At first glance, Claire was the picture of professionalism. She never missed a day of work, her desk was a model of organization, and she always had a pen ready when her boss needed one. She was the gatekeeper, the scheduler, the fixer—an indispensable part of the office. But behind the carefully maintained routine and polite smile, Claire was fighting a secret battle with opioid addiction.
Her story isn’t unique.
Claire’s descent didn’t begin in the shadows. Like many, her introduction to opioids came through a legitimate prescription. After injuring her back lifting a heavy box of office supplies, her doctor prescribed painkillers to help her manage the discomfort. At first, it was just a way to get through the day without grimacing every time she stood up. But as the demands of work increased and stress piled on, she found that the pills helped more than just her physical pain—they dulled her anxiety, numbed her stress, and gave her the energy to keep up the facade.
Soon, she began taking the pills even when she wasn’t in pain. A rough morning? Pop a pill. A tense conversation with a supervisor? Another one. What started as medical treatment gradually morphed into emotional dependence, then into addiction.
The Slippery Slope
Like many high-functioning addicts, Claire kept everything together on the outside. She met deadlines, scheduled appointments, and smiled at coworkers while internally unraveling. When her prescription ran out, she didn’t stop. She found new doctors, exaggerated symptoms, and eventually began buying pills from someone she met at a bar after work. Her addiction deepened, but she told herself she was still in control—after all, she was still getting