SHAIR 69: "Chasing the Dragon" with Katrina King: A Tragic Story of Opiate AbuseSHAIR 69: "Chasing the Dragon" with Katrina King: A Tragic Story of Opiate Abuse
The SHAIR Recovery Podcast
Katrina King shares how prescribed opiates led to addiction, prison, and the loss of her daughter to overdose, while reflecting on grief, stigma and recovery. The conversation focuses on hard realities, spiritual growth, and using her experience to warn and support others.
1:20:15•7 Jun 2016
Chasing the Dragon: A Mother’s Fight Through Opiate Addiction and Loss
Episode Overview
- Addiction can grow from prescribed painkillers into serious dependence far faster than most people expect.
- Parents who are addicted may still deeply love their children but feel trapped by shame and fear of losing them.
- Withdrawing in custody showed Katrina she could survive extreme pain without drugs, changing her belief in her own strength.
- Focusing on helping others and sharing her story keeps her from being consumed by her own pain and cravings.
- Early, honest education about opiates for teenagers is crucial, as many do not realise how powerfully these drugs alter the brain.
“We all have a vice… and so this one happens to be life-destroying. And people don’t go into it going, ‘Oh, wow, I want to be a drug addict.’”
What makes a recovery story truly inspiring? This conversation between host Omar Pinto and guest Katrina King hits hard, especially for anyone touched by opiate addiction or parenting through chaos. Katrina shares how a fall down the stairs and severe pain led to a prescription for painkillers, which quickly spiralled into a 40‑pill‑a‑day habit, forged prescriptions, and multiple arrests.
At the same time, she was a high‑earning professional, a single mum, and, in her words, a woman trying to keep a roof over her kids’ heads while everything quietly imploded. Her story takes a devastating turn when, while Katrina is in jail, her 20‑year‑old daughter Kirsten dies from an opiate overdose. From there, you’ll hear raw honesty about grief, guilt and the brutal reality of withdrawing in a local jail with “a Tylenol and Gatorade” as her only comforts.
She talks about surviving “the worst moment of my life” without drugs and how that reshaped her belief in what she can endure clean. Katrina also opens up about faith, moving from anger at God to a more personal, non‑religious spirituality that brings a sense of peace.
She explains how focusing on helping others – through Kirsten’s Story, school presentations, and the FBI documentary *Chasing the Dragon* – keeps her grounded: “If I’m focusing on other people, I’m not focusing on myself… if I don’t feel the pain, then I don’t feel the need.” The episode speaks directly to parents, people in recovery, and anyone who still thinks addiction is simply a “bad choice”.
Katrina challenges stigma with calm, honest education and a tough reminder that “we all have a vice… and this one happens to be life‑destroying.” It’s heavy, but it might be exactly the perspective you need today. How might your view of addiction change after hearing a mother who has lived through its worst outcome?
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