What is Kratom and Does it Get You High?

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Kratom can cause you to feel a floating sensation but does not give you the “high” feeling you expect from THC products. Once on the correct dosage the euphoric sensations will wane and you will only get the needed relief you want to combat pain.

“A few years ago I was going to my local head shop to get some CBD gummies. I got to the store and began talking to the cashier and found out that they were no longer able to sell CBD products as the laws had changed. I was so bummed because the gummies were great for when I was in a flare-up due to Fibromyalgia.

The cashier listened to me whine about my bad luck and then offered a new product they had just gotten in. That was my first experience with Kratom. I thought why not try something new. It is natural after all, so how different could it be from my gummies?”

What is Kratom?

Kratom is a tropical tree found in Southeast Asia. The leaves have a psychotropic chemical called Mitragynine, which is similar to opioids found in morphine and codeine. It’s important to remember that Kratom is not a drug and it is not an opioid.

The Kratom tree can grow to be a third of the size of an NFL football field and its use originated when workers chewed the leaves or made it into a tea they would drink to combat fatigue and improve productivity.  Kratom is also used in some socio religious ceremonies of the region and has more recently been used in Thailand to treat the overwhelming morphine dependence epidemic that the nation has suffered over the last decade.

Kratom and Pain Management.

I chose the capsule form and bought a pack of twelve pills. I waited for my adult daughter to get home and I took the first capsule. I was curious to see if I would feel “high” because the cashier had noted that some people felt euphoria and a floating sensation.

As I waited to see what would happen I started to feel warm and noticed that my pain, though still present, was significantly reduced. Much better than the CBD gummies I had been previously using. I did experience a sensation of feeling “high”, but it was more like taking a Dilaudid, without the upset stomach.

Is Kratom Safe?

Because Kratom is unregulated there are no dosage recommendations for it.  This makes it hard to know how much you should take and how much is too much. Research suggests that taking a small dosage of Kratom and titrating up is the best way to achieve the desired results.

It is good to know what side effects are normal to users so some common side effects to taking Kratom are:

  • Nausea
  • Dry Mouth
  • Numbness in your tongue and cheeks
  • Constipation
  • Aggression
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Thyroid problems

These side effects notably increase due to your age, health, size and body composition.

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Ask the Experts-Pros and Cons.

WebMD states that “Kratom is possibly unsafe for most people”. Large dosages have been linked to serious conditions like brain swelling and trouble breathing as well as long term liver damage and death when used in combination with opioids.

On the other hand Dr. Albert Garcia-Romeu, Ph.D., an instructor at John’s Hopkins University School of Medicine, is quoted as saying “There has been a bit of fear mongering, because kratom is opioid like, and because of the toll of the current opioid epidemic,” in the US. Dr. Garcia-Romeu suggests that kratom does not belong in the Schedule I drug category because it seems to have a relatively low rate of abuse potential.

I should note here that I have been a Kratom user for over a year now and have zero issues with the supplement.  I experienced a bit of dry mouth and constipation in the beginning but I take one capsule twice a day for pain management.

Can I get Addicted to Kratom?

It’s possible to get addicted to anything. That being said Kratom, though a low risk for dependence, Kratom should be titrated down slowly down until you no longer feel the effects when taking it. If you feel like you are unable to stop taking Kratom you should seek help from your doctor.

Types of Kratom

Red Vein-By far the best and most widely used of the Kratom strains, red vein kratom works to regulate mood and gives a general feeling of optimism. Red vein also works best for people who are suffering from insomnia or chronic pain and creates a general sense of tranquility of both mind and body.

White Vein-Opposite of the red vein, white is more of a stimulant. It creates the euphoric state that increases the users concentration, motivation and cheerfulness. For people who experience periods of feeling exhausted and sad or have an overall sense of gloom and doom, white vein kratom can give them the energy to love living again.

Green Vein-Somewhere in the middle between the pain relieving red vein and the mood enhancing, green vein offers you a sense of focus and flow. Though you wont get the “high” feeling from the green you will be spared the cost of buying both red and white veins and mixing them for the desired balance you are seeking.

The American Kratom Association, AKA for short, estimates that there are between 10 and 16 million people using Kratom in the United States and that number is increasing. The FDA has launched a campaign to criminalize this valuable plant and make it unavailable to the public.

It is up to us to keep this valuable plant legal for use in the United States, this emerging botanical beauty could be the answer to helping a loved one get off of strong opioids that are addictive and dangerous, it could be the answer to those achy joints that come with age or it could just be a way to get your mind in a much more manageable state after experiencing trauma or depression.

The medical benefits kratom cannot be removed from the people whose lives it is changing on a daily basis. You can help by doing your research and advocating for the continued access to this precious plant.

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