I've been taking Kava every evening for the past couple weeks, and I've notice that lately before taking it I start to feel anxious and slightly depressed. This worsens as the evening approaches, up until I have my kava... Which I'm fine after drinking it. I didn't really struggle with depression or anxiety much in the past, so I'm wondering if my body is getting used to Kava and experiencing a sort of withdrawal? Anyone experience anything like this?
Can Kava cause Anxiety?!?
- Thread starter Jaxon
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krunkedout
Kava Lover
Just out of curiosity, how long have you been drinking kava? As far as I know there isn't any physically addicting compounds in kava so it could just be psychological
krunkedout
Kava Lover
Maybe you should take a week break from kava and keep all other lifestyle factors the same, just to see if it is the kava or not
D
Deleted User01
@Jaxon, yeah, Kava can cause anxiety. Especially if you are running out of it. 
but seriously folks, taking a break once in a while is always a good idea. Any botanical/drug builds up in your bloodstream and it can have over time ... drum roll please ... "unintended consequences". Give it a break and come back to us with a report.
but seriously folks, taking a break once in a while is always a good idea. Any botanical/drug builds up in your bloodstream and it can have over time ... drum roll please ... "unintended consequences". Give it a break and come back to us with a report.
Kojo Douglas
The Kavasseur
I've seen Kava give newbies anxiety before. Anything that's new to your system might set up fight or flight signals.
If you're a longer term Kava drinker who is getting anxiety, I'd doubt it's from the Kava. But you know yourself better than anyone!
If you're a longer term Kava drinker who is getting anxiety, I'd doubt it's from the Kava. But you know yourself better than anyone!
Sacred Journey
Kava Curious
Everything in the physical world has a good side and a bad side to it. It all has to balance. So because kava causes so much relaxation, when it wears off you notice your anxiety more.
The trick is to LEARN from the kava, rather than rely on it to make you feel better purely on a physiological (or animal) level. Kava helps us both by relaxing the muscles and stilling the mind. If you meditate with the still mind kava gives you, you can begin to break old thought patterns that have been bouncing around in your head for years serving no purpose but to disquiet you, generating anxiety and restlessness. Kava has reduced my level of fear and anxiety in life even when I am not drinking it.
The trick is to LEARN from the kava, rather than rely on it to make you feel better purely on a physiological (or animal) level. Kava helps us both by relaxing the muscles and stilling the mind. If you meditate with the still mind kava gives you, you can begin to break old thought patterns that have been bouncing around in your head for years serving no purpose but to disquiet you, generating anxiety and restlessness. Kava has reduced my level of fear and anxiety in life even when I am not drinking it.
verticity
I'm interested in things
Exactly this. Kava is not physically addictive. But you can feel a desire to feel the way you do when you drink kava, when you are not drinking kava. It's just a cognitive thing, like you are thinking, "man, I wish I could drink some kava now" and I see how that could make you focus on your normal anxiety, because you are focusing on it. It's what you would call a "cognitive feedback loop". One solution to it would be to stop drinking kava. Then you would not have any of that anticipatory anxiety, because you know you are not going to drink it anyway, but you would still have your normal anxiety. Another solution would be to reframe how you think about your anxiety, continue to drink kava, but don't rely on it as the sole anxiety-relief tool in your toolbox. Check this book out, which I have recommended before, and feel I can't recommend enough: The Relaxation Response
Zac Imiola (Herbalist)
Kava Connoisseur
Yeah, ultimately your just noticing the difference. You definitley had anxiety before kava. No one is exempt from it.
Are you saying your having severe anxiety attacks or just some basic anxiety ?
Are you saying your having severe anxiety attacks or just some basic anxiety ?
Squanch72
Kava Vendor
I started drinking kava because of anxiety. At first I could tell when the kava was out of my system and I would sort of rush to get some more back in me, not panicky just the anxious feelings crept noticeably back. For a few months I even took a small 4 ounce shell every morning before work to get through the day. But lately just a few shells each evening before supper seems to give me lasting anxiolytic effects throughout the next day. Sometimes the morning shell would have me too relaxed and unmotivated at work. I had to get used to the right time to take kava and how long it stays in my system.
On a side note, some strains of kava make me nervous and I avoid them.
If you have are having major anxiety then probably time to see a doctor.
On a side note, some strains of kava make me nervous and I avoid them.
If you have are having major anxiety then probably time to see a doctor.
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