The Best Kratom Strain for Anxiety (& What Dose to Try)
It’s important not to generalize dosages when using kratom since the different strains have different effects. If I were to recommend that you take 3 grams of kratom but failed to specify red, white, or green, then I haven’t provided you with solid advice. The effects you’ll feel from 3 grams of white kratom compared to 3 grams of red are night and day.
When you’re trying to manage a specific issue, it’s important to be aware of the dosages for each type of kratom. All of them can be useful for treating anxiety. However, not all kinds of anxiety should be treated the same way.
Somebody with severe panic disorder, for example, probably won’t want to use the same dosage and strain of kratom as somebody hoping to improve upon their generalized anxiety.
This section will give you a brief outline of the different types of kratom, what sort of anxiety each strain can help treat, and how much it takes.
#1 for Anxiety: Red Kratom
As a general rule, red kratom strains are the most commonly used strain for treating anxiety. It contains the most opiate-like alkaloids — mostly 7-hydroxymitragynine — and produces an experience all around relaxing and soothing.
People who use red kratom for pain management may find the sedative effects to be overpowering. Others don’t like to use red kratom because it increases somnolence.
Interestingly, people who use red kratom for fighting anxiety tend not to find the sedating effects too overpowering, a common thread among opiate users of all types.
Opioids are typically associated with their sedative properties, but the typical user is rarely someone unable to keep their eyes open, constantly “on the nod.” Instead, it seems those who medicate with opioids often find them to be energizing.
The same is true with kratom. The freedom from anxious thinking is often enough to create a strong, motivating desire to accomplish things that one would otherwise avoid or struggle with due to anxiety.
Red Kratom Dose for Anxiety
Pretty much any dose of red kratom will help to fight anxiety. If you have mild symptoms, a low amount (2-5 g) can help get it under control while still providing a little energy. The ideal dose for anxiety is 5-12 g, but this can be overwhelming for many people, especially those new to kratom.
People who struggle with mild generalized anxiety or panic disorder may find red kratom a bit much. The sedative effects can surely knock out the anxiety, but it can cause sleepiness even at mid-range doses. These people would do well to use a smaller amount of red kratom or choose another color.
It’s best to start with the lower dose and see if it does the trick. If not, increase the amount a little each time until you find what works.
Runner-Up: Green Kratom
Green kratom can be a pretty good strain for helping people with all different types of anxiety. However, like white kratom, it is also stimulating. It’s not quite as stimulating as white kratom, but sensitive individuals will undoubtedly notice that it engages the central nervous system a heck of a lot more than a red strain does.
Green kratom provides most of the same benefits as white kratom. It’s a good tool for focus, energy, and motivation. These benefits can be applied to reduce anxiety — or they can become the source of anxiety.
The only way to tell how you will react to green kratom is to try it yourself. Far fewer people report green kratom causing anxiety compared to white. Green kratom contains a higher concentration of 7-hydroxymitragynine, the potent alkaloid that gives kratom most of its opioid-like effects.
This is generally the type of benefit that people are looking for when treating their anxiety. Opioid activity helps to temper any physical or mental stimulation and allows the user to become less emotionally engaged with their surroundings and thoughts.
If this sounds like your idea of an anxiety-free day, though, you may want to consider red kratom.
Green Kratom Dose for Anxiety
Those who find that a healthy boost of energy and mood can wipe out their anxiety should try the lower dosage range (around 2-5 g). Green provides the energy and focus that the white strains are known for, but to a lesser degree.
The main difference between green and white is how each burn tends to finish. Green tends to smooth out into relaxation, whereas white remains somewhat stimulating for several hours after the initial and most pronounced effects have worn off.
Higher doses of green kratom (5-12 g) will be more sedating, but not to the level of the red strains. For the first couple of hours, you’ll feel energized and euphoric.
As the energy subsides, you’ll begin to experience relaxation, including a gentle, anxiety-relieving blanket that settles over your thoughts.
How Can White Kratom Be Used for Anxiety?
White strains are energizing, improve focus, and provide feelings of euphoria but are not what you’re going to see marketed for anxiety relief. In fact, these strains cause anxiety in many people. They’re a stimulant, after all. Even though this is buffered by opioid activity, they act on the noradrenaline system — the system responsible for fight or flight. Activating it can make a person on edge and ready to react.
Adrenaline is the chemical involved in the physical sensation of an anxiety attack. If you find yourself fixated on the physiological symptoms of stimulation or end up with racing thoughts, things could quickly spiral into an anxiety attack. This can lead to other symptoms such as high blood pressure and heart palpitations.
However, energy, focus, and a boost in mood can be helpful in their own right for treating anxiety.
1. Increased Focus Can Reduce Scattered or Negative Thoughts
Firstly, focus. Feeling lost and trapped among unpleasant thoughts leads to emotional and physiological reactions such as an elevated heart rate, swelling, and heavy breathing: anxiety.
When one is focused, they have much better control over their minds and thoughts. They can speak and express themselves freely without getting as tangled in the emotions associated with their thinking.
