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Why do YOU drink Kava?

Bula man!

Kava Curious
Not sure if this is already a post or not but anyhow I'm interested in getting to know more about all you great people on the forum and what led you to discover kava. For me, I've just always been into herbs and seeing their potential to improve life. Kava is pretty much a "Vacation" for me every night. I live in Indiana and the weather here sucks sometimes and is really good sometimes, but im not taking my chances... A few shells of kava and i'm on the beach somewhere in Hawaii:). So with that being said why do you drink kava??
 

KavaKrunked

Kava Enthusiast
I drink it mainly because it is the only substance I've tried that I don't immediately want to use all of the time. I know Kapm and a few others understand... Tonight, I'm mixing up a batch of BKH Boroguru after a 6 month hiatus from kava. I ran out of my last bag of Koniak back in August and I haven't missed kava at all. Last week, I realized that my anxiety has been creeping back up on me so it's time for another dance with the root. Bula!

I've been skimming the forum for the past week and after having been absent for awhile was shocked to see boiling water prep has now become a trend... I'm going to have to give it a go.
 

Skywalker

Kava Enthusiast
I like a good buzz, but I refuse to do "drugs"....yes I know I'm a giant hypocrite

I couldn't keep up with all the calories in beer and wine, and I felt I was beginning to crave it just a little too much. I was running 10k a day just so I could drink beer.

And who doesn't have a little anxiety they want gone?

But yeah, definitely the taste. Love that kava flava
 

Ecto

Train by day, Kava by night....All day
I initially started drinking Kava for anxiety relief. Little did I know it would also nearly single handedly free me from my alcohol addiction. Truly is a miracle plant in my eyes.
 

BULABUCK

ROOTLYFE.
Well for all the effects of course , however i do drink kava daily and have been for 9 months ive taken only a three day break once because of stomach issues and lethargy . Just dehydration, and working to much had some back pain that felt like kidneys but it comes and goes . Those three days i wanted kava but could do without . Its hard for me to moderate anything but thats just me and kava is just an angel root anyway so why not bein that iam in recovery and thats alright by me,

VIVA LA ROOTALUTION:)!!!!!!!
 

JonT

Kava Enthusiast
Simple but very good question!
I have multiple reasons:

1) I work shifts, and find that a good sedating, muscle relaxing kava is very helpful for me in getting the rest that I'd otherwise be denied.
2) General relaxation at the end of the day, provided I've done my exercise for that day - then it feels really awesome!
3) Kava parties are fun. One of the few times I really overindulge, but I love the euphoria, combined with almost a clear headed drunkeness.
4) To be fair, kava induced dreams are fascinating.
5) I find I tolerate alcohol worse and worse all the time; kava is an excellent "substitute" with almost none of the downsides.
 

Vekta

Notorious Lightweight
Review Maestro
I also drink it for the anxiolytic effects mainly. It helps with a couple of other things to which is just icing on the cake.

That last bowl I had was some kinda "super shieldy" le'me tell ya. I slept really good and still feel rock solid 3 days later.
 

Ecto

Train by day, Kava by night....All day
I also drink it for the anxiolytic effects mainly. It helps with a couple of other things to which is just icing on the cake.

That last bowl I had was some kinda "super shieldy" le'me tell ya. I slept really good and still feel rock solid 3 days later.
You do know you're going to be immortalized on this forum for coining the "shielding" phrase right?
 

KavaGurl

The Original Kava Forum Mama
Where do I begin...kava has been a godsend for me. For roughly 10 years I was trapped in the vicious medication hell..have disabling anxiety, and pain from fibromyalgia, bursitis,arthritis, tendonitis...blah blah..take meds..they lose effectiveness..up the doses etc..long story short..3 years ago I was at a very dangerous point...2 500mg Vicodin, 2 10mg Flexeril AND 2mg of Xanax every 4 hours...barely helping...so I found Kava and it was like my life stared again!! I instantly quit EVERYTHING and haven't looked back!
 

Dan

Kava Enthusiast
Great question.

Initially it was to help me cope with the constant, non-fun socializing that my partner and I are obliged to do in our professional lives - she and I both work in the non-profit/art world.

Now I mostly find it extremely helpful as a productivity aid. My last hour at work (when I usually drink my kava) is invariably more focused and productive than any other during the day. I find it especially useful for answering all of those emails I've been avoiding during the day.

