Mixing substances can be risky, and when it comes to kratom and benzodiazepines (“benzos”), the dangers are significantly amplified. Both substances can affect the body in powerful ways, and combining them can lead to serious health consequences, including increased side effects, overdose, and even fatality. This article explores the risks of mixing Kratom And Benzos, why people might combine them, and what you need to know to stay safe.
What are Kratom and Benzos?
To understand the dangers of mixing kratom and benzos, it’s essential to know what each substance is and how they affect the body individually.
Kratom is a natural substance derived from the leaves of the Mitragyna speciosa tree, native to Southeast Asia. It has gained popularity worldwide for its varied effects, which are dose-dependent. At lower doses, kratom can act as a stimulant, increasing energy and alertness. At higher doses, it exhibits opioid-like effects, providing pain relief and inducing feelings of euphoria. Kratom is available in various forms, including pills, capsules, powders, and extracts.
Benzodiazepines are a class of prescription medications primarily used to treat anxiety disorders, insomnia, and seizures. Common brand names include Xanax, Valium, and Klonopin. Benzos work by depressing the central nervous system (CNS), which helps to calm nerves, reduce anxiety, and promote relaxation. While effective for short-term management of certain conditions, benzodiazepines carry a risk of dependence and withdrawal, and their use should be carefully monitored by a healthcare professional.
The Risks of Mixing Kratom and Benzos
Combining kratom and benzos is inherently dangerous due to their combined effects on the central nervous system. Both substances can depress CNS function, and when taken together, these effects can be intensified, leading to a range of adverse outcomes.
Increased Side Effects
Both kratom and benzos have their own sets of potential side effects. Kratom use can lead to drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and in some cases, more serious opioid-like effects. Benzodiazepines are known to cause side effects such as dizziness, lightheadedness, reduced coordination, and confusion.
When mixed, kratom and benzos can amplify these side effects. Individuals may experience:
- Extreme Drowsiness and Sedation: The combined sedative effects can lead to excessive sleepiness, making it dangerous to operate machinery or drive.
- Respiratory Depression: Both substances can suppress breathing. When combined, this effect is heightened, potentially leading to dangerously slowed or shallow breathing.
- Increased Risk of Nausea and Vomiting: Both substances can cause gastrointestinal distress, and combining them can worsen nausea and vomiting.
- Cognitive Impairment: Mixing kratom and benzos can significantly impair cognitive function, affecting memory, judgment, and decision-making.
Risk of Overdose
One of the most severe risks of mixing kratom and benzos is an increased risk of overdose. While benzodiazepine overdose alone is rare and typically requires very high doses, the presence of other CNS depressants like kratom significantly lowers the threshold for overdose.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlights the danger. A 2017 study reported that benzodiazepines were involved in over 22% of kratom-related overdose deaths. This makes benzos the third most common substance found in kratom overdose fatalities, after fentanyl and heroin, underscoring the serious nature of this drug combination.
Signs of a kratom overdose, which can be exacerbated by benzodiazepines, include:
- Severely Slowed Breathing: Breathing becomes dangerously slow and shallow.
- Unconsciousness or Coma: Loss of consciousness or unresponsiveness.
- Seizures: Uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain.
- Delusions and Hallucinations: Distorted perceptions of reality.
Long-Term Risks and Substance Use Disorder
Mixing kratom and benzos can also be indicative of or lead to more serious long-term issues, including substance use disorder (SUD). If someone is regularly mixing these substances, it may suggest they are not using them as prescribed (if benzos are prescribed) or are engaging in drug-seeking behavior to enhance the effects of one or both substances.
Long-term, combined use increases the risk of:
- Dependence and Addiction: Both kratom and benzos can be habit-forming, and combined use may accelerate the development of dependence.
- Withdrawal Syndromes: Discontinuing either substance after prolonged use can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Benzodiazepine withdrawal is particularly dangerous and can be life-threatening, involving seizures. Kratom withdrawal, while generally considered less severe, can still be unpleasant and opioid-like.
- Mental Health Issues: Substance abuse can worsen existing mental health conditions or contribute to the development of new ones.
Why People Mix Kratom and Benzos
Despite the known dangers, some individuals may intentionally or unintentionally mix kratom and benzodiazepines. Reasons for mixing these substances can include:
- Seeking Enhanced Euphoria: Individuals may attempt to combine kratom and benzos to intensify the euphoric effects of either substance.
- Self-Treating Sleep Problems: Both benzos and high doses of kratom can induce sedation. People struggling with insomnia might misuse these substances together in an attempt to improve sleep.
- Pain Management: Kratom is used by some for pain relief, and benzos may be added in an attempt to enhance these effects, although this is not a medically recommended or safe practice.
- Managing Withdrawal Symptoms: In some cases, individuals may misuse one substance to alleviate withdrawal symptoms from another, creating a dangerous cycle of dependence.
It’s crucial to understand that none of these reasons constitute medically approved uses for combining kratom and benzos. Such use is considered substance misuse and can have serious health consequences.
Understanding the Increased Health Risks: Central Nervous System Depression
The primary reason mixing kratom and benzos is so dangerous lies in their combined impact on the central nervous system (CNS). Both substances are CNS depressants, meaning they slow down brain activity and bodily functions.
- Benzodiazepines enhance the effect of the neurotransmitter GABA, which reduces nerve excitability in the brain.
- Kratom contains compounds like mitragynine and 7-α-hydroxymitragynine that interact with opioid receptors in the brain, also leading to CNS depression, particularly at higher doses.
When taken together, the CNS depressant effects of kratom and benzos are additive and synergistic. Additive means the effects are compounded (1+1=2), while synergistic means the combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects (1+1=3 or more). This synergy significantly increases the risk of respiratory depression, overdose, and other life-threatening complications.
Seeking Help for Kratom and Benzo Abuse
If you or someone you know is mixing kratom and benzodiazepines, it’s crucial to seek professional help. Substance abuse involving multiple substances can be complex and requires specialized treatment.
Treatment options may include:
- Medical Detoxification: Medically supervised detox is often necessary, particularly for benzodiazepine withdrawal, which can be dangerous to manage alone. Detox helps to safely manage withdrawal symptoms as the body clears the substances.
- Inpatient or Outpatient Rehabilitation: Rehab programs provide therapy, counseling, and support to address the underlying causes of substance abuse, develop coping mechanisms, and prevent relapse.
- Therapy and Counseling: Individual and group therapy can help individuals understand their substance use patterns, develop healthy coping strategies, and address any co-occurring mental health conditions.
- Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): While not typically used for kratom or benzo dependence directly, MAT may be used to manage co-occurring opioid or alcohol dependence, which are sometimes present in polysubstance abuse scenarios.
It is critical to talk to a healthcare professional or addiction specialist to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.
Conclusion
Mixing kratom and benzodiazepines is a dangerous practice that carries significant health risks. The combined CNS depressant effects can lead to severe side effects, overdose, and potentially fatal outcomes. If you are considering mixing these substances or are concerned about your or someone else’s combined use, seeking professional medical advice and addiction treatment is essential. Understanding the risks is the first step towards making informed decisions and prioritizing your health and safety.
Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Notes from the Field: Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths with Kratom Detected — 27 States, July 2016–December 2017
- Mayo Clinic – Kratom: Unsafe and ineffective
- National Institute on Drug Abuse – Kratom DrugFacts
- PubMed – The Use of Benzodiazepines among Kratom ( Mitragyna Speciosa Korth.) Users: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Malaysia
- U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Kratom
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – FDA and Kratom
