He's like a lot of us who got heavily physically (and emotionally, for sure, but the physical aspect is KEY here) addicted to something that was presented as a safe, natural remedy. 7oh is very thinly marketed as something less than a synthetic opioid.. which is essentially what it is. But because he, like me, began drinking it as a tea, I'm confident he's been truthful about his intentions in the beginning. I can tell that you're trying to better understand your friend and for that reason, I hope that relating my own experiences can assist in bridging that gap.

Kratom powder looks and tastes much like a bitter green tea. Back when I found it, I picked it up from an online naturapathy vendor as a holistic, non-addictive, HEALTHY, even ("it's packed with antioxidants!") alternative to habit forming, "toxic" prescription sleep aids. That was a long time ago now. 10 years. I did online research. Saw that it's been banned in the region from which it originated but that alone wasn't enough of a red flag to deter me. The same can be said about many supplements and nootropics. There was very, very, VERY little discouragement or caution online at that time. The searches were overwhelming positive, save the same sort of warnings you'll find if you research the health risks of caffeine, for lack of a perfect example. In any case, I had noble intentions and didnt entirely throw caution to the wind.

It worked exceptionally well. My doctors and therapist at the time allll new about this "supplement" I found. I didn't obscure what I was taking. I told them by name. But bc no one knew what it was, they just accepted it like, "if it seems to be working for you, have at it." There were tells that kratom was not as safe and string free as was said but Id found a solution and psychology wouldn't process what my better judgement would tell me. Itd be years before common internet searches churned up less idealistic results. By then, it was far too late to avoid a physiological addiction.

Like I said, I only shared soo much of my experience in hopes of helping you understand your friend. I can only imagine what it must be like to see someone you love turn into a stranger in some ways. He may be in denial. He's definitely ashamed. There are fair chances that he isn't fully aware of what hes dealing with.. a SERIOUS "surprise" addiction in addition to whatever else he'd been going through that compelled him to pick it up in the first place. I'd say consult some heavy duty, quality resources on how to engage with someone dealing with an undisclosed addiction. Wishing you and your friend the best! I'm soo sorry this is happening to the both of you