Kratom Addiction: Symptoms, Effects and Treatment

Written by the medical team at Day One Rehabilitation Center, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand · Medically reviewed by Dr. Pichayut Kasemphakdeephong (Psychiatrist)

Kratom is a plant containing psychoactive compounds, the most significant of which is mitragynine. The effects of kratom use can vary depending on the dose, the form it’s taken in, how often it’s used, and what other substances are used alongside it. Some people start using it because they want to feel more energetic, work longer hours, ease fatigue, or relax. But with regular use, the body and behavior can adapt to the point of developing dependence, with withdrawal symptoms appearing when use stops.

A problem families often run into is that the person using kratom may not see it as something that creates problems, since it’s a plant and can be found almost anywhere. Some people can still work and go about daily life, so they feel they’re in control of their use. But once someone starts needing kratom juice every day, needing more of it, using it just to function or feel normal, and experiencing aches, irritability, restlessness, insomnia, or cravings when they don’t use it, that can be a sign that the body and behavior have already begun to depend on the substance.

Another issue to watch for is “mixed kratom juice,” which may not contain kratom alone. When medications, other psychoactive substances, or other ingredients are added to the mix, the risk changes depending on what’s combined with it — and the danger can’t be judged from the single term “kratom juice” alone. Understanding the signs of kratom addiction, its effects, withdrawal symptoms, and appropriate treatment approaches can help both the person using it and their family recognize when use that once seemed manageable is becoming a problem that needs help.

What Is Kratom, and How Does It Affect the Brain?

Kratom’s scientific name is Mitragyna speciosa, a plant found in Southeast Asia. Kratom leaves contain several active compounds, the most significant of which is mitragynine, which acts on the nervous system and interacts with opioid receptors in the brain.

The effects can vary depending on the dose and form of use. Some users report feeling alert and more energetic for work, while different forms or doses can produce a more relaxed or sedating effect.

It’s important to separate one fact from another: the fact that a substance comes from a plant doesn’t mean it can’t affect the brain or lead to dependence.

With regular kratom use, the body can build tolerance, meaning the same dose no longer produces the same effect. This leads some people to use more or use more often. At the same time, stopping use can bring on uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms, driving the person back to using kratom just to make those symptoms go away.

This cycle can start as “using it to get through work” and gradually shift to “I can’t function without it,” or from “drinking to relax” to “if I don’t drink it, I get irritable and can’t sleep.”

Once kratom starts to feel like something the user can’t live without, evaluating the pattern of use becomes far more important than debating whether kratom is “just a plant” or what its legal status is.

Signs of Kratom Use or Addiction: What to Look For

Symptoms in kratom users vary from person to person, depending on the dose, potency, frequency, duration of use, underlying health, and what else is used alongside it — especially with kratom juice, which often contains multiple ingredients.

Families may notice changes in behavior and symptoms such as:

Drinking kratom juice or using kratom leaves every day
Increasing the amount or frequency of use over time
Feeling the need to use before work or certain activities
Craving kratom when not using it
Trying to cut down or stop, but relapsing
Spending a large amount of time preparing, obtaining, or drinking kratom juice
Starting to prioritize kratom use over other activities
Continuing to use despite emerging problems with health, finances, work, or relationships
Feeling irritable, restless, or unable to sleep when not using
Experiencing body aches or fatigue when stopping use
Feeling that kratom is necessary just to work or function normally

The key point is that addiction shouldn’t be judged solely by how many glasses a person drinks per day. What matters is whether the person is losing the ability to control their use, whether they experience cravings or withdrawal symptoms, and how much the use is affecting their life.

Another important thing for families to ask about is exactly what’s in what’s called “kratom juice.” If it’s mixed with cough medicine, other psychoactive drugs, alcohol, or other substances, the symptoms and risks may not come from kratom alone.

Effects and Dangers of Kratom Use

The effects of kratom depend on many factors — dose, frequency, potency, the user’s health, and any substances used alongside it. Symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness, heart palpitations, or changes in digestive function.

For those who use kratom continuously, another major concern is the development of tolerance and dependence, leading to regular use and discomfort when stopping. Some people continue using not because they still get the effect they first sought from kratom, but simply to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

The impact on a person’s life can gradually show up through increased spending, constantly needing to prepare or find kratom juice, work or daily routines becoming tied to the times they need to use, and growing conflict with family members when asked to cut down or stop.

Special caution is needed when kratom is combined with other substances, particularly other psychoactive substances or medications, because the resulting effects can become more complex and harder to predict.

Because of this, if a person shows excessive drowsiness, loses consciousness, can’t be woken, has abnormal breathing, has a seizure, becomes severely confused, or has a severe reaction after drinking mixed kratom juice, don’t wait and watch — seek emergency medical help right away, and tell medical staff honestly about what substances or medications may have been used.

