Kava is a supplement that people have been using for at least a thousand years to treat insomnia, promote relaxation, and manage anxiety, but is it as beneficial as it appears, or is kava addictive? At Promises, we offer addiction treatment programs to help you with any type of substance use disorder you have. Contact our team by calling 844.875.5609.
Is Kava Addictive? What It Is and How It Impacts Your Body
Kava, also known as kava-kava, is a substance made from the root of the Piper methysticum plant, which is native to the western Pacific Islands. Kava has psychoactive properties that can lead to feelings of euphoria while also depressing the central nervous system.
People often describe the feeling of using kava as that of taking mild benzodiazepines or drinking alcohol. Although it’s used to help with anxiety, insomnia, and chronic stress, some people also use it recreationally, especially when combined with alcohol.
Kava can cause effects like:
- Drowsiness
- Sociability
- Feelings of relaxation
- Headaches
- Gastrointestinal discomfort
- Vomiting
- Nausea
To understand if kava can lead to dependence and addiction, it’s important to consider the effects it has on the brain. Like other central nervous system depressants, it leads to feelings of calmness and relaxation while also encouraging the release of dopamine.
Your brain registers the experience of using kava as a positive one that it wants to repeat, causing cravings that can lead you to use the substance again.
You may also build a tolerance to kava. This tolerance means you must continue increasing the amount of it you consume to get the same effects. Although mild, you can experience withdrawal symptoms, too, if you abruptly stop using kava. All of these signs point to kava being addictive.
Dangers of Long-Term Kava Use
Using kava can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver failure. One of the reasons kava may lead to liver damage is the way that the body metabolizes it. Liver enzymes do this job.
The enzymes can get caught up metabolizing kava while the substance inhibits other enzymes from metabolizing other medications. This lets them accumulate in the liver and cause damage.
Kava metabolizes into substances that directly damage liver cells as well. It also depletes glutathione, which is a crucial antioxidant in the liver.
Liver toxicity can occur more rapidly if you use kava in combination with alcohol. Long-term kava use often causes severe stomach irritation, kidney damage, and more.
How to Get Help for a Kava Use Disorder
Being dependent on a drug can quickly lead to addiction, and if that occurs, you need to turn to addiction treatment programs for help. At Promises, we offer a number of treatment programs to help you break away from substance abuse and maintain your sobriety.
We offer residential treatment for those needing an intense and immersive program. It requires you to stay at our facilities overnight. We offer 24/7 supervision to ensure you remain comfortable and safe as you go through your recovery.
We also have outpatient options that allow you to go home every night. This makes it possible for you to keep up with your family and work responsibilities while still getting the care you need.
Begin Your Recovery Journey from Kava Addiction at Promises
When you turn to Promises, you can get the help you deserve. With a team of experts ready to guide you and therapy sessions that make it possible to dive into the underlying cause of the kava addiction, you have the chance to obtain long-term sobriety.
Don’t wait to begin your journey toward healing from kava dependence. Call Promises today at 844.875.5609.