Why do YOU drink Kava?
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pjim
For anxiety issues...never had any anxiety before. I was a real type B personality. But some workplace stuff was leaving me lightheaded and disoriented. It was rather severe, but Kava works as good as any pill. Most of my usage is during the waking hours, using kava as a medicine, not recreationally.
I approve this...
@Chris Gauthier
I used to drink over-proofed rum and vodka a lot. It's kinda scary how that creeps up on you. It wasn't until I started drinking kava that I looked back and saw how much more I drank at end than I did when I tasted my first rum. The desire to consume any kind of alcoholic drink faded away and now it's just a memory I can hardly recall. About as far as I go with alcohol now is using it as an ingredient in cooking. Welcome to the forum.
I grew up around Kava and I started drinking it when I was in my 20ies, to me it is a lot of things, and I think that everyone has mentioned them all and also for me it is a cultural aspect too. I can take you hiking in Waipio Valley, just past Waima Valley on your way to the Waimanu gap and then you would see just acres and acres of 'Awa (Kava). That was the good old days, now I don't know if I could make it that far back. 
Kava is good! Aloha.
Chris
Kava is good! Aloha.
Chris
sentiententity
Kava Enthusiast
I drink kava to relax and get a break from life. Tis good.
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Chris Gauthier
Kava Curious
Thanks for the warm welcome, Kapmkrunk and Vekta. I have always liked beer for the taste, and am now afraid I may never get to have another one if I keep up a daily kava habit. I've had a love/hate relationship with liquor, but love was starting to win out as my tolerance shot up. I hear you Vekta. The scary part is when you get to the point of knowing its unhealthy and you really shouldn't be doing it like that, but don't really care. People get cirrhosis after decades of drinking - I can stop later. I come from a long line of depressed alcoholics, but figured my German/French liver could handle it till I figured something out. I guess I have, so it's all good. One of the coolest things I've already noticed about kava is how a killed or faded buzz can be revived by taking a moment to center oneself. I guess this is part of what it means when people talk about "listening" to it? Seems like it could be good mood-control training for stretches of actual sobriety. Anyway, alcoholism is a bummer and I'm on a weekend dose of waka at the moment, so I'm done with that talk.
sentiententity
Kava Enthusiast
Kava benefits so many. I'm glad to see its helped you!
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Calpurrnia
Newbie
Greetings!
I recently had my first Kava experience and i was very very shocked how well it turned out. . . to brief i've suffered from SEVERE anxiety and an even stronger drug addiction in my days. . . to opiates. . .
I tried Kava last night and was nearly crying at how effective it was. . . sorry for the melancholy but it was spiritual almost. . . how the heck is this stuff legal?! thank god!
as any ex opiate/opioid user will know. . .most of us sought the "nods, and or euphoric bliss. . ." that on top of manic anxiety was a powerful duo. . . Kava gave me a very long and peaceful feeling that was unique to anything i've tried... subtle but strong at the same time. . . hard to articulate its effects. . . again.. to reiterate . . . subtle but STRONG. . . i felt a slight mood lift, a gentle warmth in my body and a heavenly sedation for 3 hours and a tapering effect that lasted for 3-5 hours
I simply mixed it with milk and let it sit for 20minutes stirring ritualistically and chugged it. . . i used 3 tablespooons ( im a big guy, 22 years old and about 270) and strained it. . .
I am just still in awe. . . i was worried at first when i heard it was like liquor.. ive always hated drinking and became depressed from it. . . yet kava didnt give me any of the negatives of drinking.. it also had a "clean" feeling to the "experience." such as drinking a lot or doing narcotics gives a "dirty" feeling to the mind and body changes. . . .
I drink kava to get off harder drugs. . . opiates/opioids and benzo's. . . . i really wish more people tried this . . .
the taste was not as bad as i thought. . . i'm sure we've all tried worse things in the plight for psycho activity and or to relieve mental/physical pain. . . in my opinion taking a shot of hard liquor is more unpleasant than kava.
sorry for the barrage of words . . . but i can not get over how helpful this was... can't wait to share it with others and spread the word
I recently had my first Kava experience and i was very very shocked how well it turned out. . . to brief i've suffered from SEVERE anxiety and an even stronger drug addiction in my days. . . to opiates. . .
