Is There Evidence to Support the Use of Kratom for the Self-Treatment of Depression?

In recent years, Americans have been increasingly interested in the use of kratom. The latest survey gauges there are at least 10 to 16 million people who use kratom in the United States, or roughly 3% to 4.9% of our population.

Reasons for use include opioid replacement and pain management, and 58% to 67% of kratom users also endorse attempts to self-manage depressive symptoms and other mental health concerns. Of those who have taken kratom, 20.2% endorsed using the substance primarily to manage depression alone.

In this context, self-reported perceived reductions in symptoms among survey participants were found. The majority of people who consume this botanical for managing depression were females, people younger than 41 years of age, and those with an income level inversely related to both the diagnosis of depression and use of kratom.

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