During these hard times due to coronavirus pandemic, many people confirmed that they feel more anxious and depressed, because of the constant fear and prolonged self-isolation. Many countries opened phone lines so these people can ask for help. Sometimes, these conditions can be successfully treated with legal natural drugs.
The plant named kratom is a tropical tree that is related to the coffee plant. It can be used to treat many conditions such as chronic pain, but it’s also occasionally used as a recreational drug. Even though it’s not FDA approved method in the USA, many people around the world confirm that it has a lot of benefits, especially for chronic pain or depression and anxiety.
What we need to know about kratom?
Kratom is a plant that is often used in traditional medicines in Southeast Asia. It has opioid effects and may work as a stimulant too. You can find white, green, red, and yellow type. The leaves are green, but the difference is in the color of the leave veins. It’s still an unapproved drug, because of the lack of researches. In the USA it’s still forbidden, but 16 countries in the world decided to control the kratom intake as a dietary supplement. At the same time, many countries banned its use and raised red alerts.
People who use it to treat anxiety and depression say that they see positive effects and feel better after they take this plant as a regular treatment, especially the red type. If you want to know more about this specific type, visit this site for more information.
How kratom affects our body?
This leafy drug becomes more and more popular for self-treat at home. There is some evidence that it has positive effects on our general health, but the dark history of the plant requires more research. So, if you need to take it, you need to read a lot about the potential risks for your general health condition. It’s a natural opioid that contains mitragynine. When taken in small doses, it has energizing effects, but higher doses can sedate you. It relieves the pain and eases the symptoms of depression and anxiety.
It can be found in different forms, such as tablets, capsules, extracts, tinctures, or you can make a tea from the leaves. Rarely, people smoke it, but the burned kratom doesn’t have the same benefits as the mentioned forms.
Here are some of the benefits that people who took kratom confirmed they had:
1. Pain relief
When taken properly, this plant has opioid effects and relieves you from pain. That is why you also feel less nervous, stressed, and depressed.
2. Sedative effects
In a proper dose, kratom can be used as a sedative that will calm down your nerves and free you up from the subjective feelings of anxiety.
3. Better sleep
This doesn’t mean that you need to take kratom regularly for better sleep. But, sometimes, when we are anxious, we can’t get good sleep at night, and that can mess our whole daily schedule. As this drug eases the anxiety symptoms, it helps you sleep better at the same time.
4. Fewer mood changes
People who have depression episodes are often moody. Some opioids help them to calm down their bad mood.
5. Panic attack treatment
Panic attacks are close relatives to the anxious and depressed people. The kratom intake will make you feel better and have more energy to overcome the potential panic attack.
Can this plant be dangerous for me?
When taken in high doses, it may cause a lot of side effects. Some of them are pretty dangerous. Kratom has many dangerous effects, including:
- Weight loss in a short period
- Mouth and nasal dryness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Chronic muscle pain
- Diarrhea and constipation
- Long term liver damage
- Breathing problems
- Dizziness
- Hallucinations
- Delusions
- Difficult form of deep depression
- Seizures
- Coma and death
Many people believe that natural drugs don’t have side effects, but that’s not true. Every drug has even mild side effects. You need to know that the kratom effects are stronger if you take a higher dose. It takes about 5-10 minutes to work and the effect may last up to five hours.
How is this drug dosed?
If you take kratom for the first time in your life, you need to start with low doses. You should consult your doctor or pharmacist before you take it, and also avoid it if it’s not approved in your country as a regular treatment or supplement.
For an average human, 1-5 grams is a low dose, 5-15 grams is medium dose and more than 15 grams is a high dose. You should follow the instructions and directions your drug comes with, and you still need to consult a pharmacist for the possible unwanted effects.
How does kratom work?
The substance named mitragynine binds the receptors in your brain, helping you feel less anxious. There are not so many researches that approve the theory about antidepressant effects, but a lot of people confirm they feel better after they take a proper dose of it, in some of the recommended forms.
One 2017 study says that kratom can help you maintain a better mood, citing an old study that shows that this plant-based drug reduces the cortisol levels in mice. But, that’s all, and the researchers still need to put more effort to prove that kratom really has these benefits.
What are the other conditions that kratom is good for?
This drug may also help with your fatigue and chronic pain. Some people take it to help with the PTSD. It can ease muscle soreness too. Sometimes it’s used as a method for effective opioid withdrawal. According to a few small studies, it has immune-boosting effects and help with better tissue repair, but more research is necessary to confirm that.
Never mind what type of drug you need to take, you should always consult your doctor. Don’t buy it from unapproved sellers, because the product can be dangerous for you if you don’t follow the recommendations. Be careful with natural supplements, especially if they are not approved in your country.
