Insomnia and a Phantom Order

Last night I slept for about two hours, and somehow survived today without falling asleep at work or home. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the combination of kratom and kava I had last night contributed to my poor night's sleep. Note to self: don't do that again(?) I did find that I liked the combination of kava and kratom. I was very relaxed, but also energized. I found kratom to have little effect today, since I seemed to be "wired" and running on adrenaline.

On an unrelated note, I received an e-mail today from one of the vendors I use that my order was processed -- an order that I never placed. In that order were approximately eight items, for a grand total of $0.00. I contacted the vendor to let them know that they had potentially made a clerical error. It sure would be nice to get some free stuff, though.

For My Family

If we're being brutally honest, I found kratom at a time when I was searching for legal psychoactive drugs, about four years ago. I was searching for something that would be somewhat recreational, and also treat my anxiety. I hesitate to admit that I found kratom at a local head shop, which cost half my weekly allowance for three days' worth. (I've since become much more sensible with my kratom purchases.) The first time I tried kratom, I found it interesting, but it wasn't really what I was seeking at the time. Nonetheless, I finished the remainder of the package over the course of the next few days.

After a few days, I started to experience two things that improved:

1. My energy and mood. I was able to stay awake after work, and engage with my wife and son.
2. My acid reflux became a thing of the past.

My lack of energy, and inability to stay awake at both work and at home were a heated point of contention for my wife and me. I knew that I shouldn't feel as exhausted as I did, and had tried a sleep study, along with prescription nighttime sleep aids. The new-found energy began to change my life. I would now come home from work and want to play with my son, instead of fall asleep on the couch. I no longer nodded off at work, which meant an instant increase in productivity. Over the course of the next few months, I found my desire to consume alcohol also decreased (another heated topic for me and my wife).

Four years later, I do sometimes regret the years when I was too tired to be actively engaged with my family, but I continue to take kratom so that I can keep striving to be the best father and husband I can. My professional life has also improved; I'm much more productive, and am learning so much more about my field. Since my drinking has decreased, I still go out with friends, but for the primary purpose of socializing rather than "getting drunk." Oh, and remember that search for recreational, legal psychoactive drugs that started this journey? That search is now a thing of the past.

I use kratom because my family needs an involved husband and father. How about you?

The Good News

In spite of the last article I mentioned, there are glimmers of hope with respect to the way media portrays kratom. Here's one example of reporting that presents a side of kratom that we don't see in mainstream news outlets like FOX, NBC, etc... NaturalNews.com doesn't have quite the same exposure as the major news outlets, and you won't find something like this on WebMD or DrWeil.com (yet), but this one is worth circulating:

Is medicinal herb kratom a safe and effective alternative for treating pain, anxiety and depression?

In The News

Most of us who have experience with kratom are well aware of the misinformation generated from the news media. If I were a conspiracy theorist, I'd argue that these ill-conceived news stories are part of a larger campaign of disinformation that originates from the pharmaceutical companies, but I digress.

This news article out of Ohio is a typical, one-sided portrayal of kratom. There's a pretty standard (and trite) formula that these media outlets employ:

1. Grab the readers with hyperbole/fear-mongering, e.g. "There's a new legal high sweeping the area, and you can find it in your local gas station or convenience store."
2. Brag about your brave, undercover investigation into the dark recesses of a local head shop.
3. Talk to a local bureaucrat/law enforcement official whose job it is to help the news organization generate fear and paranoia.
4. Make a feeble attempt to create "balance" by adding a sentence or two describing an alternative opinion.
5. Ignore any rational, well-thought-out comments that criticize the article.

I'd really like to meet the folks who are getting a "high" from kratom. I won't get to meet them though, because they don't exist. I've had marijuana in the past, so I have somewhat of an idea what it's like to be high. Kratom, it seems to me, would be a huge disappointment for anyone seeking to get high. I encourage you to read the article, and voice your opinion in the comments section. It's a few days old, but you can bet there will be more like this.

Friday

Ah, Friday! I'm not sure kratom was as effective for me today as it can be, but that could be due to lack of sleep and a general feeling of being fed up with the week. Whatever the case, my 7am and noon doses carried me through the day unscathed, though I was still somewhat lethargic.

Tomorrow, we're off to the woods for our first family camping trip. I'm looking forward to disconnecting for a couple of days, and enjoying the wilderness. Have a great one, whatever you're doing!

Powder to Tummy

When I was first researching kratom, I wanted to find out how people were actually consuming kratom. Were they smoking it, eating it, drinking it? It turns out there are a number of different ways that people consume kratom. I've found that kratom mixed in with a cup of tea works very well for me. I prefer chamomile or peppermint, which help mitigate the bitter taste. I recently discovered that low-sodium tomato juice also works very well with kratom, and almost completely masks the bitterness. On most days, though, I'll drink it with a tea, and I've come to accept the bitter taste to the point where it no longer bothers me. I've also found that kratom mixed with Greek yogurt is a tasty snack.

Have any favorite recipes? Feel free to share them with me -- and fellow readers -- in the comments!

Introduction

I am a daily consumer of kratom, or Mitragyna speciosa, and first discovered it about three years ago. I could go on ad nauseam about the ways that kratom has helped me, but I already did that here. This blog will attempt to chronicle my life and kratom experiences, with the hope that people will get a better idea of what kratom is, and the types of folks who find the plant to be beneficial. Kratom is often demonized by the media, the federal government (it's on the DEA's drugs of concern list), and state/city governments. I believe that if more people understand about kratom and those who use it, there will be less to demonize.