2. Increased Energy & Mood Can Reduce Social Anxiety
The increase in energy is also useful for someone who struggles with anxiety, particularly social anxiety. Sometimes the energy can be so powerful and the mood enhancement so profound that white kratom causes introverted people to become chatterboxes.
You may have heard of how the famous psychologist Sigmund Freud encouraged his patients to use cocaine during therapy sessions. The dopaminergic stimulation allowed people to open up and express themselves where they would typically be reserved.
White kratom can produce a similar effect. Although it’s not nearly as demanding in terms of dopamine stimulation, it certainly carries enough power to temporarily turn a shy and anxious individual into a talkative social butterfly.
White Kratom Dose for Anxiety
If you’re the type of person to find relief from white kratom, then you’re the type who can overpower their anxiety through stimulation and focus enhancement. A lower dose of white kratom can be just as, if not more effective, than a higher dose.
Because white kratom is so stimulating in lower doses, its effects shine in the 2-4 g range. Increasing the dosage to 5-8 g can create a stronger experience but be more relaxing. However, the higher your dose goes, the more chance you have of provoking unwanted side effects. Because of the buildup of certain alkaloids in the bloodstream, it’s best to avoid taking high doses frequently.
Many people will use high doses of white kratom, expecting it to provide sedation. This works with green and red strains quite well, but high doses of white kratom tend to produce a foggy and heavy experience that most likely won’t help your anxiety.
How to Accurately Measure Your Dosage
There are a couple of ways to measure your dosage of kratom for anxiety. The first is to use a scale; the second involves purchasing pre-weighed capsules and using a bit of math.
If you’re hoping to measure out an accurate dosage for anxiety, then you must keep track of the dosages you consume and the effects produced. This is best done by keeping a journal, noting the amount, and then describing the experience that follows.
Remember — you want to find the lowest possible dosage that curbs your anxiety. Since anxiety relief tends to occur towards the higher end of kratom dosage, this is extra important since daily dosing can lead to physical dependence.
Measuring your dosage can also help you avoid physical dependence and taper down and take breaks if you notice yourself becoming tolerant to kratom. Managing these issues with guesswork and “eyeballing” powder can be incredibly difficult.
Related: Kratom Dosage Calculator
1. Measure With a Scale
You can use either a digital scale or a weighted balance to measure your kratom powder.
A digital scale is a great option — they’re convenient, easy to use, and simple to figure out. You can find digital scales at head shops, online, in laboratory or chemistry shops, or in general-purpose or large chain retail stores.
To measure using a digital scale, simply put a container atop the scale. Press TARE to set the weight back to zero if the scale is already on. Otherwise, turn it on, and it will start with a weight of zero.
Add your kratom to your container until you reach your desired dose. Easy!
Using a weighted measure is another good way to determine the ideal kratom dose. These devices feature two plates or bowls connected by a rod balanced over a fulcrum.
You add your weights to one side of the balance and then add kratom to the other end until the two ends balance. Using a weighted balance is extremely accurate and pretty entertaining.
2. Use Capsules
You can buy your kratom in pre-weighed capsules or encapsulate kratom yourself. If you’re going to try and do it yourself, use a capsule-making machine. Otherwise, you’ll spend a very, very long time trying to hand-pack kratom into capsules.
However, if you choose to buy kratom capsules pre-weighed, you’re going to spend a little more money. That’s because you’re paying for the convenience of not having to hand-pack your capsules.
If you do make your own, make sure that you empty a filled capsule onto a scale so that you know how much each capsule contains. After doing this, you’ll be able to calculate your dosage by adding together the number of capsules you’re taking multiplied by the weight in milligrams.
Most pre-weighed kratom capsules come in doses of 500 mg. As such, you can increase or decrease the amount in half-gram increments. This is generally considered the perfect amount to increase your dose when first figuring out how much to take.
Alternately, kratom tinctures can be an easy and portable way to take kratom accurately. If you want, you can even try making your own tinctures.
How Much Is Too Much?
When trying to figure out the best dose for anxiety, you should be invested in figuring out the lowest possible dose. Remember, if you’re dosing too high or too often, you might become physically dependent on kratom.
That’s why it’s essential to start from the low end and work your way up. If you start with a high dosage, you’re more likely to find relief quickly. But you’re also more likely to become dependent on a dosage that otherwise might not have been necessary.
For example, if you start working your way up from 2 grams, increasing by 500 mg each day, by day 5, you might find that 4.5 grams are perfect for killing anxiety. On the other hand, if you first set out to experiment by toss-and-washing 8 grams, your anxiety will certainly be eliminated, but you’ve also most likely eliminated the possibility of a 4.5-gram dose being effective.
So it might take a bit longer to figure out your sweet spot, but it’s well worth it in the long run. You’ll save money, time, and potentially the grueling torment of physical dependence by keeping your dosage low.
Final Thoughts on Kratom for Anxiety
All strains of kratom can help fight anxiety. Relaxing strains can help dampen an overactive mind and reduce the impact of anxious thoughts; stimulating strains can help you push through your anxiety with an increased mood and enhanced focus.
Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone can knock out their anxiety with a stimulating strain, and not everyone enjoys the sedative nature of red strains. Take some time to figure out what works best for you.
