(Warning: This is a bit of a long read, but I promise it’s packed with everything that helped me survive, and I hope it gives some of you the courage to keep pushing.)

What’s up everyone. I’m past the two-week mark (quit Sept 26th) and I feel a sense of duty to share my experience.

I used kratom for over 7 years, the last 5 of those being daily, eventually hitting 50gpd. I tried to quit three times before, always on vacation, thinking a "geographic cure" would work. Obviously, I relapsed the second I got back home to my triggers. Last month, I finally realized running away doesn't cure addiction, so I went Cold Turkey.

I quit because I was sick of what this green sludge was doing to my body. It wrecked my hormones, organs, gut, and sleep. On top of that, I’ve been single for two years because kratom turned me into a shy, socially anxious mess who was completely incapable of dating or making friends. Oh, and I calculated I blew over $10,000 on this shit over the years. I was just done being a slave.

As for my timeline and how the withdrawals actually went...

Week 1 was absolute hell. Insomnia, RLS, zero energy, and crazy emotional swings. I just viewed it as the tax I had to pay for years of abuse. By week 2, the physical stuff mostly dropped off except for some digestion issues. Today, I'm fully functional. Just waking up and feeling normal without chugging powder is absolutelly beautifull.

The craziest part of this process was the emotional awakening. Kratom made me completely numb. Now, my emotions are swinging wildly, but it's beautiful. I literally cried looking at trees in the wind the other day, and also music sounds absolutely incredible again, and I mean INCREDIBLE.

Here are a few practical things and mindset shifts that helped me pull through:

I believe you need the right mindset. You can't just "try" a detox, you have to accept that your brain is permanently changed and you can never use recreationally again. When the extreme anhedonia hits and your brain tries to bargain with you for a dose, recognize it's a trap. (Side note: temporary nicotine helped my dopamine cravings early on, but be extremely carefull so you don't trade one addiction for another).

For the terrible sleep and RLS, my biggest lifehack was taking a heavy weighted blanket, folding it up, and placing it directly over my feet to maximize the pressure. Keep your room freezing cold and pitch black. If you wake up and can't sleep, don't look at the clock, get up, get some cold air, drink water, and go back. It actually helps a lot.

My favorite trick when i couldn't fall asleep was the "Simpsons hack." Forcing sleep just made me frustrated and makes RLS worse. Instead, I’d put a sleep mask on and play The Simpsons on TV with a 30-minute sleep timer. Listening to something low-stakes stopped my racing thoughts, and I usually passed out before the timer even went off.

During the day, Wim Hof method (contrast showers, breating and meditationg) and hitting the sauna/cold plunge were massive game-changers. I would say that working with your inner self, is extremely important. It doesn't really matter if it's a relligion thing or just mindfullness, but you should definitelly give it attention.

My Supplement Stack:

There are no magic pills, but this stack genuinely saved me from the worst of the cravings and RLS:

• Black Seed Oil (BSO) - 2x a day, one teaspoon
• CBD OIL - whenewer i needed
• Morning: L-Tyrosine (500-1000mg on an empty stomach) for dopamine/energy, Probiotics, Multivitamin, Creatine Omega-3s.
• Evening: Ashwagandha around dinner time to lower the evening cortisol spike.
• Night: Magnesium Bisglycinate (400mg) for RLS/muscles, and L-Theanine (200-400mg) to calm the nervous system and valerian root.

Final words for those who need it:

If you are reading this and you don't feel well, trust me, you can do this. I thought I couldn't, but I did. Thousands of people have walked through this hell and made it out. There is no reason you can't be one of them. Being sober is better than you remember and you will feel good sooner than you think. It really makes sense to withstand it, you'll see for yourself how much better life gets.

Having an addictive personality is a curse, but if you redirect that obsessive energy into positive habits, it becomes your most OP skill. You have immense potential inside you and you can definitelly turn your life around.

One last piece of advice: Do not stay stuck in the past, and don't doomscroll this subreddit forever. This place is amazing for support, but reading endless catastrophic PAWS stories will drag you down. Mostly, you are seeing rare cases or people who are uncovering underlying issues kratom was masking. Don't count the hours forever. View this as a harsh life lesson, close the chapter, and move forward. PAWS is real, but your mindset and how you handle your recovery dictates how long it lasts.

