* Addiction * Dependency * Kratom*

Written By Kami Davis 💚🍃

Hello all. I hope you are close to your fall Thanksgiving break like I am! Kratom has allowed me to gain back an incredible amount of life quality. It has allowed me to get back into my studies, for I have gone back to finish my degree in sociology. That is not a small thing. In fact it is monumental to say the least, for someone with a permanent disability suffering limited mobility and in chronic pain 24/7 to be able to return to school as a full-time university student.

With that said, let’s dive into the pros and cons of addiction and dependency, surrounding Kratom. First of all, I’m getting really tired of anti-Kratom hate groups or ‘quitting groups’ accusing the Kratom community of ‘lying’ to them. By now I would hope that no one in our community is blatantly lying, stating you cannot suffer from withdrawals or become addicted to Kratom.

However, please do not twist my statement into something it is not. Do not make it out to be more than it actually is. We have a big problem in this country, understanding dependency and what it really and truly is. What exactly constitutes a dependency, upon a substance? People seem to think that it’s taboo. Oftentimes society attaches a great deal of stigma and denial to it, as well. Society is very good at categorizing anyone who is ‘dependent’ upon something as a ‘drug addict’. When is society and our culture going to stop this incorrect way of thinking and these false beliefs.

If you drink coffee every single morning and depend on it to get out the door and out of bed, you are definitely dependent on it because you rely heavily upon it. More than likely you are psychologically and physiologically dependent and possibly even psychologically addicted, as well. If you need sleeping pills to sleep through the night and cannot sleep without them, you are in fact physiologically addicted and depending on whether or not you have an addictive personality you may be psychologically addicted to this substance, as well. Depending on the type of chemical makeup of the medication will determine how intense withdrawals are, or how difficult it will be to sleep without them.

The honest truth concerning addiction and dependency regarding the natural plant Kratom is this:

If you’re one of the lucky ones, not wired to have addiction mentality and personality, then you should not be likely to become psychologically addicted to this plant. Please do not misunderstand this statement though. When it comes to addiction and dependency, people become severely confused with what this means. Most of the general public seem to think addiction is the same as dependency and it’s scientifically proven to be not.

Any given substance that is taken or consumed on a regular and daily basis as opposed to infrequently, there is a high chance for your mind to become psychologically addicted and/or your body to become physiologically dependent to it. Because you are accustomed to having it so very often. What determines the kinds of psychological and physiological effects you will have is how great of a need you have for whatever it is you are taking and consuming. Also, how heavily you are consuming it, how much of the substance you are taking on top of it becoming a daily or hourly ritual in your life.

Concerning withdrawals there are two kinds; psychological and physiological. On the physiological side, the stronger or more weaker strength substance you are taking and how much and how often you take it, will determine what kind of withdrawals you will have upon quitting suddenly or ‘cold turkey’ as some like to call it. The mind and body are connected there’s no doubt. The mind has an effect on your body and vice versa. So, for people with addiction personality, they will have far worse physical withdrawals from anything that attaches in the slightest way to a receptor within the brain. This is why there is 12-step and this why they prohibit their patients and members from consuming anything that is remotely stimulating.

Therefore, LISTEN TO ME LOUD AND CLEAR when I say do not take Kratom if you are one of these people who has to abstain from ANY kind of stimulating substance. That goes for caffeine. In rehabs, not a soul is allowed to consume coffee, tea, or soda.

Therefore, it would be logical to believe that Twelve-Step does not support any kind of medication-assisted-treatment (MAT). If so, it would be completely hypocritical and thus a double standard.

Kratom is a partial agonist. Any kind of partial agonist does in fact attach to the receptors in the brain. If you purchase Kratom, you must be responsible to know this. If you are okay, with it having some low risk for addiction and withdrawals, then so be it. That is on you. I am one of those people, however; I also know myself well enough to know that I am one of the lucky ones who isn’t wired with addiction mentality. If I were wired this way, I would only consume Kratom if the benefits still outweighed the risk. However, the pros and cons, and benefits and risks are not the same for everyone.

Only you as a responsible adult can make the most logical choice for yourself; and that is either to take it, full well knowing you will exhibit harmful and destructive addictive tendencies and behavior OR decide to stay away from it and get psychiatric help and addiction support.

But, if you are someone who is seeking relief for pain and are able to consume stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol responsibly, then Kratom will most likely be a good fit for you. However, if you cannot consume alcohol or caffeine or anything that can be remotely habitual, then do not try Kratom.

So there, now you know. No longer may you say “Nobody told me about the risks involved with taking Kratom”or “No one told me I could get addicted to it”. No longer may you use that as your cop out and excuse.

Now you know.

Written By Kami Davis 💚🍃