Zac Clark | From Heroin, Alcohol, & Crack Addiction to Residential Rehab, AA, & Rehab CEO

This is Zac Clark’s raw addiction recovery story—his journey from heroin, alcohol, and crack use to over a decade of sobriety. Zac opens up about childhood experiences, battling a brain tumor, opioid addiction, relapse, and the turning points that led to founding Release Recovery. A powerful mental health and addiction recovery story about hope, resilience, and lasting change.

Explore addiction and mental health treatment options: https://recovery.com

Connect with Zac: https://www.instagram.com/zwclark/, https://www.instagram.com/thezacclarkshow/, https://www.tiktok.com/@zacwclark

Release Recovery: https://www.releaserecovery.com/

00:00 – Stolen check & the bank moment that changed everything
01:00 – Introducing Zac Clark: Addiction recovery advocate & entrepreneur
02:45 – Childhood, hidden trauma & early influences
06:00 – Permission to ask for help & be curious about your life
06:30 – Early behavioral addictions before substances
07:30 – First drink in 8th grade & learning to lie
09:00 – Falling asleep at the wheel after drinking
11:00 – Brain tumor diagnosis, surgery & painkillers
14:00 – From prescribed opioids to street drugs
17:00 – Why families often don’t see addiction right away
20:00 – First rehab in 2010 & intro to AA
24:00 – Relapse & first time using heroin
27:00 – How heroin became cheaper than OxyContin
29:00 – $500/day habit & life in active addiction
36:00 – Arrest, living on the street & “God moment” at the bank
41:00 – Entering 5-month treatment at Caron
42:00 – Detox symptoms & early recovery struggles
46:00 – Tools from treatment: spiritual, clinical & physical
48:00 – Life after rehab & 8 years of building recovery
50:00 – Staying sober on The Bachelorette in 2020
57:00 – Founding Release Recovery & helping others heal
1:05:00 – Advice for those struggling & ready for help