Since the birth of my son 23 years ago, I have had many chronic conditions including depression, substance disorder, chronic pain and fatigue. In the first year of starting my bachelor degree I almost quit. I was having extreme pain in my lower back. At 30 I was diagnosed with ddd along with bulging herniated slipped disc and spinal stenosis. I was determined not to succumb to the opioid crisis that was currently raging so I started researching alternative things for pain.  Within a couple months of taking kratom I started to feel less depressed, more energy, and a lot less pain. Additionally I had no desire to drink alcohol.  Now I'm 42 and have been taking kratom for nearly a decade daily. Iam now a licensed mental health therapist, have completed both bachelor and master's degree and am at the end of my 4 year PhD.  I truly believe finding kratom is what allowed me to stay in school and have a future. With kratom I get out of bed and want to be a functioning part of society  .