dunkin' Drive-Thru Beef 03:15 – "You Look Like an Ex-Gambling Addict" 05:30 – Jesse vs. Cancer 08:40 – Getting Sick in L.A. 11:55 – Starting the Cancer Podcast 15:40 – Why Cancer Felt So Isolating 18:20 – Drinking During Treatment 21:50 – The DUI on Foot Story 25:35 – Waking Up in the Car 28:45 – Quitting After Thanksgiving 32:15 – The Shock of Early Sobriety 37:00 – Toxic Shame 44:45 – Why It All Goes in the Same Bucket 58:10 – The Worst Addiction 01:02:30 – Pathetic, Pride & Starting to Feel Okay ——————————————————————————————————————— Find Jesse Case Podcast : Probably Science https://www.probablyscience.com/about Podcast : Jesse Vs. Cancer https://jessevscancer.com/about

Quitting Drinking at 24 (Before It Destroyed My Life) – Greg Fitzsimmons

Quitting Drinking at 24 (Before It Destroyed My Life) – Greg Fitzsimmons | I've Got A ProblemComedian Greg Fitzsimmons joins Forrest Shaw on I've Got A Problem to talk about quitting drinking at 24 before alcohol destroyed his life. Greg shares stories about growing up around family alcoholism, early stand-up in Boston, fighting, crashing cars, and realizing he was heading down the same path as his father. It's raw, funny, and honest — packed with stories about comedy clubs, family history, denial, dating, and the strange clarity that can come from recognizing a drinking problem early. 🎧 If you've ever wondered whether you're catching a problem early or already sliding into something bigger, this episode hits hard and still makes you laugh. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations about addiction, recovery, mental health, and comedy. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro & Greg Fitzsimmons 02:05 – Greg's Drinking Problem 04:10 – The Only Time He Drank in 36 Years 06:20 – Comedy, Injuries & Damaged Comics 08:50 – Growing Up Around Alcoholism 11:30 – Quitting Drinking at 24 14:05 – Fighting, Crashing Cars & Warning Signs 17:10 – Early Stand-Up in Boston 20:15 – Dating, Drinking & Social Anxiety 23:30 – Weight Loss & Life on the Road 26:45 – Masturbation, Health & Comedy Tangents 30:40 – Why Young People Drink Less Now 34:30 – Parenting, Pot & Addiction Risk 39:15 – Advice That Changed Greg's Comedy 44:20 – One Word for Addiction 49:30 – Helping People Struggling with Addiction 54:00 – Final Thoughts Find Greg Fitzsimmons Website: https://gregfitzsimmons.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gregfitzsimmons YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@gregfitzsimmonscomedy Book: Dear Mrs. Fitzsimmons

Addiction, Touring & the Cost of Living Loud – Rob Dukes

Singer Rob Dukes joins comedian Forrest Shaw on I've Got A Problem to talk about addiction, drinking culture in music, and the consequences of years spent living loud on the road. Rob shares honest stories about touring in the metal scene, the role alcohol plays in music culture, getting older in an industry built on excess, and the moment you realize something has to change. It's raw, funny, and brutally honest — packed with real stories about touring, drinking, aging, identity, and learning how to keep the music without destroying yourself in the process. 🎧 If you've ever wondered where the line is between partying and losing control, this episode hits hard and still makes you laugh. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations about addiction, recovery, mental health, and comedy. Timestamps 00:00 – Intro 03:05 – Meeting Rob Dukes 06:20 – Life on the Road 10:15 – Drinking Culture in Metal 14:30 – Touring Chaos Stories 18:10 – When the Party Never Stops 22:05 – Aging in a Young Music Scene 26:40 – Looking Back at the Lifestyle 31:15 – Music, Identity & Ego 36:30 – Consequences Catching Up 41:20 – Getting Honest About Addiction 46:10 – Mental Health & Perspective 51:05 – Lessons From the Road 56:40 – What Actually Matters Now 01:02:30 – Final Thoughts Find Rob Dukes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rob_dukes/ Exodus: https://www.instagram.com/exodusbandofficial/ Generation Kill: https://www.instagram.com/generationkillband/

One Year Later: Gambling, Weight Loss & Starting Over – Forrest Shaw

Forrest marks one year of the podcast with a solo episode about gambling, relapse cycles, weight loss, and what real progress actually looks like. He reflects on 52 weeks of recording, losing 88 pounds, rebuilding his life again, the exhaustion of lying during addiction, and why staying connected keeps him out of the cave. It's honest, reflective, and funny — packed with real talk about gambling, shame, productivity, denial, childhood patterns, comedy, and the relief of not having to hide anymore. 🎧 If you're rebuilding, starting over (again), or trying to claw your way out of isolation, this episode hits hard and still makes you laugh. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on addiction, recovery, mental health, and comedy. Timestamps: 00:00 – 52 Episodes Later 01:50 – Looking at Old Footage 04:15 – Not Seeing Yourself Clearly 06:30 – Why I Started This Podcast 09:05 – Two-Thirds Stay Clean? 12:10 – In and Out of Gambling 14:45 – 88 Pounds Down 17:00 – The Exhaustion of Lying 19:20 – Living in the Cave 22:00 – Childhood Gambling Memories 25:40 – Conservative vs Reckless Kids 29:10 – 40+ Years of Gambling 32:30 – Being of Service 35:10 – Gratitude & Growth 38:40 – Crisis Resources & Final Thoughts

When Addiction Feels Fun… Until It Isn't – Al Jackson

Comedian and TV host Al Jackson joins Forrest to talk addiction, drinking, memory loss, mental health, and the long tail of consequences that show up years later. They get into being young and reckless, the "it's still fun" lie, friends who stopped early, identity wrapped around partying, and how addiction mirrors everything from gambling to political cult thinking. It's raw, funny, and reflective — packed with real stories about drinking, denial, aging, regret, nostalgia, social media addiction, and learning how to live without numbing out. 🎧 If you've ever looked back at your 20s and thought "that was fun"… but also paid for it later, this episode hits hard and still makes you laugh. 🔔 Subscribe for weekly episodes on addiction, recovery, mental health, and comedy. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 02:25 – Growing Older, Drinking Harder 04:50 – Why Some People Quit at 18 07:30 – Paying for DUIs Years Later 09:05 – "It Was Fun Back Then" 11:00 – Damage You Can't Undo 13:10 – Gambling vs Drinking 15:30 – Not Remembering Your Life 18:15 – Getting Pulled Over at LAX 21:40 – Comedy Clubs & Old Stories 23:25 – Addiction and Political Cults 26:00 – Losing Family Over Beliefs 28:45 – Social Media Addiction 31:10 – Mental Health & What Americans Believe 36:20 – Vaccines, Rage & Generations 42:00 – Helping Friends Get Sober 49:10 – Being of Service & Identity 🎙️ Find Al Jackson : ▶️ YouTube: @FriendsfromWorkshow https://www.youtube.com/@friendsfromworkshow ▶️ YouTube: AlJackson https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5H_JfxlfKzuy0SJtAEMGXQ 📸 Instagram: aljacksonig https://www.instagram.com/aljacksonig/?hl=en