What are the benefits of kratom for your mental health? How can it help you feel better and happier? In this post, we will discuss how to boost your mood with kratom.
What Is Kratom?
Kratom is actually a tree, Mitragyna speciosa, that grows in the humid jungles of Southeastern Asia and is in the same family as coffee. For many generations, the native population of Southeast Asia consumed the fresh leaves of M. speciosa in order to put up with harsh working conditions. Kratom was also a remedy for pain, and people also used it to relax.
Today, kratom leaves have also gained popularity in the Western World, especially in America. Local farmers hand-pick the leaves of the kratom trees that grow near the river banks and dry them before grinding them into a fine powder. Then, that kratom powder is exported to many different countries.
Effects and Uses of Kratom
Kratom’s leaves comprise many alkaloids (like mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine) that act on some of the receptors that are part of your opioid system. Yes, the word “opioid” may sound scary. And the opioid system gets this name because opioids act on it. However, opioids are not the only substances that can activate the opioid system. Even cheese can activate the opioid receptors. And kratom is only one of these substances. So kratom is not an opioid and doesn’t have the dangerous side effects of opioids, such as respiratory depression or addiction.
But what are the effects of kratom? The opioid system controls pain, stress, reward, addictive behaviors or mood. Therefore, the effects of kratom are:
- Analgesia
- Relaxation
- Sedation
- Euphoria
Thanks to all these effects, people use kratom for:
- Relieving pain
- Reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression
- Fighting stress
- Increasing energy levels
- Relieving insomnia
- Relieving the symptoms of opiate withdrawal
Furthermore, kratom can also help you improve focus and concentration.
How to Boost Your Mood with Kratom
How can you boost your mood with kratom? First of all, kratom has strong euphoric effects. That means that by taking kratom you will feel happier and your mood will improve. It will also promote a sense of wellbeing. It is because of its euphoric properties that kratom can also relieve the symptoms of depression.
But what else can kratom do for your mood? Kratom also relieves stress and promotes relaxation. And if you feel more relaxed, with less stress, your mood will also be better. Thanks to these relaxation effects, kratom is also an excellent choice when it comes to anxiety. Furthermore, kratom also improves the symptoms of social anxiety. Thus, people who consume this herb can also enhance their social life as well as their personal and professional relationships. Needless to say, developing better relationships can also improve your mood.
Moreover, kratom also increases your stamina and makes you feel more motivated.
If you want to boost your mood with kratom, white and green strains can be the best choice, due to their euphoric and energetic effects.
With regards to the right kratom dosage, low to medium doses (between 2 and 5 grams) are the best to achieve mood-lifting effects.
How Can I Take Kratom?
Many people use kratom to make kratom tea. Kratom tea is arguably the most common way of consuming kratom. However, many other users opt for other methods because kratom tea does not taste good.
Another popular ingestion method is toss and wash. This a favorite method for many users because it allows a very quick onset. Nonetheless, it can be a bit cumbersome, especially for new users.
Because they are so convenient, kratom capsules are also very popular, but they are not so easy to find. And when you find them, they are more expensive than kratom powder. Also, when you take kratom capsules your body needs to digest the capsule that surrounds the powder first. As a result, the onset is slower than when using other methods, such as tea or toss and wash. You can opt for making your own capsules, but you will need a capsule filling machine and empty capsules. On a positive note, both the machine and the capsules are usually quite cheap. And in the case of the filling machine, you will only need to buy it once (as long as you always use the same capsules size).
Finally, you can use kratom as an ingredient in several dishes. Or you can add it to yogurt, juices, applesauce or smoothies. By doing this, you will be able to mask kratom’s unpleasant taste.
Side Effects of Kratom
Even though kratom is not an opioid and is not dangerous, it can also have side effects. These side effects include:
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Loss of libido
- Dehydration
- Eye wobbles
In most cases, kratom’s side effects are the result of large doses or frequent intake. Hence, the best way to avoid kratom side effects is to be cautious with the dosage. Furthermore, if you want to boost your mood with kratom, you should avoid high doses. Also, if you take kratom on a daily basis you could easily end up building up kratom tolerance. That means that your body will require larger doses to notice the effects of this plant.