In addition, if there are clear changes in mood, severe anxiety, psychiatric symptoms, or thoughts or behaviors of self-harm, a mental health evaluation should be sought alongside physical care. Symptoms shouldn’t be assumed to come from kratom alone without ruling out other substances or co-occurring conditions.

Kratom Withdrawal and Care After Stopping Use

People who use kratom regularly can experience withdrawal symptoms after cutting down or stopping. Severity varies depending on how long they’ve used it, the dose, frequency, and whether other substances were used alongside it.

Possible kratom withdrawal symptoms include:

Irritability or mood swings
Restlessness
Anxiety
Insomnia
Body aches
Fatigue or lack of energy
Digestive discomfort
Cravings to use kratom again
Difficulty working or functioning without the substance

These symptoms can lead a person to believe “my body needs kratom” and go back to using it just to make the symptoms go away — which is part of the cycle of dependence.

The question “can I quit kratom on my own at home?” needs to be considered case by case. If someone has used it regularly for a long time, uses large amounts, has relapsed after previous attempts to quit, has a co-occurring physical or psychiatric condition, or isn’t sure exactly what’s mixed into the kratom juice they use, they should be evaluated by medical professionals before planning to stop.

This is especially true for mixed kratom juice — treatment shouldn’t assess kratom withdrawal alone, since dependence or withdrawal from other substances may be involved as well.

Getting through the withdrawal period is only the beginning. If the person returns to the same situation, still has the same cravings, and still believes they need kratom to work, sleep, or manage their emotions, the risk of relapse remains.

Treatment and Recovery After Stopping Kratom

Treating kratom addiction shouldn’t stop at managing withdrawal symptoms — it should also explore why kratom became part of the person’s life in the first place.

Some people start using it because of heavy workloads, some because of exhaustion, some to relax or socialize, and others to cope with stress, anxiety, sleep problems, or unwanted feelings.

With prolonged use, many behaviors can become tied to kratom — needing a drink before starting work, needing one to unwind after work, or needing to have kratom juice on hand at all times.

Psychotherapy helps a person in treatment see the connections between situations, thoughts, emotions, cravings, and substance use, while building new ways of responding to those situations.

Recovery may include individual therapy, group therapy, craving-management training, cognitive and behavioral adjustment, stress management, sleep improvement, exercise, and building a routine that allows the person to work and live without relying on kratom.

If depression, anxiety, ADHD, sleep problems, or other co-occurring psychiatric conditions are present, they should be evaluated and treated alongside addiction treatment, since kratom use may be connected to attempts to self-manage certain symptoms. If the substance is stopped without addressing the underlying issue, the risk of relapse may remain.

How to Prevent Relapse into Kratom Use

Preventing relapse starts with identifying each person’s individual triggers, rather than simply relying on willpower to resist using.

Possible triggers include:

Friends or coworkers who drink kratom juice together
Heavy workloads or long working hours
Exhaustion
Stress from work and finances
Family conflict
Boredom or loneliness
Sleep problems
Drinking alcohol or using other substances
Easy access to kratom juice
The thought “if I don’t take it, I won’t have the energy to work”
The thought “it’s just a plant, a little won’t hurt”
Returning to the same old routine without a coping plan

Once triggers are identified, treatment can help plan what needs to change — adjusting work and rest routines, developing ways to manage exhaustion, changing after-work activities, reducing time spent in situations involving substance use, and practicing how to handle cravings when they arise.

Families can support recovery by setting appropriate boundaries, limiting access to the substance, and creating space for the person in treatment to talk about cravings or problems without having to wait until after a relapse.

If someone has stopped using kratom before and relapsed, that shouldn’t be taken as proof that they “weren’t committed.” Instead, it’s worth examining what happened before the relapse, what triggers were involved, and what skills or support the previous plan was missing, in order to adjust the treatment plan accordingly.

What to Do When a Family Member Is Addicted to Kratom but Won’t Admit There’s a Problem

Families may hear things like “kratom is just a plant,” “I’m not addicted to drugs,” “I can still work fine,” or “I could stop if I wanted to.” Trying to argue directly about whether the person is or isn’t addicted can turn the conversation into self-defense rather than an honest look at the problem.

Instead of starting with the word “addicted to kratom,” families can start with what they’ve actually observed.

For example: “I’ve noticed you’ve been drinking it every day lately, and on days you don’t, you get achy and irritable — I’m worried your body might be becoming more dependent on it.”

Or ask: “Do you think you could stop for a month if you tried?” “What happened the last time you tried to cut back?” and “What does kratom do for you right now, and what has it started costing you?”

This kind of conversation helps the other person examine their own behavior, rather than feeling forced to accept the family’s judgment.

The first step doesn’t have to be an immediate decision to enter a treatment center. It can start with simply agreeing to talk to a professional or getting an assessment of their pattern of use. If the family has tried talking multiple times without success, they can consult a professional for help planning how to communicate and how to guide the person toward treatment.

