Kratom — An Overview By An Experienced User

I’ve used + researched kratom for 7 years. Here’s what I learned:

Jake O'Callaghan
8 min readAug 4, 2019
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

Depending on who you ask, kratom is either a harmless, beneficial plant or a destructive, addictive drug.

As usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

In this article, I provide a reasonable, nuanced view of the controversial plant based on my 7 years of personal experience and extensive research.

This article isn’t a guide on “how to use kratom” — it’s an overview of important kratom information that will help you determine if purchasing it is worthwhile.

Let’s start with the basics.

A Quick Synopsis on Kratom

Kratom is a plant in the coffee family that grows natively in Southeast Asia.

Kratom tree leaves are ground into powder. Users mix the powder into drinks, dump it in their mouth (toss-and-wash method), or brew it into tea.

It typically takes 20 to 40 minutes to feel the effects of kratom. If you drink kratom tea the effects typically come-on slower.

Effects vary based on the dosage, person, and strain. That being said, general effects can include:

  • Increased energy

--

--

Jake O'Callaghan

I try to add color to the world. Full-time freelance writer/solopreneur. Have the autoimmune conditions IBD, RA, and IC. I win the battle against pain every day