An opera singer and mother of three spiraled into a severe addiction to a convenience store drink after initially experiencing relief from her postpartum depression. Melanie Clark, 35, from Michigan, began consuming Feel Free, a beverage containing kratom—an unregulated substance marketed for enhanced focus and energy—following the birth of her second child in 2022.
The Descent into Addiction
Clark, unaware of kratom's opioid-like effects and addictive potential, found herself hooked within three weeks. She told Detroit News that she quickly escalated from occasional use to daily consumption, stating, 'Soon it's every few days, and then it's one every day, and you know, it just kind of escalated from there.' Eventually, she needed a shot just to get out of bed, describing withdrawal symptoms as 'immediate, horrific depression' with irregular heartbeat and extreme fatigue.
Clark, an opera singer, recalled her first encounter with the drink: 'It was just advertised as a healthy, natural botanical drink. It tastes absolutely awful, but like I remember my first feeling was like, "Oh my goodness, this is so strong. I can't believe this is allowed." It just made me feel like superwoman in terms of energy, focus.'
Multiple Relapses and Health Consequences
Her addiction led to several relapses and an unsuccessful attempt at rehab, where no program for kratom addiction existed. She moved in with her parents and remained clean during her third pregnancy, giving birth in December 2024. However, another bout of postpartum depression drove her to a more potent derivative called 7-OH, available in tablet form and cheaper than the drink. Clark explained, 'You take the half a tab, and that's strong and potent... But it doesn't take long until you need to take one tab. And then you're taking multiple tabs a day.' She became 'totally hooked' after one packet, noting that 7-OH was 'harder on my body than anything else.'
The substance caused kidney damage, heart stress, and facial sores, leading her mother, Dottie Case, to say Clark 'looked like a meth addict.' Withdrawal brought severe water retention, causing Clark to gain 24 pounds in a day. Her mother added, 'She got dangerously sick when trying to rehab. I’m not exaggerating when I say she almost died several times last year. This stuff will enslave and kill you before you even know that there’s a problem.'
Seeking Help and Calling for a Ban
Clark and her husband moved to Indiana, where kratom is banned, to escape the addiction. Going cold turkey, she 'completely lost sight of reality' and wanted to die. Her husband called the police when she became a threat to herself, leading to a barefoot chase and involuntary commitment to a psychiatric ward. After another relapse, she was placed on suboxone, an opiate replacement used for heroin withdrawal.
Now clean, Clark is advocating for a ban on kratom, stating, 'I don't really feel safe going off of that medication until kratom is banned, because I can't take any risks.' Botanic Tonics, the manufacturer of Feel Free, advises against excessive consumption and warns that the product is not for everyone, especially those with a history of substance abuse.
