Kratom Withdrawal: What Treatment Can Actually Look Like
TRANSCRIPT:
So you're talking about, like, a 22-year-old kid who goes into a gas station and is using a drug that he thinks is safe, or she thinks is safer than- ... the alternative of going and getting pills or doing something else, right?
They believe that this is a safer, more watered down version, and when they come off it, they have to be put on Suboxone or i- in some cases, like Sublocade, which is a commitment. That's a commitment. And those substances are out there to help us in those situations, but w-
Additionally, we're usually using, just so you know, we are usually using a Valium taper too, because you don't know the level of anxiety they're gonna drop from coming down because they're crawling out of their skin, and then we're also having to do Zyprexa because they're not able to sleep, and they're, like, so agitated that they can't rest.
And so you're having to do an antipsychotic, an antianxiety, and a Suboxone, which the Suboxone then, when you are not used to Suboxone, creates that heavy sedation effect too.
So they look like a little zombie walking around, and they're, like, "I need to get out of here.
It's just kratom."
"You can't walk, sir. You can't get out of here,"
But it's a heavy amount of medication. It's wild. So I think just for us to, like, make sure everyone is knowing what we're seeing, make sure that we're all having the same conversation around a drug is really important.
This video is an excerpt from a continuing education presentation in Philadelphia featuring Kevin Bandy of Voyage Recovery Center and Brandy Price Klingman of St. Christopher’s Addiction Wellness Center. The presentation explored kratom and other emerging substances and the challenges they present for clinicians, families, and young adults. Special thanks to Synergy Houses, Ashley Addiction Treatment, and Be a Part of the Conversation for helping make this event possible.
This content is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. If you have questions or concerns about kratom, emerging substances, or substance use in a young adult, please contact Voyage Recovery Center directly.