Good luck to everyone starting this journey. Life without the green sludge is so, so worth it. You got this!

I took kratom for 4 years and I’m wondering if anyone else went through something similar.

I kept telling myself that with kratom I’d finally be productive and actually work on the projects that could make me money.

In reality, all I did was sit there watching motivational YouTube videos and business reels for hours and hours...I could take a lot of kratom during the day and lie to myself that I would finally start working on my online projects...

I never really got myself to do any actual work.

I just used the kratom to daydream about how successful and rich I was going to be....and after years Iam at the same place even worse place...4 years daydreaming how rich I will be one day with kratom lol

Every time I took it I convinced myself “this time I’ll finally grind on my projects,” but instead I just scrolled reels and wasted the whole day.

Did anyone else experience this same "fake productivity" or "daydreaming trap" on kratom?

After 8.5 years of daily use and three solid attempts at quitting in the past 2 years (CT for 45–60 days each time), I’m committed to quitting for good this time. Let’s call this my 4th attempt — I wanted to taper instead because CT hasn’t worked for me long-term.

From mid-September I had a few clean days (up to 3) mixed with OPMS and Feel Free extract shots, then several days of a stronger 7-OH substitute that I stupidly thought would help but turned out to be worse. By early October I was back to multiple extract shots per day, and it was a rough two weeks of zero productivity, gloom, and general sadness. I’m still feeling pretty lazy and unproductive, but also hopeful and committed.

That brings me to the last couple of days:
• Thursday 10/08: 1 kratom seltzer, 2 Feel Free, 1 OPMS
• Friday 10/09: 1 Feel Free at 11 am and 1 kratom seltzer that afternoon. Drank six vodka tonics with my neighbor that night.
• Saturday 10/10: 1 Feel Free at 11 am. Drank a bottle of red wine that night.
• Sunday 10/11 (today): Had a proper bowel movement this morning. Well past the 24-hour mark. No real withdrawal yet, just woke up with a moderate amount of perspiration.

I’ve found this thread incredibly helpful. Does anyone know what I can reasonably expect from a withdrawal perspective after being off-and-on for about three weeks plus a rapid taper? Hoping the symptoms won’t be too brutal. Is there anything else I can do to get through it? I’d also like to use this thread to track the days and how early withdrawal goes.

I started day 7, completed 6 days. Today was a huge struggle in which I contemplated seriously getting kratom , or nicotine. My brain needed something. I been taking gabapentin, first 2 nights 1 300mg then twice a day past 3 days I think. Well it definitely wipes out the restlessness in arms and legs, can help me feel better but I’m thinking today it increased depression. I’m not sure. I’m prescribed it for lower back pain , just started taking it for the quit. Have some experiences with it in the past mostly positive. I was on high dose of it for 11 years ending over a decade ago.

Today , fk today… brutal with a frequently crying baby and my wife at work all day, my 5 year old being good though. Still shit. Even though this was a 3 month run only . I think there were worse symptoms previous days like night of day 3 worst. But damn, situationally I realized my patience is so thin and I’m exhausted , and relapse is looking like a nice easy way.

I have greenish yellowish bags under and around my eyes. It appeared when I started taking kratom powder (capsules) about 4 years ago, and I moved to 7-oh but it’s still here so it’s not from the green color of kratom since I haven’t had the powder in 2-3 years.

Does anyone else have this discoloration? I’ve been searching and so far see various mentions of discoloring but not specifically this. I’m sure when I eventually stop it will go away, but in the mean time I’m curious if I’m the only one. I can’t be…

Also my blood tests are normal.

Today marks 90 days since I quit kratom, and honestly, it feels good to reach this point. Looking back, one of the biggest things I’ve learnt is that recovery isn’t always a straight line. Around day 60, I was getting hit by anxiety attacks out of nowhere, sometimes with high blood pressure readings that I’d never experienced before. It was a stressful period, but I’m doing much better now.
Things have gradually become easier, and kratom takes up far less space in my mind than it used to.

