Kava for anxiety? New member

[tim303]

Hi guys I am new here and trying to deal with some anxiety problems. I was wondering what type of kava is best to help with this? What method is also best? Pills? Tea?

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Hi guys I am new here and trying to deal with some anxiety problems. I was wondering what type of kava is best to help with this? What method is also best? Pills? Tea?

The best is traditional kava beverage made with just medium ground dry kava, prepared in the traditional way with just water. Expect to consume small amounts of kava daily for a couple of months before symptoms start to go down and about 7 - 8 months for anything like a cure, if that is going to happen. Some people get cured, some don't, but most do get a reduction in symptoms. Also, you can drink larger amounts for pleasure, and some people find that gives immediate relief for some anxiety symptoms.

 

[stalebird]

The best is traditional kava beverage made with just medium ground dry kava, prepared in the traditional way with just water. Expect to consume small amounts of kava daily for a couple of months before symptoms start to go down and about 7 - 8 months for anything like a cure, if that is going to happen. Some people get cured, some don't, but most do get a reduction in symptoms. Also, you can drink larger amounts for pleasure, and some people find that gives immediate relief for some anxiety symptoms.

Absolutely not trying to disagree with you since I’m a newbie (and you mentioned some people get near-immediate relief), but I take .5mg of Xanax and 20mg of Paxil daily for anxiety; been on both of those doses for about 6 years. (Not here for folks to tell me how awful xanax is for me - I already know; in fact that’s how I found kava and kavaforums.) but I would say that over the last 8 days (my first 8 days) of kava, my mood and anxiety have both improved. What’s odd is that I only drink kava in the evening. But the last three days, at work, I feel better than I have in YEARS. In fact, I only took .25mg of xanax the last two days. I understand I’m on about the lowest dose of Xanax you can get, and this is possibly placebo, but if it is placebo, and I get to feel chill in the evening? Awesome. I used to drink a few (see: many) beers at night to chill out and that just made my anxiety 10 times worse the next morning, which caused me to have to take .5mg of xanax. I am not giving any medical advice at all, this is 100% anecdotal, and see your doctor, but for me, it’s so f-ing good. Thanks kava forums and the AluBall. (Nope, Don’t works for them, not getting any kick back, it just works.)

 

[Edward]

Absolutely not trying to disagree with you since I’m a newbie (and you mentioned some people get near-immediate relief), but I take .5mg of Xanax and 20mg of Paxil daily for anxiety; been on both of those doses for about 6 years. (Not here for folks to tell me how awful xanax is for me - I already know; in fact that’s how I found kava and kavaforums.) but I would say that over the last 8 days (my first 8 days) of kava, my mood and anxiety have both improved. What’s odd is that I only drink kava in the evening. But the last three days, at work, I feel better than I have in YEARS. In fact, I only took .25mg of xanax the last two days. I understand I’m on about the lowest dose of Xanax you can get, and this is possibly placebo, but if it is placebo, and I get to feel chill in the evening? Awesome. I used to drink a few (see: many) beers at night to chill out and that just made my anxiety 10 times worse the next morning, which caused me to have to take .5mg of xanax. I am not giving any medical advice at all, this is 100% anecdotal, and see your doctor, but for me, it’s so f-ing good. Thanks kava forums and the AluBall. (Nope, Don’t works for them, not getting any kick back, it just works.)

Reply for @tim303 also...

A heavy kava will not only relax you in the evening and help with sleep but quite often will be felt well into the next day as the heavier kavalactones take longer to leave your system. That's a good way to go and for a long time I only drank heavy kava. Heady kavas can be used more or less any time of day but will tend to have a shorter duration of effects.

