One Year Sober: Austin Lewandowski’s Journey from Grief to Growth

In the Season 3 finale of Addiction Uncovered, host Jill Nastase sits down with Austin Lewandowski, who celebrates one year alcohol-free while sharing the powerful story that led him there.

After losing his best friend to suicide just before graduating high school, Austin struggled to process the grief. Over time, alcohol, cocaine, and gambling became ways to numb the pain and escape overwhelming thoughts. Eventually, the cycle of addiction pushed him into isolation and debt before he made the life-changing decision to get sober.

Now one year into recovery, Austin is rebuilding his life, reconnecting with family, and pursuing a calling to help others struggling with mental health and addiction.

This conversation closes Season 3 with a powerful message: healing is possible, and recovery can lead

References:

Addiction Uncovered – Hosted by Jill Nastase Austin Lewandowski – Recovery Advocate

SMART Recovery – https://smartrecovery.org National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – https://nami.org Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – https://www.samhsa.gov Alcoholics Anonymous – https://www.aa.org National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

This is a Hurrdat ONE Production. Hurrdat ONE is a podcast network and digital media production company based in Omaha, NE. Find more podcasts on the Hurrdat ONE Network by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hurrdat ONE YouTube Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 – Intro 00:01:01 – The Start of Addiction 00:06:56 – Addiction & ADHD 00:09:38 – Finding Trust in Yourself 00:14:17 – The Decision to Get Sober 00:19:26 – Advice for Those Struggling 00:21:41 – Austin’s Calling 00:26:16 – Celebrating 1 Year Sober