Written By Kami Ann Davis 🌹🍃
Misconception #16 Kratom is Harmfully Addictive, Same as Heroin, More so Than Chocolate, Cigarettes, Or Sugar. FACT CHECK: FALSE.
I believe that addictions are the same as habits. Therefore, I wholeheartedly believe that we can turn a toxic habit into a healthy one. In past years as a psych nurse I studied extensively, behavioral modification. Something that stuck with me is that every single behavior is LEARNED. Also, that we cannot ever really eliminate ‘bad behaviors’. We can replace them with good ones, though.
Same thing with an addiction or habit, in my opinion. If we are drinking too much alcohol, we might try to drink something else in place of it. Something healthy. A healthy distraction is key. I believe Kratom to be a healthy coffee or tea habit. Yes, it has some risk for addiction, however; it is low-risk. Therefore, I believe that it is more of a positive side-effect, as opposed to deadly consequences of cigarettes and alcohol or morphine-like substances.
I want people to know and come to understand that by no means does an addiction define us. Unfortunately, in today’s society there is a ridiculous amount of stigma that surrounds someone who may of had an addiction to opioids. But what is sad is that 9 X out of 10 they didn’t even know or understand what opioids would do to their body. They innocently went into the doctor because they were suffering in pain and were given meds. Yes, it is our responsibility to know what we are getting into ..but it’s not fair and simply CRUEL to categorize a person as a drug addict simply because they take a pain medication that happens to be addictive, to some.
Do most people even have a choice or another option? NO ~ of course not.. because that would mean that Big Pharma looses out on $$$. How about letting people have free choice with what they want to put inside their bodies.
This is why Kratom must remain legal. Because first of all, synthetic opioids do carry a higher risk for addiction and side-effects. Second, they are denying almost the majority of Americans …not replacing their pain medication with ANYTHING that is adequately effective.
Unfortunately, many doctors (not all) but the majority do not support holistic medication. In the past, while I was working as a nurse, I’ve only seen these two worlds separate …at odds. To this day, unfortunately it is the same. My hope is to see western medicine support holistic. Let people take care of themselves responsibly, with holistic alternatives such as Kratom, CBD, and Marijuana. Wishing Love to every single one who is reading this. ~ Kami Davis
Dr. Jack Henningfield’s 8-Factor Analysis
The abuse potential of kratom according the 8 factors of the controlled substances act: implications for regulation and research
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5344672/
So, I am going to RANT here for a bit. Every now and then when I tell people about Kratom, I am accused of selling drugs or pushing them onto others. I have been called drug pusher a few times, and that is NOT OK.
First off, I am sorry for anyone who’s lost ANYONE …especially to an addiction. I wanna bring something to light tho ~ Please don’t blame the substance whether it be food, Kratom, alcohol or pain pills. People need to take accountability for THEIR actions. If a person is self destructive, that’s on them. Also, if a person is in REAL emotional and mental pain and wants to destruct, they WILL…regardless of whether or not a pill is available, or if alcohol is there.
If it’s not available, they will find something else to self-destruct with. They will find something to self medicate with. My point, is please stop blaming Kratom ..or alcohol or pills for someone’s destructive behavior and abuse.
By the way scientific proof shows that Kratom is 1,000 times safer than opioids. 🍃
Kratom is proven to have relatively low addiction potential, however; nothing is perfect in an imperfect world. For example, a person who chooses to abuse Kratom or alcohol, and starts consuming MASSIVE AMOUNTS AND LARGE DOSES every hour, 24/7 …and then gets sick; WHAT DO YOU EXPECT? Same with coffee and sugar. If you were to consume large handfuls of caffeine tablets or spoonfuls of sugar all day everyday, you are going to feel sick.
Except there’s one major difference with Kratom and that is there are no reported overdoses or Kratom poisonings from Kratom, alone. Unlike (with) alcohol, there are thousands upon thousands of alcohol deaths, from poisoning and DUI.
Unfortunately, I had a friend who died of alcohol poisoning. We were all at a party. I left before my friend had passed out. However, some of my other friends left him there and he ended up never waking up. The next day he was found dead. He was only 15. In no way, shape or form was my friend’s death a result of those kids leaving him alone. His behavior of drinking heavily, extremely large amounts of vodka and whiskey was the reason why he fell asleep and died of alcohol poisoning. His actions led him to his death. No one else’s. Perhaps, he had a drinking problem as a sophomore in high school that no one was aware of. Maybe he was suffering from problems at home or in his life where he was self medicating. Or maybe not. A tragic accident yes but no one forced him to drink that much.
