Kratom and Alcohol

Kratom is a drug derived from the leaves of the tropical plant Mitragyna speciosa. Currently, kratom is not illegal in America, and be found easily online via the internet, so some people use kratom to take advantage of its stimulant and euphoric properties.

Kratom use is becoming more and more common in the United States. Kratom creates effects that are similar to both opioids and stimulant medications. It can be associated with abuse and addiction, especially with large doses or long-term use. Usually, the stimulant-like effect happens with low doses, and the opioid-like effect occurs with higher doses.

In a 2019 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), kratom was present in the bodies of 152 people who died of a drug overdose. Of these, 19 people also had alcohol in their systems, although kratom was not necessarily the agent that caused each death. Not enough data exists to verify that the combination of kratom and alcohol definitely causes death, but the possibility cannot be ruled out.

Is it Safe to Mix Kratom and Alcohol?

As with most drug combinations, mixing kratom and alcohol is probably not safe or advisable. Although the combination hasn’t been well studied yet, it is not recommended to use alcohol and kratom at the same time.

Even though kratom does have some stimulant properties, it also has depressant properties similar to opioids, especially with high kratom doses. Since alcohol is also a depressant, mixing kratom and alcohol could be highly dangerous and could possibly result in excessive sedation, which can incapacitate a person and lead to coma or death.

Mixing stimulants with alcohol is often not a good idea either. Since alcohol has the depressant effect, it can cancel out the stimulant properties of kratom, which can cause the person to use even more kratom. When higher doses of kratom are used, the depressant effects predominate, and this can lead to an even more dangerous situation. Mixing stimulants with alcohol can also cause an increased risk of seizures, stroke and high blood pressure.

Dangers of Mixing Alcohol and Kratom

Alcohol and kratom should not be used together. Since kratom has both stimulant and opioid-like effects, many of these effects can be enhanced by alcohol and could result in a potentially dangerous situation.

Some of the effects that are possible when using kratom with alcohol are:

• Sleepiness
• Fast heart rate
• High blood pressure
• Anxiety
• Dizziness
• Loss of muscle control or coordination
• Tremors
• Altered perception
• Increased risk of alcohol addiction, especially with excessive alcohol use

Alcohol abuse and addiction are associated with many long-term consequences including serious liver damage, stomach bleeding and death related to alcohol overdose.

Using other substances with alcohol only adds more complexity to the alcohol disorder, and can make it much more difficult to treat. It is best to avoid using alcohol with any other drugs, including kratom. Also, those who are dealing with alcohol abuse or addiction may benefit from professional treatment.

If you know someone who is struggling with alcohol or kratom use, or both, The Recovery Village Columbus can help provide a treatment plan and a safe and effective recovery process. Contact The Recovery Village Columbus today to take the first step toward healing.