Kratom overview
Kratom is a tree that grows in the tropics of Southeast Asia, primarily Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The leaves from the tree are crushed and smoked or drank as a tea.
Kratom has psychoactive properties and affects the brain and body similarly to opioids. In low doses, kratom can increase alertness, physical energy, and talkativeness. But in high doses, kratom acts more like a sedative.
It’s a natural substance, but over the past few years, people have used kratom for medical and recreational purposes.
Kratom is legal in most states (it’s illegal in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Tennessee, and Wisconsin), but the government cautions against its use. Primarily because adverse effects, including fatal overdoses, have been reported. Also, there’s not sufficient evidence to support that kratom has any medical benefits. In short, the risks of using kratom outweigh the alleged benefits.
Is kratom addictive?
Kratom is addictive and habit forming. Two of the main ingredients in kratom, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymytragynine, bind to receptors in your brain and help induce feelings of pleasure, pain reduction, and sedation. Essentially, kratom causes people to feel high. And this high is what kratom users continue to seek, leading to addiction.
Signs of a kratom addiction
One of the main signs of a kratom addiction is experiencing negative withdrawal symptoms when a user tries to stop. In fact, people with a kratom use disorder report having withdrawal symptoms similar to that of opioid withdrawal.
These symptoms include:
- Insomnia
- muscle aches
- jerky movements
- runny nose and watery eyes
- severe abdominal cramps
- nausea and vomiting
- diarrhea
- dilated pupils
- blurred vision
- hot flashes and sweats
- fever
- decreased appetite
- changes in heart rate and blood pressure
If someone tries to stop kratom, but simply can’t because it’s too difficult, it’s time to get help. Even though kratom is a natural supplement, that doesn’t mean it’s safe to be addicted to.
Treatment for kratom addiction at Skyward Treatment Center
We treat kratom addiction with the same compassion and expertise as other drug addictions. First, we try to understand the origin of your addiction as well as its severity. We will conduct assessments and have a thorough conversation with a patient.
Then, we create a personalized, holistic treatment plan that best fits a patient’s unique situation. This may include therapy, medication, medically supervised detox, among other services. Depending on the severity of the addiction, your care team may suggest inpatient residential treatment or an outpatient program.
Inpatient residential treatment
Inpatient treatment is ideal for people with severe kratom addiction. These users require around-the-clock care as they detox from kratom, as symptoms can become dangerous if the kratom abuse was heavy.
Outpatient treatment
Outpatient treatment is thorough, but less intense than our inpatient program. With this type of treatment, patients visit the center in the day and complete therapy or other services and then return to their home.
Skyward Treatment Center is available 24/7 and offers same-day admissions. To talk to an admissions counselor, call 713-815-4471 or complete our online form to learn how we can help.
Sources
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/kratom/art-20402171
https://nida.nih.gov/drug-topics/kratom
https://www.dea.gov/sites/default/files/2020-06/Kratom-2020_0.pdf
https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-kratom