As a good rule of thumb, it’s best not to mix Kratom or any kind of herbs and vitamins with deadly drugs. Because guess what, deadly drugs are deadly. So, please if you or someone you know keeps blaming Kratom for someone’s death or illness, be sure to do some research and find out exactly what the person was taking or mixing it with…or what kind of pre-existing conditions they had at the time that may very well be to blame, before you go and blame this plant.
Because again, this bares repeating ..Historically speaking, so far there have been no reported deaths from Kratom, alone.
Science shows Kratom is 1,000 x safer than opioids. 🍃
The great thing about Kratom is if you take too much of it, nausea and vomiting sets in, as a protective mechanism. By the way, Alcohol isn’t dangerous if you have a healthy relationship with it. Pain pills are not dangerous, if taken as prescribed and responsibly.
Again, Kratom is proven to be 1,000 x SAFER THAN OPIOIDS. 🍃
Also, just because some people have addiction issues, not able to exercise self-control, over indulging in something, that’s not fair to punish the majority who do not. To condemn a plant that’s been around for centuries helping people is misleading and misinforming people. Honestly, I get sick of people with addiction issues pointing the blame at everything around them but themselves. Most of the time, addiction is a symptom of something that is underlying. If the underlying issue never gets resolved, then most likely addiction tendencies will take over a person’s life.
If any of you dears are reading this and see yourself as self-medicating to fill an emotional void etc, whether it be with food, alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, exercise, anorexia, OR Kratom …or any other substance or behavior ~ please seek counseling so you can process whatever trauma you may be harboring, instead of self-medicating or numbing the pain with other things such as stimulants.
By the way, for folks who are anti-Kratom, I’m not saying that it cannot have any possible negative side effects. Although, if anyone thinks that there is ANYTHING out there that’s perfect, please let me know. We don’t live in a perfect world. Everything has pros and cons. But what is sad is when like ONE death possibly arose or is linked to this plant then it’s blown out of proportion and gets labeled this dangerous substance and that’s just not the case.
Back when I was going to school, I had to take lots of prerequisites for nursing that included Psychology. One thing they drilled into our brains was that ANYTHING can be turned into a weapon. A weapon of destruction ~ They used even an eraser and taught us that it could be turned into a weapon. FACT. It’s true. Something beautiful can be turned into something ugly. However, the magnificent and wonderful thing (as history has shown so far) is that even if someone tries to turn Kratom into something ugly or does abuse it …it’s STILL relatively harmless, as per documentation to date.
Kratom isn’t a cure all ..nor is it right for everyone. HOWEVER, people should not be made to feel like criminals or addicts if they choose Kratom instead of synthetic opioids!!! To date there are no reported deaths from Kratom alone.
Kratom is scientifically proven to be 1,000 x safer than morphine-like opioids. Therefore, using Kratom INSTEAD OF METHADONE OR SUBOXONE for opioid withdrawal is GOOD. Except there’s one problem ~ Alcohol and Drug Treatment Facilities will lose money….. because instead of beds full of detoxing patients with insurance cash cows, they will have empty beds with no one to take from. In this country they try to turn a good thing into a bad thing. It’s your body, so it should be at least your choice. You pick…Detox from opioids using Suboxone, a synthetic opioid that’s even more addicting than the stuff you were originally addicted to and are trying to quit; and be dependent on it for the rest of your life. Because that’s exactly what you get with Methadone/Suboxone. On top of it, withdrawals are just as deadly…OR use Kratom and have the chance of not being dependent on anything. Because Kratom is safer and has a lower potential for addiction, it is something that is way less easier to quit. Kratom has a relatively low-addiction potential.
Final Thoughts My Dear Friends 💚
🍃The best way to predict the future of something is by its history. The history of Kratom use is centuries long, with beneficial use and success. ~ spotless.
The future is Kratom ~ Love Kami Davis
Proof that Kratom was not to blame for poison control calls. 👇
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5813050/
Senate Committee on Health and Human Services
Southeast Beautiful Kratom Education 