 

[VictoriousSpoon]

For me, kava is great for acute stress moments, but because it has a short half life, it hasn't had an all-day theraputic effect for me, but I'm a relative newcomer to kava use with limited experience, so my opinon doesn't carry the same weight as more experienced users. Here's a good synopsis on kava research as it pertains to anxiety and mood: https://examine.com/supplements/kava/

Alternatively, it's not kava, but ashwhaghanda (only the KSM-66 standardized extracts) has quite a bit of consistent research showing it is very effective for anxiety. It measurably lowers my resting pulse. Here's a good synopsis of the research data https://examine.com/supplements/ashwagandha/

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Absolutely not trying to disagree with you since I’m a newbie (and you mentioned some people get near-immediate relief), but I take .5mg of Xanax and 20mg of Paxil daily for anxiety; been on both of those doses for about 6 years. (Not here for folks to tell me how awful xanax is for me - I already know; in fact that’s how I found kava and kavaforums.) but I would say that over the last 8 days (my first 8 days) of kava, my mood and anxiety have both improved. What’s odd is that I only drink kava in the evening. But the last three days, at work, I feel better than I have in YEARS. In fact, I only took .25mg of xanax the last two days. I understand I’m on about the lowest dose of Xanax you can get, and this is possibly placebo, but if it is placebo, and I get to feel chill in the evening? Awesome. I used to drink a few (see: many) beers at night to chill out and that just made my anxiety 10 times worse the next morning, which caused me to have to take .5mg of xanax. I am not giving any medical advice at all, this is 100% anecdotal, and see your doctor, but for me, it’s so f-ing good. Thanks kava forums and the AluBall. (Nope, Don’t works for them, not getting any kick back, it just works.)

Your story is an excellent one, and one which is dear to kava drinkers everywhere. It's a health beverage, it makes us healthier. For me it made so many things better, fixed problems I didn't even know I had (but did!). I do hate to raise false hopes in anyone, but yes, your story of immediate relief is possible and some lucky people experience it as you did. That's wonderful. And it gets even better....

 

[stalebird]

Your story is an excellent one, and one which is dear to kava drinkers everywhere. It's a health beverage, it makes us healthier. For me it made so many things better, fixed problems I didn't even know I had (but did!). I do hate to raise false hopes in anyone, but yes, your story of immediate relief is possible and some lucky people experience it as you did. That's wonderful. And it gets even better....

Thank you. I’m not saying I’m 100% but this stuff is incredible.

I’m about to make a very controversial statement: I know you’re not “supposed” to drink and take Kava on the same night. Here’s what I’ve found: if I have 3-4 drinks and then switch to Kava, it’s like drinking all night; without the awful alcohol hangover.

 

[Mo'iety]

For me, kava is great for acute stress moments, but because it has a short half life, it hasn't had an all-day theraputic effect for me, but I'm a relative newcomer to kava use with limited experience, so my opinon doesn't carry the same weight as more experienced users. Here's a good synopsis on kava research as it pertains to anxiety and mood: https://examine.com/supplements/kava/

Alternatively, it's not kava, but ashwhaghanda (only the KSM-66 standardized extracts) has quite a bit of consistent research showing it is very effective for anxiety. It measurably lowers my resting pulse. Here's a good synopsis of the research data https://examine.com/supplements/ashwagandha/

What kavas are you drinking? Heavy strains tend to have longer half-lives so they might be more useful for all day long anxiety reduction.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Thank you. I’m not saying I’m 100% but this stuff is incredible.

I’m about to make a very controversial statement: I know you’re not “supposed” to drink and take Kava on the same night. Here’s what I’ve found: if I have 3-4 drinks and then switch to Kava, it’s like drinking all night; without the awful alcohol hangover.

That's cool. You are in a transitionary state and most of us did what you are doing, I certainly did. My original intention had been to keep drinking alcohol and kava together and I tried my darndest to do that. It didn't work. I just lost interest in alcohol. That's what happened for Shellie, and our son, and for lots of other people.

You are right 100%, this stuff is incredible, not least for the way it makes us feel so good.

Enjoy the lack of hangovers. It gets even better.

 

[VictoriousSpoon]

What kavas are you drinking? Heavy strains tend to have longer half-lives so they might be more useful for all day long anxiety reduction.

So far, I've tried Kalm with Kava Pouni Ono & Borogu instant, Fiji Fresh Waka & Lawena medium grind. GHK and Cactus kava varieties are in the mail. When trying new vendors, I try to get one heady/one heavy variety each.