Kratom Addiction: Exploring the Use and Dependency on Kratom

The traditional use of kratom in Southeast Asian cultures provides important context for understanding both its potential benefits and risks. For generations, laborers in Thailand and Malaysia have chewed fresh kratom leaves or brewed them into tea to combat fatigue, increase work productivity, and manage pain from physically demanding jobs. This traditional use was typically characterized by moderate, functional consumption integrated into daily work routines and social customs. The plant was also used medicinally to treat various ailments including diarrhea, cough, and opioid withdrawal symptoms, with traditional preparation methods and dosing practices that had been refined over centuries of use.

The pharmacological complexity of kratom sets it apart from many other plant-based substances and contributes to both its therapeutic potential and its addiction liability. Kratom contains over forty alkaloids, with mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine being the most pharmacologically active compounds. These alkaloids interact with multiple receptor systems in the brain, including opioid receptors, adrenergic receptors, serotonin receptors, and dopamine receptors, creating a complex pharmacological profile that can produce both stimulant-like effects at lower doses and opioid-like effects at higher doses.