Kratom is native to Southeast Asia and has been used to enhance mood and relieve pain, according to Medical News Today. The Mayo Clinic reports that kratom has also been used as a way for people to deal with the symptoms of withdrawal from opioids. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved kratom for any of these uses.Kratom is a natural opioid that interacts with opioid receptors in the brain. It has become popular because it can cause feelings of pleasure and relaxation, much like many popular opioids today. Most people take kratom as a tablet or capsule, but others brew dried kratom leaves into a tea and drink it.When taken in small doses, it can work as a stimulant because of a compound called mytragynine. Patients who take kratom in small amounts report increased energy, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).Since it is legal and available online, you may think that kratom is safe. Research currently shows that you can become dependent on, tolerant to, and ultimately addicted to kratom.Tolerance means that you have become used to a substance, and your body needs larger doses to feel the same effects. It is possible to become tolerant of a drug without becoming addicted.Addiction occurs when you try to quit taking a drug, such as kratom, but cannot stop even if your drug use results in negative consequences.Dependency occurs when your brain and/or body require that you use a drug to function. This does not always mean you are addicted, but it means you will experience symptoms of withdrawal if you suddenly stop taking a substance.NIDA reports that some kratom has been found in people who have overdosed on drugs. As of now, most people who have overdosed on drugs have mixed kratom with something else, such as fentanyl, cocaine, caffeine, or alcohol.