I Had Unlimited Access to Opiates & Benzos as a Pharmacy Tech... Then I Found 7OH

In this episode of Get a Grip Podcast, Louis Essig sits down with Lauren Hayes for an incredibly honest conversation about addiction, trauma, recovery, and the dangers of emerging substances that many people still know very little about. Lauren's story begins with a chaotic childhood that led her into risky situations at a very young age. By the fourth grade, she was already partying with high school students, setting the stage for years of unhealthy coping mechanisms and destructive choices. At 15, she met the man who would become her husband, and by 18 she was a mother. Soon after, she discovered she was expecting twins while living in a tiny apartment and struggling to make ends meet. As life became more overwhelming, Lauren found herself battling an eating disorder that influenced many of her decisions surrounding substances and self-image. Everything changed when she began working at a pharmacy. What started as taking a couple of hydrocodone pills quickly spiraled into a serious addiction. With access to medications and opportunities that few people have, Lauren found herself trapped in a cycle she couldn't control. Throughout the episode, she shares the realities of addiction, her experiences seeking help from healthcare providers, and the long road toward recovery. But recovery wasn't a straight line. From moving to Florida for a fresh start, to returning to Ohio, surviving mental health crises, family tragedies, DUIs, theft charges, and the collapse of a 20-year marriage, Lauren's story is one of resilience through repeated setbacks. The conversation takes a particularly important turn as Lauren discusses her experience with 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH), a powerful compound found in some kratom-derived products. She explains how quickly it took hold of her life, how it felt compared to prescription opioids, and how it eventually led her into dangerous combinations with stimulants and methamphetamine. Lauren also shares the terrifying moment her addiction nearly killed her, how her son helped save her life, and why she believes more people need to understand the risks associated with substances that are often misunderstood or underestimated. This episode is a powerful story of survival, motherhood, addiction, recovery, and hope. ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 0:00 – Title of First Chapter 01:00 - Childhood & Early Life 03:00 - Partying with High Schoolers in 4th Grade 06:00 - Meeting Her Future Husband at 15 08:00 - Becoming a Mother at 18 10:00 - How an Eating Disorder Influenced Her Drug Use 13:00 - Finding Out She Was Having Twins While Living in a Tiny Apartment 16:00 - Working at a Pharmacy & Getting Hooked on Hydrocodone 19:00 - The Temptation to Steal Pills at Work 20:00 - The Drug Combinations She Was Taking While Working in a Pharmacy 25:00 - Seeking Help & How the Hospital Responded 27:00 - Getting Clean & Moving to Florida for a Fresh Start 33:00 - Trying C0caine for the First Time 36:30 - Her Husband's Motorcycle Accident 38:30 - Moving Back to Ohio 41:00 - The Night She Nearly Took Her Own Life 46:00 - Spending 72 Days Away 50:00 - Saving Her Sister's Life After Three Brain Bleeds 54:00 - Leaving Her Husband After 20 Years Together 56:30 - Getting a DUI 58:00 - Getting Caught Stealing 1:05:00 - Discovering 7OH & Feeling Like She Took an Oxy 30 1:07:00 - Relapse & Returning to 7OH 1:10:00 - Working While Using 7OH & Adderall 1:12:00 - Trying Meth for the First Time 1:14:00 - Combining Meth & 7OH 1:15:00 - M3th-Induced Psychosis 1:17:00 - Overdosing on 7OH, M3th & Valium — Her Son Saves Her Life 1:20:00 - Rock Bottom & Why Doctors Didn't Know How to Help 1:24:00 - The Moment Everything Finally Clicked 1:28:00 - Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome & the First Year of Recovery 1:30:00 - The Dangers of 7OH & Where America Stands Today 🔥 Expect emotion. Expect truth. Expect hope. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more powerful stories on addiction, recovery, and resilience. Get a Grip Podcast Social Media: Find our TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio links, a more on our Link Tree below! Get a Grip Social Media Links: ⁠https://linktr.ee/officialgetagrippod... For Collaboration and Business inquiries, please use the contact information below: 📩 Email: [email protected] 👇 Let us know your thoughts in the comments. #getagrip #redemptionstory #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #addictionrecovery #recoveryjourney #trauma #childhood #oxy #dealer #soberlife #wedorecover #childhoodtrauma #healing #inspiration #awareness #kingpin #trafficking #hustle #opioidcrisis #neardeathexperience #fyp #prison #bar #mistake #change #survivor #survival #tv #television #inspire #parole #officer #school #teacher #students #study #student #changinglives