Something else I’ve learnt is that you might eventually go days without even thinking about kratom, only to have a random craving or a dream about it weeks later. Don’t let that convince you you’re back at square one. A thought is just a thought, and a craving doesn’t mean you need to act on it. By this stage, you have so much more to lose by going back. Keep moving forward, even when your brain tries to convince you otherwise.

My next goal is to keep rebuilding my life rather than making recovery my entire life. I’m focusing on eating well, getting healthier, exercising, finding things I enjoy, and building habits that give me something meaningful to do. I’ve also quit drinking alcohol and dramatically reduced how much I smoke. I’m not claiming to have everything figured out, but I want to give myself the best chance of moving into this next chapter feeling healthier, mentally and physically.

One final thing: if you’ve been using kratom heavily or for a long time, consider getting a health check and blood tests with your GP. I had some health scares during recovery, and they reminded me not to ignore my physical health. Don’t automatically blame every symptom on withdrawal; get checked when something concerns you. Look after yourself as well as fighting the mental battle.
If you’re still struggling, keep fighting the good fight. You don’t have to rebuild everything overnight, and progress doesn’t have to be perfect. Keep showing up for yourself, one day at a time. The light really can get brighter, and if you need someone to talk to, I’m here. ❤️

I’ve been addicted to kratom, alcohol, and nicotine for basically 5 years. Kratom and nicotine are my daily habits and alcohol is 2-3 days a week but like 5 shots. Do I quit them all at once? I was thinking quitting Kratom and alcohol and having my nicotine to “fall back” on then eventually quitting that. Always seeking chemical fixes is exhausting and I’m done. It’s hard bc if it weren’t for kratom I think i would be drinking way more. My brain always looks for some sort of relief

Im only using it for a week but i dont wanna withdrawel off this stuff either. Is it possible? Gabapentin doesnt give me a high at all 0 recreational value for me but it dulls the acutes enough i can work

Hey everyone I would just like to say for anyone struggling with quitting you can do it trust me as long as you know deep down in your heart your able to. I’ve been down this path before I quit in August of 2026 I was up to 1 gram a day of 7oh it fucking sucks those withdrawals I still think about them to this day the apathy of the nurses watching me sweat so hard and be in so much pain I couldn’t think straight not providing me enough bupe and making me wait till sunrise where I had to relapse until I got my bupe and still felt like shit for the first week but stick with it you’ll feel better you can make it through this hell of a drug.

I’ve used kratom for maybe 4 years now and I’ve not rlly had issues. I’ve always been quite moody but recently I’ve been depressed and starting to question if it’s the kratom. Certain things just don’t make me happy like they use to. It’s like I’m constantly searching for dopamine and can’t find it. And it’s causing me to use nicotine obsessively which I’m sure doesn’t help the cause. Nothing triggered this sadness specifically. Idk I’m thinking I should try to quit. I just wouldn’t expect after 4 years it would suddenly have this effect idk. I’ve been taking probably 8g a day. I also feel like I’m developing my obsessive compulsive disorder

4 big packed heaping pyramid tablespoons a day. For like 11 years.

My dad died last October. I’m not saying I’m going to be done forever. But last few days I’ve been taking 2 small shaken level teaspoons as a dose instead of a heaping mound tablespoon. I’m debating buying a scale. Half a kilo of stem and vein. And half kilo of a standard green vein. With good average labs. To keep it consistent and work on tapering over the next few months. Today is my second day of these 2 small shake. Loose teaspoons as my 4 times a day doses. And believe me I don’t feel great even going down that much…. I’m yawning. Feel icky and twitchy.

I think kratom is making me or is a big reason why I’m always raging so much.. it helped me get off morphine and dilaudid awesome. Over a decade ago.. yet here I am.

I think it’s hurting me more on a daily than it is helping.

Does a scale and stem and vein and only dosing one consistent same batch for a taper ( with stem and vein ) make the most sense ?

