Helping Someone Who Is Going Thru What I Did

[joeylittle]

Please folks I'm not going change on this so you might as well drop it.

Sorry, @sonicwhite - but I'm going to express an opinion here.

I've been doing a lot of research into kratom, since you brought it up a while back. It's meant for short-term use. In southeast Asia, where it's from, where people have been using it for thousands of years - it is treated as an addictive substance. It's addictive. When its used to get off of an opioid addiction, it's reduced over a period of about 3 months. The withdrawal pains are more manageable on Kratom.

It's not a 'safe substitute' for any other drug. It's addictive.

People who take it daily for chronic pain - this is where it's used like cannabis - take it in very small amounts. And they have chronic pain. Physical constant pain. They need to manage that pain. I don't think that's your situation, right?

So don't compare yourself to them. And be aware that you are straight-up lying to yourself if you don't think that kratom is 'bad'. You are using an equivalent to heroin. It just takes much longer for it to make you really sick. You're not using it correctly. It does not have 'benefits'. It has a purpose. You're not using it the way it has been used for thousands of years by the people who grow it. You think you know better than them? Fine.

Unless I'm misunderstanding how much you use it, and you are only taking 1-3 grams maybe once a month. That's the recommended amount for recreational use - recommended by one of the bigger companies who distribute it in the US. Is that all you use?

 

[sonicwhite]

I use 1-3 grams in the morning cause my legs are in so much pain and the docs just don't believe me so I fire them. If you read a bit more it helps depression. It's not good to use everyday because it does have withdrawals but it's either this or suicide. Pick your poison. That's how I feel. I'm not a kratom junkie. I don't take twelve grams at a time to achieve a oxy high. I just want the mental anguish of depression to go away. We're just now starting Prozac so that may help but idk. I have this fear that medication just won't work on me for the simple fact we have tried everything to ease it



I know this ain't the answer but kicking the can down the road isn't either. I'm not hurting six weeks from now, I'm hurting now. So you all can think what you want. Until I get it in my head that I will have to live with suicide on my shoulders I can't seem to grasp living like that everyday.


No Oman or anything else is going to make me happy, that's why I got a therapist. So we can discuss the nightmares and the trauma I went thru.

 

[The Albatross]

Dang dude, there really is another way. I wish you could grasp that.

 

[The Albatross]

I get that you may think helping out another addict is a good idea Sonic, what I don't get is how you think that you're helping when you're not clean yourself.

 

[Poofycat]

We're just now starting Prozac

Does your psych know about your kratom use? Mixing anything with an SSRI can cause complications. For instance, I can't take cold meds like nyquil while I'm on Lexapro because it makes me literally want to walk in front of a bus. PLEASE be careful.

 

[sonicwhite]

I just won't bring up my life style. That way ppl cannot try to correct me. I know my issues. It's a free for all in here and please don't bring up what I do I'm strictly going to be talking about therapy nightmares medication and other things not related to drugs.

 

[Fadeaway]

That is the problem, Sonic, your lifestyle is directly related to your wellbeing and dealing with trauma and nightmares. What you ingest, affects your mental health. The Kratom can not be ignored in regards if you are going to be discussing your mental health. If we were talking about your favourite band or something you collect as a hobby, sure, it would be irrelevant then, but not when it comes to discussing your therapy and nightmares.

 

[Abraxas]

Hey guys, I wanted to share my experience with kratom since it seems really relevant to this thread.

First off, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that there have been next to no research into kratom other that some basic chemistry on the alkaloids contained in the plant, and certainly no clinical studies. As such, any source of information on the matter other than a research paper should be taken with a big grain of salt. What we do know is this:

There are many strains from all over southeast asia.

The plant contains around a dozen alkaloids, two of which are known to be psychoactive.

Unlike other substances that act on the mu-opioid receptors, neither of the two known psychoactive alkaloids in kratom act as depressants on the respiratory system.

There have been no reported deaths in the united states that can be linked directly to kratom. (there have been news articles about people dying from mixing kratom with other substances however.)

It is physically addictive and habit forming

As for myself, i've been using kratom on an almost daily basis for just over five years. When I first found kratom, I was being prescribed 500mg seroquel, 300mg sertraline, klonazopam and opioid pain killers for PTSD with psychotic features and injuries sustained after a psychotic episode. It was initially recommended to me as a better alternative for pain management than the opioids. As you can imagine I was already feeling too sedated from my other medications. Over the course of about a year and a half, I was able to ween myself off of all of my other medications with the help of my therapist, EMDR and kratom.

Although I still have my struggles, I am able to work a job that I love, and experience the full spectrum of ups and downs that come with life. Kratom is psychoactive in many ways, and depending on the dose can be either stimulating or sedating. I've been able to live and heal for the past five years without any side effects because of it. I cannot make the same claim of the time i spent on other pharmaceuticals. Everyone's biochemistry is different, and my experience does not in any way mean it is a good choice for anyone else. Please do not make claims that kratom is akin to heroin. If you do not have any good information, please do not spread mis-information. Hopefully the kratom "boom" happening recently in the US will lead to research on the subject. In a time when opioid pain killers kill more people than heroin and cocaine combined, we should not so quickly dismiss alternatives that provide the same benefits with little of the ill effects. I have several friends that successfully used kratom to stop abusing opioids. Please note that i'm not saying kratom can't be abused.

I don't think I can post links on here, but if anyone wants links to the little bit of actual research on kratom please message me.

I'm glad that kratom works for you, Sonicwhite. And i'm glad that the topic of kratom abuse came up. It's something that we should always be open to talking about, as that is the best way to keep ourselves accountable.

 

[sonicwhite]

Thanks. I like the fact that someone is not trying to defend me but push away the miss info about Kratom. Ga lee man I hate it when ppl judge. And I'm about to cancel my account with these forums. You have all but some tried to lead me away from the Lord. And I'm not going to deal with that. At first ppl would encourage me. Than ppl where just like Wolves in Sheeps clothing. All I wanted was support and I get the , you ain't right your a junkie type thing. You don't know my struggle just like I don't know yours but please don't compare me to yourself and say I'm wrong. There is a plank in your eye that needs to be taken out before you can really help me. And no advice from unbelievers, sorry if that offends but steering me away from Christ is like really bad.

 

[Abraxas]

I respect you and your faith sonicwhite. I hope you find the support you seek.

 

[sonicwhite]

What I mean is ppl know my faith. So no more bringing that up from me because I only think it's fair to because we all want help and we all need help and we are here to comfort and guide one another.