I went to school with Clayton, so I’ve known him since about 5th grade. We won’t go into how long ago that was. I had absolutely no idea just how much he has gone through. He is an amazing person. He has not been hardened by his experiences, which is rare.

He spoke candidly about the experience of a mom who struggled with addiction. Addiction to prescription pain killers is a horribly common thing. If you or someone you know is struggling with it, get help. There is no need for you to try to deal with it on your own. And it is a very real addiction—not something that can or should be done on your own.

If you find yourself in the position of caring for someone with an addiction, make sure you take care of yourself. Do not sacrifice yourself. You are the most important person to take care of. Even though it may be hard, sometimes the best thing you can do is just walk away. If that’s what you need to do, do it.

Take care of you. Always.

If you need help dealing with substance abuse for yourself or someone you care about, call SAMHSA’s hotline:

1-800-662-4357

It’s “a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders.”

If this podcast is important to you,
please show your support on Patreon today.