The use of kratom has great benefits for both the physical and mental health of people. Most people use kratom to reduce anxiety, to reduce pain, or simply to enter a state of euphoria. This benefit is quite underrated. People tend to treat this as “getting high” which has social stigmas attached to it, leading to the fear of being categorized as a “stoner.”
What some people fail to see is the fact that this is a way to alleviate a person from the stresses induced by the world, which can be suffocating at times!
This degree of euphoria is beneficial for self-growth by helping people come out of their shell, and realize things about themselves that they may not have noticed without it.
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Use in Therapy
Kratom benefits include great therapeutic potential. Researchers suggest the chemical 7-hydroxymitragynine, which is present in kratom, is a great analgesic as it is 13 times more potent than morphine and significantly less addictive.
Understanding what kratom is used for has many other answers as well.
Kratom can also replace methadone in the treatment of heroin addiction, especially due to the fact that it is easier to produce, thus making it available in 3rd world countries. A study shows that the introduction of kratom into a body reduces levels of cortisol, which is a hormone involved in the regulation of stress responses and energy.
What this means is that kratom can be used to manage anxiety and depression, so more study on kratom could be beneficial to psychotherapy.
First Usage Was In Ancient Times
The exact origin of kratom is a bit of an unknown. However, its use has been dated back to ancient times. It was used to numb aches and pains, soothe fevers, treat diarrhea, manage diabetes, and fight addictions.
The leaves of the plant have also been applied on wounds with a cloth to relieve inflammation, or spread across the abdomen to drive out worms.
The most popular use for kratom was chewing it for energy. This practice was popular in Thailand, where people had to work in the sun for long periods. In the 19th century, kratom was also used as a sedative to substitute opium.
The popularity of kratom flourished in the 2000s, but different nations had different approaches towards it, some negative and others, progressive.
Origins In Southeast Asia
To better understand what kratom is, we must have an idea about the history of Mitragyna Speciosa. Kratom originates from Southeast Asia and is native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
The name kratom originated from Thailand where it was used by the natives quite often.
However, by the 1940s, the use of kratom in Thailand quieted after intervention by the Thai government, thus beginning the first kratom prohibition in history. Thailand’s opium tax revenue took a hit because people were using kratom as a substitute since it was unregulated and easy to find.
Word began to spread that the kratom leaf was being used to manage withdrawal symptoms and opiate addiction.
In August 1943, the Kratom Act was passed forbidding anyone from cultivating the plant and ordering all existing specimens to be destroyed.
Mitragyna Speciosa advocates were unwilling to give up the benefits of Speciosa. With the help of the Internet, kratom’s benefits spread throughout the United States and around the world.
Growing A Kratom Tree
Despite its popularity, one burning question remains on everyone’s mind: what is kratom? Kratom is a plant, also known by the scientific name, Mitragyna Speciosa. Despite it’s smaller than average size, Kratom is a type of tree.
The Kratom tree requires very specific nutrients and climate conditions to grow into a mature plant ready to harvest. With such specific requirements for growing kratom, it’s no surprise this is a tropical evergreen plant native to the marshy jungle areas in Southeast Asia.
Countries known to export Kratom:
- Indonesia
- Malaysia
- Thailand
Many people ask the question, what does kratom look like? The plant is recognizable by its deep yellow flowers that reach up to 13 meters in height.
The popularity of Mitragyna speciosa has boomed in the 21st century as people have become aware of this plant and the people who have noticed kratom benefits use it for many reasons.
Some people use it either as a sedative or a stimulant, depending on the dosage and strain consumed. Kratom benefits include several mental and physical health benefits.
How To Safely Use Kratom Powder
Like many, you may be wondering: is kratom safe? Scientists also began conducting lab tests on Mitragyna speciosa. The results of the tests showed that kratom displays negligible toxicity, even in relatively large doses.
For instance, zero deaths were recorded in rats that were given 1000 mg/kg oral doses of kratom leaf extract or 806 mg/kg of the isolated mitragynine chemical.
Some people may think negligible toxicity is a bad thing, because it sounds a little scary, but apple skins have negligible toxicity as well. There have been some adverse effects related to kratom use, but this usually happens when kratom is mixed with other chemicals. There has been little research on the long term effects of kratom on humans.
Understanding The Side Effects
Further research on the long term effects of kratom is long overdue, so we’re relying on rumors found online to understand what the possible risks of taking kratom are.
Other kratom side effects include nausea, itching, dark urine, abdominal pain, and jaundice.
Some very rare kratom side effects reported include:
- Sleep problems
- hypo-tension
- tremors
- hair loss
- dry mouth
- anorexia
- liver damage
Reported side effects of long term kratom abuse include:
- Psychosis
- paranoid delusions
- hallucinations
The withdrawal symptoms, although present, are reported to be mild and short-lived. Pregnant mothers should avoid the use of kratom as it may affect the child and cause withdrawal symptoms.
It is important to have your facts straight about kratom side effects to completely comprehend the idea of what kratom is.