Kratom Treatment at Day One Rehabilitation Center

Treatment for kratom use at Day One Rehabilitation Center is provided on a residential basis, beginning with an assessment of how the person uses kratom, how long they’ve used it, the approximate dose and frequency, whether they experience withdrawal symptoms, and whether what they call “kratom juice” contains other substances or medications.

Information about substances used alongside kratom matters a great deal, since some people in treatment may not have a problem with kratom alone. Being honest about medications, alcohol, and other substances used helps the treatment team assess withdrawal symptoms and risk more accurately.

In the early stage, the treatment team monitors physical symptoms, mood, sleep, cravings, and withdrawal. If medication is needed to ease symptoms, a psychiatrist evaluates and determines the appropriate approach for each individual.

Once the initial symptoms stabilize, recovery focuses on the underlying causes and behaviors that lead to relapse, through individual therapy with a psychotherapist, group therapy activities, psychiatric assessment, and medication management by a psychiatrist as appropriate — along with attention to daily routine, diet, rest, and exercise.

Being in a residential environment also helps the person in treatment separate, at least initially, from sources of kratom, social circles, and old routines. This creates an opportunity for the body to adjust and for the person to practice living without relying on the substance, while learning how to manage stress, exhaustion, cravings, and situations previously linked to use.

If depression, anxiety, sleep problems, ADHD, or other co-occurring psychiatric conditions are present, the treatment team assesses and manages them together, so that the issues that once drove substance use don’t remain unaddressed after treatment ends.

The goal, then, isn’t just to stop kratom juice while inside the center — it’s to help the person understand their own cycle of use, build new routines and skills, and prepare a relapse-prevention plan for returning to real life.

Frequently Asked Questions About Kratom

Is kratom addictive?

Yes. Continued kratom use can lead to dependence in some users — starting with more frequent use, cravings, needing higher doses, difficulty cutting back, and withdrawal symptoms when stopping. If use continues despite effects on health, work, finances, or relationships, an evaluation is recommended.

Kratom is a natural plant — does that mean it’s not dangerous?

No. Being a plant doesn’t mean the active compounds it contains have no effect on the brain or body. Kratom contains mitragynine, which acts on the nervous system, and continued use can lead to dependence and withdrawal symptoms in some users.

What are the symptoms of kratom withdrawal?

Possible symptoms include irritability, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, body aches, fatigue, digestive discomfort, and cravings to use again. Severity varies depending on each person’s pattern of use.

Does using kratom every day mean someone is addicted?

Daily use is important information to evaluate, but frequency alone isn’t enough to draw a conclusion. What matters is whether the person can control their use, whether they experience cravings or withdrawal symptoms, whether they need increasing amounts, whether previous attempts to stop have succeeded, and how much the use is affecting their life or health.

Is mixed kratom juice more dangerous than kratom on its own?

The risk depends on what it’s mixed with. If medications, alcohol, or other psychoactive substances are added, the effects on the body can become more complex and severe. When seeking treatment, it’s important to disclose all known ingredients rather than simply saying “kratom juice.”

Can someone quit kratom on their own at home?

It depends on the severity and pattern of use. If someone has used it regularly for a long time, uses large amounts, has clear withdrawal symptoms, has relapsed after previous attempts to stop, uses multiple substances, or has co-occurring physical or mental health issues, they should be evaluated by a professional to plan an appropriate approach to stopping.

What should I do if someone addicted to kratom refuses to quit?

Families don’t need to start by forcing the other person to admit they’re addicted. It helps to talk about what’s actually happening — needing to use every day, withdrawal symptoms when not using, needing more over time, or use starting to affect work, money, and relationships — and then invite them to get an evaluation. If repeated conversations don’t work, consulting a professional can help plan how to communicate more effectively.

Is it really possible to quit kratom for good?

Recovery is possible. Appropriate treatment should address withdrawal symptoms, cravings, behavior, triggers, mental health, and the environment connected to use. Even if someone has relapsed after stopping before, they can still return to treatment, work out what happened, and adjust the plan.

Start Kratom Treatment Before the Problem Gets Worse

Families don’t need to wait until someone they love loses their job, develops serious health problems, or damages relationships at home before seeking help. If you’re already seeing daily kratom use, steadily increasing amounts, an inability to work or function normally without it, withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop, or repeated relapses after quitting, that’s reason enough to begin taking the problem seriously.

For families wondering “how do I get someone to quit kratom,” “does kratom withdrawal need treatment,” or “what do I do if someone addicted to kratom juice refuses to get help,” starting with a consultation with a professional can help clarify the level of dependence, any other substances that may be involved, co-occurring psychiatric conditions, and the right way to talk to that specific person. The goal isn’t just to stop kratom use temporarily — it’s to help the person return to work, rest, manage stress, and live their life without relying on the substance, with a plan in place for cravings and triggers after treatment ends.