The Gas Station Drug That Hooked Me: My Kratom Addiction Story

At 21 years old, Lucas has never had a legal drink—yet he’s already survived alcohol addiction, Kratom dependence, and the brutal withdrawals that followed. His story begins in a chaotic household where nightly drinking and fighting were the norm. By 19, Lucas was mixing alcohol with pills, throwing up blood, and blacking out behind the wheel. That night at home became his rock bottom—and the start of change. But when he stopped drinking, Kratom slid in to fill the void. Sold right next to the energy drinks at gas stations, it seemed harmless—“all natural.” In reality, it’s a partial opioid agonist that hooks into the brain’s mu receptors. Lucas thought it was helping him stay functional—until he couldn’t go a day without it.  Lucas shares what recovery looks like when you do it on your own, the painful truth about “functional” addiction, and how community ultimately helped him heal. If you or someone you love is experimenting with Kratom, this episode is a wake-up call.   00:00–Meet Lucas (21 )& early sobriety dates 00:00:53–Rock-bottom night at mom’s house 00:02:40–Vomiting blood, drunk driving, half-handle a day 00:04:06–From quitting alcohol to “dabbling” in kratom 00:05:00–What kratom is; 7-OH & partial opioid agonist 00:08:20–Gas-station access, concentrates, no ID check 00:11:16–The “functional” phase (school/work on kratom) 00:12:44–Extracts arms race:“Feel Free,” kava mix, escalation 00:16:03–Physical dependence & morning withdrawals 00:21:13–Choosing to quit & what helped (and what didn’t) 00:24:58–Early-recovery anxiety & doing it alone vs.support 00:29:15–Finding community (AA/RCO) as a young person 00:31:42–Day-one advice:“It gets better one day at a time”   ----Across the Web---- 🌎 CCAR Website https://www.ccar.us ✉️ Donate: https://ccar.us/donate/ 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Apple Music): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 🎙Recovery Matters Podcast (Spotify): https://open.spotify.com/show/1wGUMMO... 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@recoverymatterspodcast? 🗣Recovery Matters Podcast Instagram https://www.instagram.com/recoverymatterspodcast/ 🗣CCAR Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCAR4Recovery 📸CCAR Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccar4recovery 🐦CCAR Twitter: https://twitter.com/ccar4recovery