People using kratom who met criteria for ADHD, PTSD, depression, or anxiety reported decreased depressive and anxious moods compared to before kratom use.
Psychiatrists, substance use researchers, and public health professionals monitoring emerging psychoactive substance trends.
4,945 kratom userssurveyed, with psychiatric condition sufferers reporting decreased depressive and anxious moods
What the researchers found
Kratom users meeting criteria for ADHD, PTSD, depressive, or anxiety disorders reported decreased depressive and anxious moods and greater concurrent use of cannabis, CBD, and benzodiazepines.
Why it matters
Kratom is increasingly used for self-treatment of psychiatric conditions, yet its effects and interactions with other substances remain poorly understood.
The numbers in context
4,945 kratom users completed the survey (July 2019–July 2020), with 2,296 completing extended clinical scales. Users with psychiatric conditions were primarily aged 31-50 years, employed, and college-educated.
How the study worked
Anonymous cross-sectional online survey with validated clinical scales for ADHD, PTSD, depressive and anxiety disorders. Descriptive and comparative analyses.
Who was studied
4,945 kratom users, primarily middle-aged (31-50), employed, and college-educated.
What this study cannot tell us
Self-report data is subject to bias. No control group for comparison. Online recruitment may not be representative. Self-reported mood improvements cannot be verified objectively.
How to read the evidence
Large cross-sectional survey provides descriptive data but cannot establish causal relationships.
When this study was published
Survey conducted July 2019 to July 2020.
The bigger picture
This large survey provides important baseline data on psychiatric comorbidities among kratom users, suggesting a population using multiple substances for self-medication that warrants further clinical investigation.
Replication
Self-report survey; observational and clinical studies recommended by authors.
Funding
Not specified in abstract
Conflicts of interest
Not specified in abstract
Questions still open
- Would controlled clinical studies confirm kratom benefits for mood disorders?
- What are the safety implications of combining kratom with cannabis, CBD, and benzodiazepines?
Read the original research
Correlations of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) use behavior and psychiatric conditions from a cross-sectional survey.
Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 31(5), 963-977
Citation
Grundmann, Oliver; Veltri, Charles A; Morcos, Sara; Smith, Kirsten E; Singh, Darshan; Corazza, Ornella; Cinosi, Eduardo; Martinotti, Giovanni; Walsh, Zach; Swogger, Marc T. (2023). Correlations of kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth.) use behavior and psychiatric conditions from a cross-sectional survey.. Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, 31(5), 963-977. https://doi.org/10.1037/pha0000632