Would be curious to hear if others drink kava for work-related reasons.
 

kavakavakrunk

Kava = Peace
I drink kava to cope with my anxiety. I have had fierce anxiety my whole life, it really helps mellow me out. I also combine it with other herbs that help the synergy (makes it an even better experience). I use kava anytime during the day... sometimes even twice a day but mainly in the mornings or afternoons. It also helps with my mood swings and perks me up as well as making me more sociable.
 
D

Deleted User01

One day I took my blood pressure and it was up 20 points. It was work related stress caused by my small business. I have Xanax but I hate the side effects. After looking into Medicine Hunter.com and other sites, I decided that Kava might provide me some relief. And it has. It also helped me cut down on my drinking but I still love beer, wine and scotch (in moderation). A side benefit is that I also get to interact with the intelligent and groovy people on this Forum.
 

yepimonfire

Kava Enthusiast
I initially started drinking Kava for anxiety relief. Little did I know it would also nearly single handedly free me from my alcohol addiction. Truly is a miracle plant in my eyes.
This. Haven't craved a drink since I began drinking kava. Even when I go on breaks from it. It's like it undoes addictive pathways or something. Ecto I'm going to PM you. Interested in hearing your story.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

ravahavakava

Kava Curious
pleasant, relaxing, enjoy the mild buzz - I quit weed years ago because I found it made me anxious. Anxiolytic when I'm having a hard day - especially in the winter when my b.chemistry is a little challenges.

Most of all, I like the sense of stillness that I can get if I 'listen' to it - meditative and an aid to mindfulness. That's really what I look for rather than a 'krunk'. Sometimes less is more with this stuff i find. The only piece I'm not crazy about is the sleepiness... and obviously the taste.
 

Chris Gauthier

Kava Curious
Hey, everybody! I'm new here and this seemed like the perfect thread to delurk in.

I was a pot head for about a decade, as well as a casual drinker. I didn't even realize I was self-medicating anxiety with cannabis until I had to stop smoking it. That's when the drinking really started. The last few months of last year I was downing a liter of bourbon every two or three days. My girlfriend has always been into kava-containing supplements, like Happy Camper, and picked up some cheap all-kava pills from GSL on Amazon. Those worked well enough for me to try extracts and finally the root itself. Just this past week I worked through my reverse tolerance (which wasn't very high to begin with) and the amount I have to take to get where I need to be has more than halved*. I haven't had a sip of alcohol for the past week and don't feel the slightest need to drink. I worry about the liver stuff a bit, being a former binge drinker and not having health insurance, but I haven't gotten into any real tudei stuff and probably won't considering my super low tolerance. Assuming I don't turn yellow or curl up with abdominal pains anytime soon, I think I've found the perfect anxiolytic. I really appreciate the good advice and warm conversations you all bring to this forum. I can't thank you enough!

*Down from 4 heaping tblsp to 2 level ones, and even that now almost gets me too krunked out to think straight. Wakacon Fiji Waka, btw, but when that runs out I'm looking forward to shopping around :).
 

violet

Do all things with love
I started drinking kava for the anxiolytic effects. It's great for that, but is beyond amazing for the physical issues I have. The three big ones, chest pain, tendinitis in both wrists, and chronic tension headaches - all GONE with kava. There is nothing I have ever taken that has ever helped any of these problems. The swelling around my ribs and sternum and in my wrists disappears, along with any pain and discomfort. A session every 1-2 nights, and it's like I never had these issues to begin with. It's bonus that I enjoy the immediate effects as well, and my thinking seems to be clearer and more on level when I am drinking kava.
 

The Kap'n

The Groggy Kaptain (40g)
KavaForums Founder
Welcome Chris! You'll find that a good portion of us have very similar stories. I've been drinking kava daily for about 8 years, and I started in response to going to treatment, and entering the recovery scene. I was a heavy abuser of opiate type drugs for years and finally had enough. I added kava to my recovery mixture as soon as I came to the conclusion that, like you, I had been self medicating for anxiety for all those years. I've since found that the addictive part of me I knew so well has faded in combination of the work I did on myself and I truly believe chemically through kava. It's been a godsend my my life which I've tried to share with those around me locally, but the taste seems to be a bit more of a factor that I had originally thought. It's 100% worth it to me.

Also I haven't experienced any liver problems after 8 years daily usage. The only real negative I've experience is dry skin/dermapothy, but again a small price to pay for such an awesome root.
 
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