I tried Kava last night and was nearly crying at how effective it was. . . sorry for the melancholy but it was spiritual almost. . . how the heck is this stuff legal?! thank god!
as any ex opiate/opioid user will know. . .most of us sought the "nods, and or euphoric bliss. . ." that on top of manic anxiety was a powerful duo. . . Kava gave me a very long and peaceful feeling that was unique to anything i've tried... subtle but strong at the same time. . . hard to articulate its effects. . . again.. to reiterate . . . subtle but STRONG. . . i felt a slight mood lift, a gentle warmth in my body and a heavenly sedation for 3 hours and a tapering effect that lasted for 3-5 hours
I simply mixed it with milk and let it sit for 20minutes stirring ritualistically and chugged it. . . i used 3 tablespooons ( im a big guy, 22 years old and about 270) and strained it. . .
I am just still in awe. . . i was worried at first when i heard it was like liquor.. ive always hated drinking and became depressed from it. . . yet kava didnt give me any of the negatives of drinking.. it also had a "clean" feeling to the "experience." such as drinking a lot or doing narcotics gives a "dirty" feeling to the mind and body changes. . . .
I drink kava to get off harder drugs. . . opiates/opioids and benzo's. . . . i really wish more people tried this . . .
the taste was not as bad as i thought. . . i'm sure we've all tried worse things in the plight for psycho activity and or to relieve mental/physical pain. . . in my opinion taking a shot of hard liquor is more unpleasant than kava.
sorry for the barrage of words . . . but i can not get over how helpful this was... can't wait to share it with others and spread the word
kavadude
❦ॐ tanuki tamer
Excellent to hear gents. @Calpurnia you may find it more effective to knead the kava with your hands rather than stirring it.
I could just add it to my signature and save you the trouble.
Calpurrnia
Newbie
Wow, my adventure with kava is new and i didnt think something so simply could be so effective!
i kneaded by second batch for about 20 minutes while listening to some music . . .and i was able to use half the amount of kava root powder this time. . . very nice. . . a little work goes a long way!
/salute
TidyMinion
Kava Padawan
After years of self-medicating with the usual suspects, alcohol, cannabis, some opiates I really started looking for every day alternatives such as St. Johns, Sam-E to help with anxiety. Fairly overwhelming anxiety, never tried the prescription route but saw some friends have bizarre reactions to that mess so stayed away from it. One friend was taking Paxil and Ambien daily and would consistently sleepwalk and just be way spaced out. One time she WOKE UP in her car at a stop light, middle of traffic, driving to work.
Anyway, I couldnt keep up with the St. Johns, I was buying bottle after bottle, taking at least 1500 mg a day or more to keep balanced. And, if I didn't keep a steady supply it's like dropping from a cliff, emotionally. too much of a seesaw effect for me and i had the worst, reflux-like side effects. Burning, mealy reflux from that stuff, awful
Started trying kava since last late spring or so and, in a way, it has become a great "balancer" for me. I find that it's easier to stay away from alcohol and easier to function during and after kava sessions. I can handle crowds or social events better than when using other things. Not taking anything else daily for anxiety but Kava. My girlfriend has commented multiple times about how she notices the difference and will now drink it with me. It works in a much more symbiotic way than anything i've tried and probably less expensive and less taxing on my body than whatever else i was taking. And being a musician, it really almost replicates a similar awareness of music as with other, less legal things. I just feel more grounded and open to taking everything in musically, it's a really enjoyable experience all around.
Anyway, I couldnt keep up with the St. Johns, I was buying bottle after bottle, taking at least 1500 mg a day or more to keep balanced. And, if I didn't keep a steady supply it's like dropping from a cliff, emotionally. too much of a seesaw effect for me and i had the worst, reflux-like side effects. Burning, mealy reflux from that stuff, awful
Started trying kava since last late spring or so and, in a way, it has become a great "balancer" for me. I find that it's easier to stay away from alcohol and easier to function during and after kava sessions. I can handle crowds or social events better than when using other things. Not taking anything else daily for anxiety but Kava. My girlfriend has commented multiple times about how she notices the difference and will now drink it with me. It works in a much more symbiotic way than anything i've tried and probably less expensive and less taxing on my body than whatever else i was taking. And being a musician, it really almost replicates a similar awareness of music as with other, less legal things. I just feel more grounded and open to taking everything in musically, it's a really enjoyable experience all around.
Calpurrnia
Newbie
@TidyMinion and Teamfour . . . its AWESOME to hear people in similar situations as i was. . . yay affirmation . . . i've also tried the st johns wort path and i can not tell you how comforting it was to hear you say that. . .( haha your painful story brought me comfort! xD that came off bad but you get the sincere undertone )
also i play Cello TidyMinion and have noticed i love playing cello after a kava session. . . similar to what alcohol and opiates/opioids did for me to induce music motivation but this time im able to hold the instrument and not fall off my chair or fall asleep while playing.. via kava
@Teamfour, wowzers... 11 years sober... truly a feat of strength . . .im proud of you.. im barely 8 months but i'll get there eventually!
