The way we use and think about substances and substance abuse is changing. Marijuana is legal in many states, fewer people are drinking alcohol than in previous generations, and smoking cigarettes has become far less socially acceptable. At the same time, newer substances are filling some of those spaces.
Kratom and kava are two examples. Both are often marketed as natural alternatives to drugs or alcohol, but natural doesn’t automatically mean harmless. People can develop a dependence on either one, especially when they start using them regularly to manage how they feel.
And that’s the important part: addiction is rarely just about the substance. The substance may change, but the reason someone keeps reaching for it often doesn’t. If kratom or kava has become something you rely on to get through the day, sleep, relax, or feel okay, it may be worth paying attention to how much of a role it has started playing in your life.
What Are Kratom and Kava?
Kratom and kava come from plants, but they have very different effects..
Kratom: Kratom comes from Mitragyna speciosa, a tree native to Southeast Asia. Depending on the amount used, it may produce effects ranging from increased energy and pain relief to relaxation and euphoria. Kratom interacts with opioid receptors in the brain, which can lead to tolerance and physical dependence with regular use.
Kava: Kava comes from Piper methysticum, a plant traditionally used in Polynesian cultures and throughout the South Pacific. Its active compounds, called kavalactones, affect the central nervous system and can produce calming and sedative effects. Kava is sometimes sold as a drink or served at kava bars as a stress relief alternative to alcohol.
Neither substance fits neatly into the idea of a “safe” or “dangerous” drug. What matters is how someone is using it and what happens when they try to stop. Someone may start using kratom for pain or kava to unwind and eventually find that they’re using it much more often than they intended. That’s when it becomes worth looking beyond the substance itself and at what’s happening underneath the use.
Can Kratom or Kava Be Addictive?
Yes, although the risk isn’t the same for both substances.
Kratom can cause tolerance and physical dependence, particularly with regular or heavy use. People who stop after prolonged use may experience kratom withdrawal symptoms.
Kava is generally considered less likely to cause dependence, but frequent use can still become problematic. The bigger concern is whether you’re starting to lose control over your use or finding it harder to get through the day without it.
Physical dependence and addiction aren’t exactly the same thing. Someone can become physically dependent on a substance without having an addiction, while addiction involves a pattern of compulsive use that continues despite problems.
Signs of Kratom or Kava Addiction
Addiction is a complex thing. It isn’t a character flaw, and it doesn’t mean you simply aren’t trying hard enough. Your brain can adapt to repeated substance use, and something that started out feeling helpful can become difficult to control. Sometimes the changes are subtle enough that you don’t realize how much has shifted until you’ve tried to stop.
Some signs that kratom or kava may have become a problem include:
- Tolerance: You need more to get the effects you used to feel from less.
- Cravings: You think about using it or feel pulled toward it even when you had planned not to.
- Control: You keep using more often or in larger amounts than you intended.
- Withdrawal: You feel physically or emotionally uncomfortable when you cut back or stop.
- Priorities: Using starts taking up time or attention that used to go somewhere else.
- Attempts: You’ve tried to cut back before but found yourself going back to it.
- Secrecy: You hide how much you’re using or feel uncomfortable telling someone about it.
You don’t need to check every box to deserve help. Maybe you’ve only noticed one change, or maybe you’re still functioning normally in most parts of your life. If you’re starting to wonder whether kratom or kava has more control over you than you’d like, that’s worth taking seriously. You can look at what’s happening without beating yourself up over it.
What Does Treatment for Kratom or Kava Addiction Look Like?
Treatment begins with understanding what’s actually happening. An assessment can look at how often you’re using kratom or kava, why you started, whether you’ve tried to stop, and what happens when you do.
Detox: The Grove doesn’t provide detox services, but that doesn’t mean you’re on your own if you need them. Someone experiencing withdrawal after regular kratom use may need medical detox before entering treatment, and the team can help with the logistics of finding appropriate care.
Therapy: Treatment addresses more than stopping substance use. Therapy can help clients understand the reasons behind their kratom or kava use and develop healthier ways to manage stress, emotions, and everyday challenges.
Structure: PHP and IOP provide different levels of support depending on each client’s needs. As recovery progresses, clients can gradually take on more independence while continuing to receive accountability.
Life After Treatment: Recovery doesn’t stop when someone finishes a program. Sober living, ongoing support, and The Grove’s alumni community can give people somewhere to turn as they get further into recovery.
At The Grove, we know that getting someone to stop using kratom or kava is only part of the picture. People usually don’t start relying on a substance for no reason. Maybe it helped them cope with something they didn’t know how else to handle, or maybe it slowly became their answer to a problem that never really went away. Treatment gives them a chance to examine that, so they’re not just trying to take something away without figuring out what they were using it for in the first place.
Finding the Right Level of Care
Not everyone needs the same level of support. People turn to substances for different reasons, which means they may need different tools to recover. The Grove offers several options for people working toward recovery from kratom or kava addiction.
PHP: The Grove’s partial hospitalization program gives clients a more structured treatment environment without requiring them to stay in a hospital. It can be a good fit for someone who needs treatment to be a major part of their day while they work through the early stages of recovery.
IOP: Intensive outpatient treatment offers more flexibility while keeping regular treatment and accountability in place. As someone becomes more comfortable managing life without kratom or kava, IOP can give them room to start taking on more of their usual responsibilities.
Sober Living: Going straight back to the same environment after treatment isn’t always the easiest move. Sober living gives clients a substance-free place to continue working on recovery while they get used to handling everyday life without relying on a substance.
Case Management: Recovery doesn’t put everything else on pause. The Grove’s case managers can help clients address practical problems, including ongoing legal issues, so those issues don’t compete with treatment for all their attention.
Everyday Support: Recovery involves more than therapy, which is why The Grove offers amenities designed to make day-to-day life a little easier. Food is provided, transportation is available, and clients can get gym passes while they’re at The Grove. Drug testing is also part of treatment, giving the team a way to keep an honest conversation going about recovery rather than waiting for a problem to become bigger.
Connection: Leaving treatment doesn’t have to mean losing the people you’ve met there. The Grove’s alumni community gives former clients a way to stay connected, and its non-12-step approach, including Recovery Dharma, gives people another option if traditional recovery programs don’t feel like a good fit.
Recovery is hard enough without having to figure out every practical detail on your own. Having somewhere to live, people to talk to, and help with the stuff waiting for you outside treatment can make it a little easier to focus on what you’re actually there to do: build a life you don’t need a substance to get through.
The Grove Recovery Community Can Help
If kratom or kava has become harder to control than you expected, you don’t have to wait until things get worse to reach out. You can start by simply talking to someone about what’s been happening and figuring out what kind of support makes sense.
At The Grove Recovery Community, the goal is bigger than helping someone stop using a substance. It’s about understanding why they needed it in the first place and helping them build other ways to handle what life throws at them. You don’t have to have everything figured out before you ask for help. You just have to be ready to start somewhere.