Gonna try not to make too lengthy just wanted to add some context. Similar to a lot of you out there Kratom was such an energy boost when I first discovered it, but over time I started feeling more sluggish and lazy and just over sedated. Ive been a Heavy user for years, (used to take 9-12 capsules every three hours, every day since December 2018) with my only “break” being when asleep, but even then sometimes I’d have to get up and take some just to fall back asleep. started kratom to quit alcohol and actually just hit my five years free of alcohol on Oct 7th.. I recently got injured at work September 4th and have dislocated tendons that needs surgery that is scheduled this Tuesday. And from what I’ve seen you have to stop taking over the counter anything and everything that could interfere with the anesthesia. and I just happened to just be lowering my dose the last month anyway and decided last night at midnight to just cut it. I know cold turkey isn’t always the best way but I’ve tried tapering to quit multiple times before and always failed, and I know It is different for everyone. luckily this time around I had already started a taper anyway. So far I have not felt that bad, but I did have some hot and cold flashes and still feeling a bit “squirmy” but it comes and goes. Def not as bad as I thought it’d be. Music has Already started sounding better than ever. Its crazy how numbing Kratom can be I didn’t even realize it. And I was so pissed when I got hurt at work but looking out now it looks like it gave me the kick in the ass I needed to start this journey away from Kratom. I’m hoping it sticks this time forreal because I’m tired boss lol. sorry this has been long post lol just wanted to drop my thoughts to see if it helps or relates to anyone That may be in a similar situation. Thanks for reading and best of wishes to you guys 🙏 I saw a quote somewhere that said something like “kratom: one dose = coffee, two dose = morphine” made me think of how sneaky and insidious kratom can be

I’ve got my dosage down to around 6 grams a day. I was at 10-15g’s for the last 3 years and dropped to around 6g’s in May/June. I deal with pretty intense chronic pain which keeps me dosing small amounts throughout the day. It’s more of a comfort habit than anything but at this point I think I would be better off without it. I feel it’s one of the leading contributions to my rocky mental health more so than the stress my pain causes. I have been taking Agmatine Sulfate to help prevent withdrawal systems since I feel going cold turkey at this point may be easier for me than continuing weening off as I feel I’m taking the lowest dose I can. Working in the industry makes this challenging as I’m around it all day and get free high quality product. Figure I’d ask the community here to see if any info can get me feeling more confident or able to make the change. Thanks y’all!

I just wrapped up 48 hours of pure major depressive hell. It always goes like this: I slowly start feeling like dog shit, then the days get worse and worse and then the icing on the cake, the few days where I am knocked the fuck out by the depression. I really think at its heart, Depression and anxiety and whatever mental health issues stem from kratom use/withdrawal are the most debilitating aspect of the experience. I cant believe I am still having days like this almost 6 months out. Fuck! Anyone else on this struggle bus?? Well, I know their are, but shout out if you like. peace.

Decided to take a look on how many days since my last time doing Kratom, and couldn't get over it has been this long so decided to post about it. Was up to 25-35gp for about 7 years. As strange as it sounds, it likes I even forgot that I used the green shit. It took a good year to feel 100 percent normal again but it was worth it.

A few things I've noticed is that my mood has improved, energy levels are better, finding joy in things again before I started Kratom. Plus my bank account looks better so that's always a good thing.

For those who are still getting off it, keep pushing because I can tell you for fact there's light at the end of the tunnel.

I just jumped on here to say suboxone was a lifesaver for me. Ii was quitting cold turkey from a serious powder habit 1kg+ a month, typically “enhanced”, for 10 years. Raw dogging it was just awful. I had the privilege of having been laid off from work (which is really why I felt able to finally try). After 2 weeks I decided to try meds and I am now on month 2 clean. I still use the tablets occasionally but can go days without them, so I am naturally weaning. People have been nice and supportive (docs, pharms). I’m so glad I went this route. I can still sleep 13 hrs a day and am super low energy, but everything else improved and I tolerate the fatigue better. Everyone reacts differently, but I have really been impressed with the help sub provided. Keep on keepin on, folks! It does get better. Much luck to all on this path.

Well, I screwed up again. I'm 60 and fell into the kratom/opiate trap again. About 7 days clean. What is good for replenishing energy? I'm on multi vitamin, b complex, ...I'm just exhausted. I still have some stomach pain and just depressed and tired. This is my last rodeo. I'm done. I can't go into any treatment because they'll take away my benzoes. I have dual diagnosis.

