Kava as an Alcohol Substitute: Please post your experiences.

[The Kap'n]

America is an alcoholic culture, where we have normalized a powerful drug (alcohol) and made it seem crucial to social bonding.

I catch myself sometimes playing the pity game, and wondering on all of the experiences I've missed out on, having not consumed alcohol during my life.
...and then our office worker comes in hungover, and I realize I missed nothing, and what I did miss probably wasn't remembered anyways.

Having traveled down the road of addiction, I have massive respect for anyone that can stay away from their drug of choice that happens to be available on every corner and fully ingrained into american culture to a point where you're seen as "odd" for not drinking. That's horrible. What it looks like from my view is a heroin addict trying to not use heroin when every other TV commercial is about the "soothing relief of heroin **please shoot responsibly**".

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I used to love to drink beer, wine, single malt. Kava led me to stop drinking alcohol, just sucked all the alcohol desire right out of me till there was nothing left. Later, since I got bladder cancer, I can't drink alcohol, for very obvious reasons, ever again. Kava made it so I don't miss it, it was nothing. As tiny as that is, I think it made a huge difference to my happiness because when it came time to not be allowed to drink alcohol ever again, I really didn't give a french fried rat's patootie. I have much to be thankful to kava for. This was a truly merciful blessing.

(as for the other cancer, 60 - 80% of men in my situation experience profound depression and/or anxiety, and I do not experience either. I don't know if I can credit kava for this, but I honestly think it helps. It anchors and stabilizes you in the rough seas, which is exactly what alcohol promises you, before delivering the exact opposite.

 

[El Guapo510]

I'm not a heavy drinker and that's not really why I started drinking kava but I have found as I continue my kava journey I am growing less fond of alcohol. I still enjoy some craft brews occasionally but have found myself growing more detached from the desire to consume any. I'm more interested in trying the different kava strands.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I'm not a heavy drinker and that's not really why I started drinking kava but I have found as I continue my kava journey I am growing less fond of alcohol. I still enjoy some craft brews occasionally but have found myself growing more detached from the desire to consume any. I'm more interested in trying the different kava strands.

My advice is go for it. Money well spent. You'll be glad you did. Maybe not something you'll always want to do, but in the honeymoon phase at the beginning, enjoy! Just enjoy, explore, listen to the kava. Kava's great because you can feel really good but then still get your 8 hours sleep and feel great when you wake up. With that available, alcohol loses a lot of charm in comparison.

 

[El Guapo510]

My advice is go for it. Money well spent. You'll be glad you did. Maybe not something you'll always want to do, but in the honeymoon phase at the beginning, enjoy! Just enjoy, explore, listen to the kava. Kava's great because you can feel really good but then still get your 8 hours sleep and feel great when you wake up. With that available, alcohol loses a lot of charm in comparison.

Well put!

 

[Emmie J Lopez]

Can you offer insight into how to make and use kava as an alternative to alcohol? I'm new to kava but did my research and got Tongan. I'm not sure how much to use, or if I'm even brewing it correctly. I don't think I've felt anything while using it (no more relaxed), which leads me to believe I haven't got the methodology right.

Thanks!

Well, kava can be a fantastic alternative to alcohol for social gatherings, small parties, etc. We used to drink beer after work, which can be fun, but many people overindulge when they drink with friends. It's difficult to keep track of all the beers one drinks. After several beers the conversations get a bit absurd or stupid. The next day one feels tired, hangovered and bloated. Very often one ends up eating some total crap after several beers which definetely doesn't help. With kava, we have fantastic and lucid conversations, listen to great music, eat some light snacks and feel great the next day.

 

[Emmie J Lopez]

I guess, what I really need, is help understanding the best way to make it. I've read a good bit, got some bags for straining, but I'm not sure that I'm doing it right. I keep trying to find a post where best methods are discussed. I wouldn't be surprised if I've overlooked it. Browsing from my phone isn't the easiest. Or maybe it's the user... I'm not so worried about the taste. But I would like to feel the benefits.

 

[Blackice71]

I've been a heavy drinker since I was 17 years old. At some point I developed a strong desire to quit drinking. I managed to force myself to quit for almost a year. But no matter how long I went without, the cravings were always strong and I eventually got sucked back into drinking full-time again. No matter what I tried or what I did, I just couldn't quit (without everyday being a miserable struggle).

But finally, somehow, I came across kava and decided "what the hell" I'll give that a try too. Much to my amazement, it actually did the thing that nothing else could. It relieved a lot my intense craving for alcohol. I still drink, but now it's much more limited and I can fairly easily go for months at a time without drinking.

I am so thrilled with this whole development, I'll do anything for this forum and anyone I can help. It has literally saved me from an early demise.

I have a very similar history and am just now trying Kava. It's worked for a week now. Have you had any liver issues with the Kava?

 

[ThatDankK]

I only just found this thread

I use to be addicted to the absolute worst substances doing them the worst way daily for a long period of time (about a year) as well as addicted to alcohol (i would drink every chance I got, every day if I had the supplies) for a few years, then i found kava in 2018. My reason for using other things is my diagnoses of persistive depressive disorder, panic disorder, ADHD, and very high functioning ASD.

The addiction I went through was absolute hell. I was doing IV drugs on an almost daily basis for the better part of a year. I was always going to the bathroom and doing my next hit, sometimes being in there for an hour redosing, hands and body trembling, my mind crying out for help but not being able to resist. My eyes were dark and red all the time, I had marks, my eyes were always watery, pupils either dilated or pinpoint depending on what I was stuck on, I looked haunted. My family finally found out and I quit cold turkey which brought on some terrifying withdrawals.

I very quickly had to find an alternative to help the W/Ds as well as my mental health so with a bit of research, I found kava. Aside from weed (which I've had to quit recently due to legal reasons) kava has kept me away from everything mind altering and bad for me. I very very rarely get cravings for anything else, even when I find myself facing extreme difficulties in my life.

I've never felt better in my life than when I switched to kava. I admit, I do greatly miss Mary Jane, it fully met every one of my needs and expectations while being okay for my health (vaped, not smoked), but I find that kava is a suitable alternative for even that. It has decreased my anxiety by 70% and my panic attacks by 95%, my depression is down by 80%, my adhd, while I do take a Rx to help me focus, also benefits greatly from kava. My journey with kava has been absolutely life changing for me and now, when I look back, I couldn't imagine my life without it.

To anyone who may be struggling with addictions of any kind or your own mental health concerns, i have one thing to say:
TRY KAVA! I can all but guarantee it will change your life for the better. I hope my story of brutal addiction inspires others, as I have not been open about this until now.

 

[Orz[EST]]

Can you do me a favor? If it's super addictive, let's just not recommend that. Kava drinkers are usually people who take up kava drinking if not several days a week, every day. Suggesting anything here comes with the strong possibility that people will be consuming it daily.

Can we delete our posts then. Many people have had no problem with that (usually clearly not) "super addictive" thing because it is a relatively rare problem but I thought that it is reasonable to add a caveat.

I deleted my original post, then please return the favor and do the same with yours.