I'd actually posted most of what follows in another section, but thought it might be applicable here, so here goes:
I've been using Kratom for around 1.5 years, and in terms of it being a useful/enjoyable substance, it's been (and continues to be) one of the most interesting "journeys" I've ever had. And it took me a long time to find my "sweet spot", cuz I just kept taking too much. But a couple of months ago, I really got something through my head that helped me: almost all Kratom in smallish doses (2-3.5g), except for perhaps the most sedating reds and some plain ol' bunk is at least somewhat stimulating for me in a really nice way. I think that's largely due to my body chem: when I used to take percocet (I have 9 herniated discs in my back and neck, spinal stenosis, arthritis, and a couple of other little spine issues), I learned early on that a very small amount sort of perked me up but also sufficiently tricked my mind into providing sufficient pain relief. If I took more (and I'm not talking about a lot; my usual dose was around 5mg with a 2.5 mg "booster" 2x per day; a lot for me was like 10-12.5 mg 2-3x per day), I'd inevitably feel nauseous and sedated. But at a low-to-moderate dose, it was almost like a good focusing med for me.
It's pretty much the same thing for me with Kratom. Any decent-to-good kratom seems to provide me with some degree of pain relief (which is why I originally started taking it); however, there's no doubt that in terms of mood/psychotropic properties, some Kratom works for me waaaaay better than others. Favorite vendors, btw: Botanical Bunny, Smiley, and more recently, TFH, which is probably my favorite of all, not only in terms of the product, but also for the extremely warm and personal service they provide. I've tried lots of "strains" from these vendors and others and when they click, as many do, the mood component is pretty amazing, even if I'm surely well past the "honeymoon phase", and the pain relief is really notable. I'm not somebody who's looking to totally eradicate their pain with any kind of meds or herbs; the cost in terms of how I feel is way too high. I can deal with some pain and still work hard, take fast walks, light jogs, carry stuff, have sex, etc. Kratom has become my favorite way to deal with my back and neck....I have not touched a single perc since I started using it, which is amazing for me.
People also sometimes have what's called a "paradoxical effect" to certain meds; if that's common knowledge here, please don't take offense, I'm still pretty new to Double M. I've taken various things over the years (I'm nearly 60 y/o) that behave differently in my system than what they're reputed to do, not just percocet. My wife is similar with certain things, if she takes a valium, she can't sleep and starts bouncing off the walls (so she doesn't try it anymore

) . To me, however; my experience with Kratom isn't really paradoxical, but just consistent: smallish doses (2-3.5 grams) of many greens and whites I've tried make me feel "up" and pretty great (and sometimes a tiny bit jittery, though I don't really mind that so much if there's energy that accompanies it), and more recently small doses of certain reds behave pretty similarly, though I do find that they eventually become a little on the sedating side (and I do stay away from truly "slow" reds.....as I get older I fall asleep easily enough!). And there's no doubt that I've had much better overall experiences from the vendors that I mentioned above (and earlier on with Kats as well), and that there are really notable differences from strain to strain, even though the novelty of trying a new one seems to also go a long way.
It's really an interesting plant/leaf, though. I recently picked up what seems to be the most "serious" book on the science of it, but it's definitely a dry and not-easy read so I haven't yet really dug into it. I think that the fact that Kratom inspires us to post about it in this way speaks volumes about it. But the bottom line is that for me, when I'm using good kratom, it's an extremely helpful and enjoyable experience on many levels, and I've really learned to be as frugal as I can be with it (though I do use nearly every day) because it just works better for me that way, both for pain and mood.