I see so many first time kava drinkers give up on the first sip. Now don’t get me wrong, it Does Not Taste Good, but I am a bit disappointed in those who are genuinely curious about kava and kratom and decide to give up on the first try. Kava and kratom have tremendous physical and mental health benefits, and many first time kava and kratom drinkers step into the situation with an open mind, take one sip, and decide it’s not right for them .

Now, don’t get me wrong, it is ok to not like something, but “don’t knock it until you try it isn’t exactly a fitting phrase here. Don’t knock it until you experience it works a little better. 

Kava has a reverse tolerance effect. This means that many people are not able to experience the full effects of kava their first time drinking it. Or the second. Sometimes not even the third, which is a lot of times to drink something that doesn’t particularly taste very good. So why, you might ask, should you even bother giving it a good shot? Well, I know I sound like a sales person when I say this, but the effects are truly worth it. 

Once you break your tolerance (this meaning, once you drink enough to have reached the point in which you experience the effects), you will begin to notice feelings of anxiety relief, more stable moods, “social lubrication” (feeling more comfortable in social settings), and relief from pain and insomnia. These are all wonderful qualities, but for me the biggest perk is the shift kava has had on alcohol-centric social norms. 

Alcohol seems to be at the root (no pun intended) of most adult social gatherings. This can be scary, and can lead you down a slippery slope towards alcohol dependence. I have seen first hand the shift people begin to experience when they make the switch from kava to alcohol. Many of my fellow kava-lovers are reformed alcoholics that were formerly wandering down a scary path. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe in everything in moderation, but it is easy to lose control with alcohol, a known and normalized addictive drug. I would even argue that kava has saved the lives of people that I know and love. 

Kava does not feel the same as alcohol, but if you are looking for a little something to take the edge off at the end of the day, it more than does the job. For this reason, I encourage you to take the time, and utilize the patience to try and understand the benefits of kava for yourself. 

Kava bars are sober communities. I promise it isn’t as lame as it might sound. Everybody deserves to have a good time and to live a long life, and anything you can do to protect your mind and body, while having a good time in the process is absolutely worth giving a solid try, so this is your sign to go, sit down, make some friends, and give kava a good solid try. I guarantee your experience will be much more positive with an open mind.