How long has it been since you took a Kava day off?

[TrevC]

Just something I'm genuinely curious to know.
How long have you gone straight drinking Kava daily?
And if you could give an approximate amount (grams, tbsp., etc.), that would be useful.

I'm taking the day off, and it has been well over a year since I last did this.
My gut tells me something like a day off each week would be ideal, but I have to be honest - I'm in such a LOW mood right now, not having the late afternoon Kava session to look forward to.

I feel like I'm throwing a lot at my liver, is what it all amounts to.

So thank you for any personal experiences you can share!

 

[Groggy]

Just something I'm genuinely curious to know.
How long have you gone straight drinking Kava daily?
And if you could give an approximate amount (grams, tbsp., etc.), that would be useful.

I'm taking the day off, and it has been well over a year since I last did this.
My gut tells me something like a day off each week would be ideal, but I have to be honest - I'm in such a LOW mood right now, not having the late afternoon Kava session to look forward to.

I feel like I'm throwing a lot at my liver, is what it all amounts to.

So thank you for any personal experiences you can share!

In the last couple years I've gone anywhere between a couple days to a month without drinking kava, it doesn't bother me but I'd rather drink kava regularly. I think the longest I've gone daily is a bit over a year. Lately, I take regular breaks throughout the week, sometimes I don't feel like drinking kava.

 

[Yogini]

Just something I'm genuinely curious to know.
How long have you gone straight drinking Kava daily?
And if you could give an approximate amount (grams, tbsp., etc.), that would be useful.

I'm taking the day off, and it has been well over a year since I last did this.
My gut tells me something like a day off each week would be ideal, but I have to be honest - I'm in such a LOW mood right now, not having the late afternoon Kava session to look forward to.

I feel like I'm throwing a lot at my liver, is what it all amounts to.

So thank you for any personal experiences you can share!

In general, my current kava ritual is 5 days a week. I'm also helping myself stay away from alcohol. Being in a pandemic with an autoimmune disorder and not much human contact had me drinking too much alcohol which causes inflammation etc. So, kava has been extremely helpful. My liver doesn't need the alcohol. Since I've backed off that and turned to kava more often, my liver enzymes are great. On just a normal day... probably 4 TBS spread out. For a session, 6-7 TBS.

 

[TrevC]

I really appreciate the responses!

What I thought (hoped) was at one point I had reached a place where I didn't need as much, so I would try less (like the 10 grams recommended on the back of BKH's packaging, or the 15 recommended on KWK) and that didn't work except on a few rare, wonderful occasions.
The addition of fats has REALLY helped me, but I still feel like I'm throwing a lot at my system, between Kava, K@ (Which I'm doing a long-term SLOW taper. Cold-turkey messed me up pretty bad and was, for me, not the smartest approach.) and the various other supplements I'm taking.

Thanks again!

 

[Yogini]

I really appreciate the responses!

What I thought (hoped) was at one point I had reached a place where I didn't need as much, so I would try less (like the 10 grams recommended on the back of BKH's packaging, or the 15 recommended on KWK) and that didn't work except on a few rare, wonderful occasions.
The addition of fats has REALLY helped me, but I still feel like I'm throwing a lot at my system, between Kava, K@ (Which I'm doing a long-term SLOW taper. Cold-turkey messed me up pretty bad and was, for me, not the smartest approach.) and the various other supplements I'm taking.

Thanks again!

If the kava is helping you with the K@ withdrawal/taper I'd be inclined to stay with the kava so you're not tempted to up the K@. I have been on a prescription benzo for 26 years and I'm going to use kava to taper. I'm not on a high amount but when I've tapered and gone off before the rebound anxiety is insane. I now know how to mitigate that. They shouldn't prescribe these things unless it's an absolute last resort. It doesn't work anymore anyway. I'm just taking it to not have to withdraw. It's the only medication I take as well. It's ridiculous.

 

[TrevC]

If the kava is helping you with the K@ withdrawal/taper I'd be inclined to stay with the kava so you're not tempted to up the K@. I have been on a prescription benzo for 26 years and I'm going to use kava to taper. I'm not on a high amount but when I've tapered and gone off before the rebound anxiety is insane. I now know how to mitigate that. They shouldn't prescribe these things unless it's an absolute last resort. It doesn't work anymore anyway. I'm just taking it to not have to withdraw. It's the only medication I take as well. It's ridiculous.

My friend, I appreciate you sharing this, and I wish you the absolute BEST with weaning off the prescription benzo. Hats off to you! I think that is incredible.
(Incidentally, I was JUST watching a video on YouTube where Dr. Jordan Peterson was talking about his recovery from a particular benzodiazepine.)

The first time I quit K@ cold-turkey (from just shy of 20 gram per day use) I had no idea what rebound depression and anxiety were, but learned firsthand. Honestly, going without sleep for 5 days wasn't the hard part. It was the sense of dread. I got past it but the post-acute stuff was still there - the inability to feel joy in the things that used to make me so happy. Stuff like that. My thinking was I could just "NIP IT IN THE BUD", as if I'd be over it in a week.
That's why I think a SLOW taper is the way to go, and I would not do cold-turkey again. The body gets used to something, and totally throwing a monkey wrench in the mix doesn't take you back to normal the right way. Weaning/taper makes so much sense.


Just want to reiterate that I think you're doing an incredible thing! And I do think it's the smartest way to go.

 

[Yogini]

My friend, I appreciate you sharing this, and I wish you the absolute BEST with weaning off the prescription benzo. Hats off to you! I think that is incredible.
(Incidentally, I was JUST watching a video on YouTube where Dr. Jordan Peterson was talking about his recovery from a particular benzodiazepine.)

The first time I quit K@ cold-turkey (from just shy of 20 gram per day use) I had no idea what rebound depression and anxiety were, but learned firsthand. Honestly, going without sleep for 5 days wasn't the hard part. It was the sense of dread. I got past it but the post-acute stuff was still there - the inability to feel joy in the things that used to make me so happy. Stuff like that. My thinking was I could just "NIP IT IN THE BUD", as if I'd be over it in a week.
That's why I think a SLOW taper is the way to go, and I would not do cold-turkey again. The body gets used to something, and totally throwing a monkey wrench in the mix doesn't take you back to normal the right way. Weaning/taper makes so much sense.


Just want to reiterate that I think you're doing an incredible thing! And I do think it's the smartest way to go.

That's very kind. Yes, the rebound is a real thing and it is terrible. I've been on the same amount for all this time, never abused it but I'm tired of it. I'm tired of feeling chained to it. If I ran out what would happen? I mean, that's making someone an 'addict' without their permission so I'm better armed this time. But just working my way away from alcohol has been worth it. The kava isn't going to kill me. You're doing a fantastic job. Like I said, if the kava is helping I wouldn't deny yourself. It's not going to hurt you. Withdrawal taxes the body too.

 

[Kojo Douglas]

Kava breaks are good. I usually feel less healthy when I stop drinking Kava though. More stress, a bigger appetite, etc. My life is better with Kava.

I don't see it as addictive though. I've struggled with addiction, and Kava has none of the features. Dependency? Sure. But more on a psychological front.

Kava is the anti-addiction.