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Kratom is a tree native to tropical areas and grows natively in Southeast Asia, in areas such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. It contains psychotropic compounds that alter users’ emotional, perception, and physical states. There are many slang terms for kratom, including Biak-Biak, Ithang, Maeng Da Leaf, Mambog, Mitragynine Extract, Thang, Thom, and more.
The leaves are thought to be used as medicine and recreationally. Unfortunately, most people succumb to a dangerous cycle of addiction when taking kratom. When used as a drug, the leaves are chewed or dried and brewed into a tea, which is then said to elevate the mood and energy levels of the user. However, the drawback is that kratom often perpetuates an addiction, keeping the user in a dangerous cycle of using and possibly returning to harder, more dangerous drugs. Furthermore, due to its addictive nature, many people who use kratom end up dependent on it and other drugs to feel “functional.”
What is Kratom Maeng Da?
There are many kratom strains, and Maeng Da is considered one of the more popular and powerful strains by many kratom enthusiasts. Maeng Da comes in three different types that are graded by the color of the veins in the leaves. The leaves of kratom are usually very dark green, and the difference in the vein color indicates the strain and the expected corresponding effects.
Red Maeng Da
Red maeng da consists of a mixture of the white and red vein plants from Indonesia, approximately 40% white and 60% red ratio. This mix or variety is often used to boost motivation and can have an intense effect on the beginner. The red component is supposed to make the user feel the stress relief effects, while the white component is what increases alertness and sense of well-being. However, as previously mentioned, kratom is extremely addictive, and using any strain can lead to serious adverse effects for the user.
Green Maeng Da
Green maeng da is a variety made from a mixture of white and green vein kratom powder, at about a 20% white to 80% green proportion, depending on the vendor and creator of the formula. The leaves are sourced largely from Indonesia and are often used as a morning tonic, thought to increase optimism. However, as mentioned, the addiction risk is high for all kratom strains, and most users will venture down more dangerous cycles of addiction due to taking kratom.
White Maeng Da
This kratom maeng da blend comprises around 70% white vein kratom and about 30% green vein kratom. These are also one of the varieties most commonly sourced from Indonesia and will need up to two days to dry and cure. White maeng da is supposed to promote a sense of well-being and motivation. In addition, it is thought to be the most aromatic of the kratom maeng da blends.
General Effects
Maeng da is highly potent, and so most users will find they experience intense effects no matter which blends they prefer.
Kratom maeng da is said to boost energy levels. This is what can lead many people recovering from opioids to try kratom. Some even think it will help reduce or eliminate many symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal. Unfortunately, users taking this route are still at risk of developing a dependency on kratom maeng da, whether physical-chemical or psychological dependence. Furthermore, using kratom to replace appropriate treatment or rehab can be extremely dangerous as it can lead the user to try other drugs to gain the same “high” that kratom can give. Furthermore, because kratom acts on opioid receptors, the user is at risk of staying in the dangerous cycle of addiction to opioids instead of withdrawing.
Dangerous Side Effects of Using Kratom Maeng Da
Kratom has a high possibility of adverse side effects and danger to the user. If someone uses kratom and then consumes nicotine, for example, the kratom can become incredibly toxic. Additionally, many users smoke the kratom maeng da, even in extracted powder form. This leads to potential kratom use dangers and the dangers of smoking anything, including leaves or powders.
Dangerous and potentially deadly side effects can include physical damage to the airway due to inhaling hot smoke. In addition, damage to the capillary tissue in the lungs can occur, which reduces the ability of the lungs to keep up with the body’s demands for fresh oxygen. On their own, either of these can be life-changing, but together, they can boost the risk of chronic breathing disorders such as COPD.
How to Safely Detox From Kratom Maeng Da
Just as with many other drugs that create dependencies, whether chemical or psychological, kratom has the potential to create a very robust use & reward cycle for its users, meaning some users will experience difficulty when trying to stop using kratom maeng da. If this sounds like you or someone you know, you can assure them that they have a support network and that help is waiting.
By working with experienced treatment professionals, the individual in recovery can have input on the type of treatment they think will be the best. This can be anything from an inpatient detox plan with medical supervision to an intensive outpatient plan that will help you on your schedule.
The recovering individual is given a robust mental toolset by learning more advanced techniques and methods for mitigating possibly triggering events or situations. This helps ensure the stability and success of long-term recovery.
If you or a loved one is struggling with an addiction to kratom, the time to get help is now. Don’t let another sacred moment of your life pass you by while plagued by the dangerous grip of addiction. Instead, reach out to a friendly enrollment advisor today to get the help you need and deserve.
Sources:
Infinite Recovery has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations for our references. We avoid using tertiary references as our sources. You can learn more about how we source our references by reading our editorial guidelines and medical review policy.
- Smith M. What Is Kratom? WebMD. Published March 20, 2021. Accessed June 28, 2022. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/kratom-facts
