People have been using kratom for hundreds of years as an herbal remedy. It has several medicinal properties that can lead to effects, such as increased alertness and heightened focus.
On top of that, the herb has opioid-like features that can alleviate pain and cause relaxation. This made the drug incredibly popular in traditional medicine.
However, over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge in kratom abuse. Since it can result in opioid-like euphoria without impairing alertness, it quickly made its way into the illegal drug industry.
A kratom addiction can lead to several mental and physical problems that can have lasting effects. Luckily, if you’re struggling with this substance abuse issue, there are many facilities that can guide you on the road to recovery.
So, if you’re looking for kratom addiction treatment in Illinois, we can help at the Illinois Recovery Center. In this article, we’ll walk you through the effect the herb has on your brain, how addiction develops, and the available treatment options.
Table of Contents
What Is Kratom and How Does It Affect the Brain?
Kratom is a type of evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia and has been the center of many herbal remedies over the years. People would harvest the leaves off the tree and turn them into a powder to treat various illnesses.
For starters, in low doses, the herb could boost your energy. So, farm workers would rely on it to get through especially long, grueling days.
Plus, if you ingest high doses of kratom, it has analgesic properties and can produce an opioid-like high, but on a mild scale. Because of that, people historically used the herb to remedy minor pains and resolve opioid addictions like morphine dependencies.
Even though kratom has been around since the 1800s, it wasn’t widespread in the US until 2015. Now, some users crush and smoke the leaves or brew them into tea for recreational use. This has led to a significant rise in kratom abuse.
Kratom and the Brain: How Does It Work?
To clarify why kratom can be exceptionally dangerous, you need to understand how it affects the brain. The herb contains several active ingredients, each producing a unique effect.
Two of the most notable components of kratom include mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, both of which have psychoactive effects. These compounds will bind to the opioid receptors in the brain, leading to a sense of calm and relaxation.
Depending on the potency and quality of the kratom, the effects can range from mild to intense bouts of euphoria.
Why Is Kratom Addictive?
Our bodies produce a natural form of opioids, such as endorphins, enkephalins, and dynorphins. These are hormones that can relieve pain and stress, which makes them crucial for daily life.
When kratom binds to opioid receptors, it sends signals to the user’s brain to stop natural opioid production. When that happens, their body won’t be able to manage stressful situations or minor aches on their own.
So, the user will need to rely on a constant supply of kratom to function normally. We call this dependence. Without proper intervention and careful treatment, this can develop into an addiction.
Kratom Addiction Statistics
According to Frontiers in Pharmacology, an estimated 10 to 16 million Americans use kratom. The reason the range is so large is that people use the drug to self-medicate.
There’s no prescription for the herb, which makes tracking use challenging. On top of that, many kratom users have a history of drug abuse.
Kratom Tolerance and Dosage
If a person uses kratom for an extended period, their body will develop a tolerance to the drug. In other words, their system will get used to the presence of the herb, so they need to increase their daily dosage.
When taking low quantities of kratom, around one to two grams per day, the chances of developing an addiction are minimal. However, if the concentration increases to nine grams a day, a chemical dependency is likely.
Plus, if a user isn’t careful, this can lead to a fatal overdose. While kratom isn’t as addictive or potent as other opioids on the market, it still has a significant mortality rate.
What Are the Signs of Kratom Abuse?
The herb can cause many physiological changes in a user’s body. Aside from an altered mental state, there are a few markers that can indicate a kratom substance abuse disorder. These include:
- Chills
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Drowsiness
- Dehydration
- Excessive urination
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Itchiness
These symptoms can manifest within a few weeks of daily kratom use. In some severe cases, the side effects can escalate to aggressive behavior, which can pose a risk to the user and the people around them.
What Are the Symptoms of Kratom Withdrawal?
When a person struggling with kratom addiction stops using the herb, they may experience serious physical and mental side effects. These can last anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month, based on how long they’ve been using and the dosage they take.
Some of the most common kratom withdrawal symptoms include:
- Rapid heart beats
- Excessive sweating
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Temper tantrums
- Anxiety
- Depression
How to Treat Kratom Addiction
Treating a kratom addiction can be a lengthy process. So, to ensure you get clean successfully and stay on the wagon, you need a specialized facility like the Illinois Recovery Center.
We can offer various types of treatment, each with special benefits. That means no matter what kind of support you need, we’re there to help. Here’s a quick look at some of the available treatment options:
- Medical Kratom Detoxification
The first step in overcoming a kratom dependency is eliminating the herb from your system. This can be a long process, depending on the user’s drug habit.
On average, it takes around two weeks for kratom to pass through your system naturally. However, we don’t recommend quitting the herb cold turkey, as this can result in severe withdrawal symptoms.
Instead, it’s best to enroll in a detox program that can help you gradually reduce your kratom intake.
- Outpatient Programs
A detox program on its own may not be enough to stop a person suffering from addiction from using again. They need closer supervision to help them overcome certain triggers.
In that case, outpatient treatment is the best option. With this program, people suffering from substance abuse will spend a couple of hours a day at a rehab center.
There, they’ll have full access to medical advice and even therapy services.
- Partial Hospitalization
If a person struggling with addiction is facing severe withdrawal symptoms, they may need partial hospitalization. This is similar to outpatient treatment but with a stricter schedule.
The patient will have to spend around five to seven hours in rehab programs almost every day. This leaves less time for their personal lives, but it provides more structure, which is crucial for the road to recovery.
- Sober Living Program
Recovering addicts are constantly surrounded by triggers that can cause a relapse. So, they need to isolate themselves from the destructive environment that led to the addiction in the first place.
The best way to do that is with a sober living program. This involves staying at a rehab facility for an extended period, surrounded by former addicts and a team of medical professionals.
It’s an excellent way for people recovering from substance abuse to create a community of like-minded individuals.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Dialectical behavioral treatment is a form of therapy that focuses on the systematic reasoning behind two contradicting ideas. In simple terms, it helps people struggling with addiction come to terms with contradicting goals.
For instance, recovering addicts need to change many of their habits and behaviors. Yet, at the same time, they have to come to terms with their actions and learn how to accept themselves.
These two conflicting ideas may pose a significant challenge to people struggling with addiction.
- Relapse Prevention Plan
Overcoming drug addiction is a lifelong journey. Unfortunately, the process doesn’t end with detox and therapy. A person struggling with substance abuse has to wake up every morning and choose to stay sober.
This can be a tall order, especially in our fast-paced world. Luckily, a relapse prevention plan can ensure you continue to live a fulfilling life. You’ll get to work with a doctor who can tailor a treatment program that works for your specific case.
- Telehealth
If you don’t have the time to enroll in an outpatient program, you don’t need to worry. Technology has made it so that addiction treatment is more accessible than ever.
Using our telehealth program, you can reach out to certified medical professionals online. Whether it’s through a phone call or video chat, you get one-on-one sessions with therapists who can help you overcome addiction.
Wrapping Up
If you’re looking for kratom addiction treatment in Illinois, there’s no better option than the Illinois Recovery Center. At our facilities, you’ll have access to countless therapy options for addiction.
Some of the most notable services include medical detox, outpatient programs, and partial hospitalization. Yet, if you’re short on time, our telehealth treatment plan can be a lifesaver.