. . . i've also tried the st johns wort path and i can not tell you how comforting it was to hear you say that. . .( haha your painful story brought me comfort! xD that came off bad but you get the sincere undertone ) also i play Cello TidyMinion and have noticed i love playing cello after a kava session. . . similar to what alcohol and opiates/opioids did for me to induce music motivation but this time im able to hold the instrument and not fall off my chair or fall asleep while playing.. via kava
@Teamfour, wowzers... 11 years sober... truly a feat of strength . . .im proud of you.. im barely 8 months but i'll get there eventually!
Blomdor
Envoy of the Dealfish
At the risk of "necro"ing an old thread...
Many reasons that I love this wonderful root. My mother introduced me to it when I was little and I've known its euphoric and anxiolytic effects since then. After getting back into it several weeks ago and taking it regularly since that time I've also found it to be an excellent pain reliever and not ineffective against my depression as well. It is just about perfect for my mental health issues. I will admit that it is also extremely enjoyable to get thoroughly krunked.
Apologies if this is too old. Imma newb.
Many reasons that I love this wonderful root. My mother introduced me to it when I was little and I've known its euphoric and anxiolytic effects since then. After getting back into it several weeks ago and taking it regularly since that time I've also found it to be an excellent pain reliever and not ineffective against my depression as well. It is just about perfect for my mental health issues. I will admit that it is also extremely enjoyable to get thoroughly krunked.
Apologies if this is too old. Imma newb.
TidyMinion
Kava Padawan
no worries! always interesting to find out how folk happen upon the root
ApéroNoble
The d'Artagnan forum 4th Kavateer
Wow truly some incredible stories here! Although I am having a little trouble with Kava I still really like this site and am not giving up on Kava for down the road sometime. In the mean time I enjoy reading this forum and also how so many of you have been helped by a natural substance from all kinds of dependencies.
HeadHodge
Bula To Eternity
@Teamfour I applaud you on 11 years. 1 year is my max and New Years parties are my (one of my) downfalls. When I first looked into Kava as a potential Alcohol substitute, everywhere I read was "Oh No you don't want to substitute one drug for another. You're not addressing the "real" issue." But now that I've been using Kava, I would have to say that attitude is a bunch of crap. IMO it's way better to recognize that I'm addicted to something I really like but is causing me bad health side effects (including excessive calories and weight) and attempt to substitute it with something better. I started as a total hard core whiskey/vodka drinker, then have been off that for over 5 years by substituting it with red wine. Now my plan is to substitute wine with Kava. If that works then maybe I could try not using Kava at all (if I really wanted to). If I get to 100% Kava useage, I would consider that a success. If it wasn't for all the Alcohol related health issues, I would not have a problem myself continuing Alcohol consumption (plus Kava too, but not together). But, in honesty, it would really be cool if I could get to the point that you have where you think Kava is better than Alcohol. But until then I'm adopting @Deleted User01's approach (Alcohol sometimes, Kava sometimes) because I think that's one step better than just all wine all the time. Hey I think I just invented my own 5 step program!!
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Krunkie McKrunkface
Kava Connoisseur
The krunker I get, the straighter I get.
The more I drink kava, the more kava strips away the accumulated junk of my life that had stuck to me, like burrs to a dog's butt on a long walk in the woods till he has a half ton of burrs weighing him down. Kava strips it all off, in the process giving me back me, who was still under there all along. It's an odd process getting re-aquainted with myself but I'm finding some things I like about the guy, even if he is a bit boring.
Thanks, kava.
The more I drink kava, the more kava strips away the accumulated junk of my life that had stuck to me, like burrs to a dog's butt on a long walk in the woods till he has a half ton of burrs weighing him down. Kava strips it all off, in the process giving me back me, who was still under there all along. It's an odd process getting re-aquainted with myself but I'm finding some things I like about the guy, even if he is a bit boring.
Thanks, kava.
Krunkaroo
Kava Enthusiast
I too am partaking in Kava to release the stuck stress, somehow my body has such a habit of carryign stress, I'd love to be one of those people that can shake stress off. Anyways I am here now and I see the light, still in experimental stages, haven't quite worked out my dosage, strains and all that but things are looking up.