Switching Addictions: How to Do It to Overcome Stimulant Addiction
If you’re addicted to an illegal drug or to a substance that’s hurting you in some way, switching addictions may be a first step to consider to regain some control over your life and your health. Though there’s a rhetoric in the rehab-world that some people have “addictive personalities” and that switching addictions is somehow a sign of hopelessness, in fact, many people intentionally use this strategy of switching from one type of addiction that’s harmful to another type of addiction that’s less harmful. For many people, switching the addiction to a different, less harmful or more legal substance is proof that you can take control over yourself. It’s not a sign of hopelessness at all. And it is not a sign of an “addictive personality”. If you work intentionally to switch to a less harmful, less stigmatized addiction that puts you in a position of greater control over yourself, then you’re one step closer to releasing addiction entirely.
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What does it mean to “switch addictions”?
Switching addictions is where you intentionally change what you’re addicted to in order to accomplish a specific goal. Usually, people switch addictions because they’re addicted to something illegal and they wish to get rid of the worry of being addicted to something that might get them into a lot of trouble. But some people switch addictions because they have health issues that are being caused by the substance that they’re addicted to. In any case, for those who wish to avoid drug rehab and take control of their own lives, switching addictions is a possible course of action. It’s a way to begin the process of healing.
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Alternative Stimulants to Use to Switch Addictions
Again, to be clear, we view “switching addictions” as a first step in terms of overcoming stimulant addiction specifically. Below are three alternative stimulants to use to switch addictions:-
Modafinil
Administer 200 mg of Modafinil orally once daily in the morning or, for shift workers, take Modafinil, 200 mg about an hour before the overnight shift begins.
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Kratom
Kratom, also known as Mitragyna speciosa is a tropical tree that belongs to the same family as the coffee-producing plant. It is native to Southeast Asia and depending on the dose it can produce stimulant effects or opioid-like effects. Kratom has a lot of active medicinal components so you can’t classify it as either a stimulant or as an opiate. Dose determines whether it acts like a stimulant or an opiate. Because of its opiate-like effects, it can be addictive, but many people characterize the addiction as something on par with caffeine addiction. It has not been the author’s experience that this herb is actually addictive. Further, kratom has actual medicinal benefits that have been used for hundreds of years to treat health issues like cough, chronic pain, diarrhea, chronic fatigue, and low libido. It is, of course, also used to switch addictions among those addicted to opioids or stimulants, but again, it has not been our experience that kratom is addictive. Most people (more than 97%) with opiate addiction or chronic pain stop having to take kratom on a regular basis after about a year of treatment without experiencing withdrawals or detoxification.
There are studies showing that kratom may not be as addictive as some studies claim that it is. Only about 3% of people who have worked with kratom for any reason (including to switch addictions) reported withdrawal symptoms. But it’s also worth noting that about 35% of people who were initially addicted to opioids and who used kratom to break their addiction were completely drug-free within less than a year. So while we’re discussing kratom here in a “switching addictions” article, in fact, kratom is not experienced by everyone who uses it as an addictive substance. Yet it has powerful and beneficial effects in the treatment of addiction and it can be like a miracle in the treatment of chronic pain.
Nonetheless, to avoid kratom addiction, people switch which type of kratom they use every day. One day they may use red vein, the next day green vein, and the next day white vein. For stimulant-effects, take 1-3 grams as a starting dose and see how it makes you feel. As a general rule, doses below 5 grams tend to produce stimulant-effects while doses above 5 grams produce opioid-like effects. That being said, however, all kratom strains (red, green, white, etc.) produce the same alkaloids but in different ratios. And kratom is prepared in a variety of ways to produce slightly different results as well.
- Red strains are typically relaxing and are good for falling asleep.
- White strains are more energizing and stimulating. They’re often used for focus, studying, or motivation.
- Green strains are a good option for those who want a balance of energy and relaxation.
How you administer the kratom will have an impact on how quickly it’s absorbed into the bloodstream which in turn, impacts the overall experience of the herb. Dried leaves that are chewed and capsules taken by mouth produce a slow-release effect that lasts longer. Powder and dried leaves, when brewed into a tea, in contrast, has a more powerful, but shorter-acting effect. Extracts of kratom are for more experienced kratom users who know how the plant affects them. People who are using kratom as a stimulant to switch addictions and get away from methamphetamines, Adderall, or other amphetamines may notice that their tolerance to kratom increases over time although again, developing a tolerance to kratom has not been a part of this author’s experience of the experience of this author’s clients. If your goal is to become free of all addictions over time, be sure to cycle which strain of kratom that you use and once you’ve successfully switched to kratom, then begin to limit your intake with the goal of eventually taking it only 2 to 3 times weekly. At some point, you could stop taking the kratom altogether, but kratom is legal and it is a medicine that is much less likely to create issues with relationships and work. As such, some people continue taking kratom long-term. In fact, it is a good pain killer and kratom is useful in protocols to cure diabetes as well as other serious diseases.
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Coffee / Caffeine
Drinking large quantities of coffee can provide support for overcoming an amphetamine addiction. Coffee can produce feelings similar to an amphetamine high, but its much safer than amphetamines and also, coffee is legal while many amphetamines are not. Breaking a coffee addiction tends to be considerably easier than overcoming an amphetamine addiction, especially if you’re taking supplements like Mucuna pruriens. As such, drinking coffee can provide a valuable crutch for people as they get started on the path to recovery from stimulant addiction. Choose a coffee product that is mold-free and take lion’s mane mushroom as a supplement along with drinking coffee to reduce cravings.
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Resources:
• Drugbank (2025). Modafinil. Retrieved July 11, 2025 from https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00745
• Grinspoon, P. (2024). Kratom: Fear-worthy foliage or beneficial botanical? Retrieved July 11, 2025 from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/kratom-fear-worthy-foliage-or-beneficial-botanical-2019080717466
• Johns Hopkins Medicine (2020). Natural Herb Kratom May Have Therapeutic Effects and Relatively Low Potential for Abuse or Harm, According to a User Survey. Retrieved July 11, 2025 from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/2020/02/natural-herb-kratom-may-have-therapeutic-effects-and-relatively-low-potential-for-abuse-or-harm-according-to-a-user-survey
• Sargent, M. (2025). Kratom Dosing Guide: Everything You Need to Know. Retrieved July 12, 2025 from https://www.zamnesia.com/blog-kratom-dosing-guide-n3744
• Greenblatt, K. and Adams, N. (2023). Modafinil. Retrieved July 12, 2025 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531476/#:~:text=Adult%20Dosing,start%20of%20the%20work%20shift.