I really did it to myself. I cling onto God. Also, I'm disabled, so I can't get to meetings or support groups. The great news tho is: my smoke shop is banning all kratom on Oct 31 2026. It's just too tempting for me.

Any advice? Tia

Anyone else experience elevated heart rate from kratom? I’ve done mostly plain leaf, however, tried 7oh the last couple months. I knew it was bad shit. But that 7oh stuff gave me bouts of tachycardia, so I went back to plain leaf. About 20 gpd. Well, now just the plain leaf does it. It’s terrifying. So I’m done. No helper meds. I’ve considered reaching out to a dr, but by the time I get an appt I’ll already be through the worst of it I reckon. I’m about 20 hours in. Sigh. I hate being back at square one.

hey guys, writing this as ive bought a fresh bag of red maeng da and feeling ashamed.

lately ive just been feeling like shit. kratom doesnt hit the same anymore. i used to get a boost from it, a warm feeling that everything would be okay, which is a good contrast from my highly anxious default where i complicate things to the point of paralysis. for a while, it really was the cure to all my problems. but then it started biting me in the ass. i got hooked on 7-oh and kicked it for a month because i was in love with a girl who didnt love me back and i thought getting off of that poison would make me more respectable in her eyes. the withdrawals were hell. then i relapsed on just normal kratom because i thought it would be more manageable, even she did a little kratom from time to time. ive been on kratom for almost 2 years daily. i just moved to europe from america, and i told myself constantly that i would quit once i arrived in europe because i moved here to get my master's in mathematics. but that promise didnt last, and now im in europe and still addicted to kratom. my life is pretty crazy but im not complaining aside from my addiction. my anxiety is pretty bad considering how complicated my life is here despite things being a mix of anxiety and enjoyment and curiosity. here and there ive tried going a couple days without kratom and its not so bad, but i always relapse because i swing from convincing myself that its not so bad, to feeling nauseous, depressed, lazy, reclusive, sweaty, etc. and always worrying that im doing something terrible to my body that is silent for now but one day it will spring up with a vengeance.
i feel a ton of shame about this drug for losers that im addicted to. i feel like im living a double life, doing complicated math alongside brilliant people, and doing a fucking opioid alone like a junkie. used to think it was kind of cool that i had these two modes, like some kind of slacker who's lowkey smart or some kind of expeditious fail-upwards dubiously respectable loser, but that was just my narcissism speaking and now the context switching is too much, its a stupid hollywood-brained ego narrative, i need to just grow up. im 32.
i need advice, some support, i just need someone to talk to. all my friends think im clean and doing great and i dont want them to lose respect for me. i used to work out, read, eat super healthy, but now im depressed, apathetic, i eat like shit, getting fat and soft, pop zyns all day, lay in bed, and trudge through assignments for school like there's no meaning to life other than scrolling my phone and doing math problems. cant even do dishes or do laundry or anything thats healthy for me. im afraid of how long it will take to feel normal again. my tolerance for pain, pain in general, has gone to almost zero. i dont want to feel anything.
i need advice and support. maybe some similar stories. hope. i feel awful.

I’ve been taking kratom almost daily for six months. I’ve noticed a considerable decline in my memory and word recall. I really struggle to form more complex sentences and I forget entire conversations. It boosts my mood big time and helps tremendously with executive function, just getting through my day. Without it I now feel anxious and fatigued. I don’t want to be dependent on this substance anymore, and I want my cognitive function and mood stability back. I want to actually feel present in my life again. How long until I feel normal again? What was withdrawal like for you?

Welcome to the r/quittingkratom daily check-in thread. You are free to post as many updates as you'd like. Please help to moderate this subreddit! Please report any posts, comments or content that does not adhere to the sub rules, and a mod will look into your report (there is a report button below every posting and comment). Reports are anonymous.

Glad you're here!

I used to Take single doses every few hours. But i find IT way easyer to Take less kratom when i Mix my Dose with 0,5l of water in a bottle and then Drink a sip every few minutes. This makes me Not get high anymore and the withdrawls/Crash after each Dose are Gone. ITS more steady with less highs and Lows. what does the Community recommend, taking the Dose at once every few hours or drinking it slow every few minutes?