Kratom Addiction Treatment in Houston

Understanding Kratom and Its Effects

Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia with leaves that produce a euphoric effect when processed, making it used for its mind-altering effects. However, their use can also lead to addiction. Professional addiction recovery programs are necessary to address the effects of kratom while exploring the unique needs and challenges that led to using kratom in the first place. 

What Is Kratom (Mitragyna Speciosa)?

Kratom is an addictive substance derived from the kratom plant, specifically its leaves. These leaves are crushed and ground, resulting in a powder that can either be placed into capsules, pressed into tablets, or even brewed into teas that carry their psychoactive effects. 

However, while kratom has seen use in dedicated medical settings, it is still a dangerous drug that can lead to addiction, especially when used illicitly or without the medical supervision of a professional. Understanding how kratom affects the brain can further empower you to explore its effects on your daily life and your unique healing plan from kratom addiction. 

How Kratom Affects the Brain and Opioid Receptors

Kratom binds to the same opioid receptors in the brain that drugs like heroin act on, and while they produce a milder effect, kratom use still presents several dangers. Even though the effect is less intense than that of opioids, that doesn’t mean that kratom use is safe. In fact, while kratom is not technically classified as an illicit substance on its own, it is listed as a substance of concern, and many local jurisdictions and states have classified its use as illegal. 

Kratom use has a few effects on the brain, with lower doses of the drug producing stimulant-like effects. Heightened alertness, awareness, and hypervigilance are common, alongside bursts of energy, activity, and compromised decision-making skills. However, further increasing the dosage of kratom can have the opposite effect on the brain, carrying instead more sedative-like effects. 

Kratom is also an addictive substance. Even those managing their use of the drug can still develop an addiction to it, making it dangerous and carrying a myriad of other challenges that can affect an individual as well as important family members, loved ones, and communities. 

The Connection Between Kratom Use, Pain Relief, and Opioid Withdrawal

Kratom can have some pain-alleviating effects, blocking pain signals in the body from reaching the brain. Likewise, by binding to the same opioid receptors as other drugs but at a less intense level, kratom can also be used to help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms and support abstinence and healing from these more intense substances. Reduced cravings and its sedative-like effects, helping to ease physical and emotional turmoil, can be beneficial in overcoming more intense forms of opioid addiction. However, while kratom has seen use in these settings, any considerations of kratom use to self-medicate these challenges must be discussed with a professional first. 

Kratom is still an addictive substance, and finding a dedicated medical detox and treatment program to address both self-medication with kratom and the underlying needs, like chronic pain, is part of taking your first step in a personalized healing journey. 

Health Effects and Signs of Kratom Misuse

Kratom has many effects on both the body and mind of those using the drug, and recognizing the signs of use and misuse can be the first important step in pursuing effective drug addiction treatment. Some of the common health effects of kratom include: 

• Nausea and vomiting
• Sudden increase in energy, especially if followed by a “crash”
• Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
• Dry mouth
• Gastrointestinal problems like constipation
• Shaking and chills
• Increase in feelings of anxiety or panic
• Hypervigilance or restlessness
• Feelings of euphoria
• Difficulty focusing on a single task

Those using kratom to manage pain or for its euphoric effects can also still experience these challenges when the immediate symptoms of drug use wear off, often leaving a person feeling worse than before, and even facilitating dependence and addiction through repeated use. 

While kratom has been used in medical scenarios, its use alone, especially when self-medicating, is not a solution to many of these challenges. Rather, they are part of a treatment plan, and working to develop personalized coping strategies, engaging in group therapy and peer support, and making lifestyle changes are all part of the healing process. Kratom or any medication-assisted therapy is not a replacement for these other healing efforts. 

Additional signs of misuse or addiction to kratom include:

• Using kratom multiple times a day, or even using kratom to preemptively address challenges before they arise
• Hiding kratom use from loved ones or engaging in a more secretive lifestyle around the drug, such as self-isolation or locking doors
• Continuing to use kratom, despite negative consequences or concern from loved ones
• Intense cravings for kratom
• Increased feelings of anxiety or agitation when the effects of kratom wear off or when the drug is not available
• Withdrawal symptoms when attempting to cut back or eliminate kratom use from your lifestyle

Common Kratom Withdrawal Symptoms 

Noticing withdrawal symptoms is a significant sign that professional treatment and support are necessary. Some of the most common signs of kratom withdrawal include:

• Sweating, chills, or fever
• Nausea
• Agitation, anger, and mood swings
• Intense fatigue
• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Disrupted sleep and insomnia
• Headaches
• Intense cravings

Many of those either trying to cut down on their kratom use or looking to eliminate it can experience these challenges, with some returning to kratom use simply to get these symptoms to stop, even if they are aware of the destructive nature of the drug. There is no replacement for professional treatment and care for kratom addiction, with medical detox often being a necessary step toward a drug-free life.