Upwardspiral

Hi all. I could really use some sharing with regards to caffeine addiction.
I'm three and a half months sober, and feeling great.
However, I'm really struggling with my relationship with coffee / caffeine. I have always been a caffeinated person, beginning with excessive soda consumption as a child and switching to coffee in college.

I find that the way I use coffee is very similar to how I consumed alcohol: there is never satiation, no control and I often find myself thinking about the next cup and planning it in my mind.

I get very edgy when I can't have access to it and I will totally plan my day around making sure that I have it when I need it. It's an emotional crutch. The idea of just having one cup a day seems as unfathomable as having one beer a day- I'd rather have none.

I understand it's important to have comforts like this when you're going through the early stages of recovery, but I feel like I'm reaching the point where I really need to start eliminating this stuff from my life because it's causing problems similar to the way alcohol did.
It tears up my stomach, fries my nerves and scatters my thoughts.

I would really like to hear from people who have also had this experience and how they undertook the process of eliminating caffeine from their lives. I'm mostly interested in the mental and emotional aspects of the process, I have enough info on tapering and substitution.

I'm really not interested in hearing from people who want to discourage me from making this change.

Saskia

I was a caffeine-aholic in college when I had about 8 cups of coffee a day. I read a book put out by Consumers' Reports many, many years ago and read that an overload of caffeine can actually cause psychotic symptoms. That scared me into moderating when I quit smoking. I now (and have for many years) drink one cup of caffeinated coffee per day and one cup of decaf per day. Both are in the am. That works for me though I will admit to wanting more on occasion.

It could be like alcohol in that perhaps some can moderate and some can't? The brain receptors involved for caffeine (and tobacco) are, as I understand it) not the same as the receptors for alcohol. So I would guess that it's possible to be addicted to one, two or all three.

I personally stay far away from any soda but especially from those with caffeine and those with artificial sweeteners.

KidsEverywhere

I think that those of us who in general struggle with addiction and caffeine is just another something for us to struggle and overdo. I don't have a good answer specific to caffeine except probably the same principles that apply to how we deal with alcohol could apply to anything.

PennyLane76

I cut out the Diet Coke to see if it managed anxiety a bit. No way will I give up my coffee tho, lol. I think not drinking has been the most helpful with the anxiety issue. Everyone will have their own opinion, but to me it's like saying we are addicted to food by planning our day around it.

First thing I do in morning is make coffee,
gotta have a motivator to get out of cosy bed

Austin4Wyo

I drink about a quart of strong coffee a day. Usually, I fill my travel cup on the way out the door, and then mid or late afternoon, I have another. I cut back significantly a few months back when I started a high-intensity workout routine and was worried about the diuretic effects of coffee on my hydration during 20-28 mile bike rides. Prior to that I was drinking probably twice that, and I could be a bit wound up at the end of the day.

I don't drink more than the occasional soda, gave up Red Bull when I gave up the Jägermeister that was mixed in it, and can be reasonably happy with decaf after my morning cup. It's not having an effect on me that is disconcerting. I will say that while I notice effects of not having it such as mild irritability and sluggishness, I don't drink it at all like I drank alcohol. I grew up in the country, so coffee was and remains a staple of fellowship. Being able to return to a different drink that I genuinely enjoy has been a godsend, and my time sitting and listening to music while sipping strong, viciously hot cowboy coffee has been extremely meditative for me.

Soberwolf

Why not start writing your daily diet down for 1-2 weeks then look at your caffeine intake & look for alternatives

Upwardspiral

Definitely wolfie, this will be stage one. Frighteningly, I have calculated that today I have already consumed nearly 1,000 mg of caffeine.
First step is realizing you have a problem...

Soberpotamus

I didn't kick it completely, but I did wean myself down over a couple of weeks. Instead of 4-6 cups I now stop at 2. That has made all the difference. I stop before I'm frazzled. I get the benefits of a small amount of caffeine, as well as the antioxidants.

Croissant

The only thing I can say is, I didn't notice it until after my second relapse, but coffee downs definitely made me crave alcohol. It was almost as if it gave me a similar feeling to a hangover and my body's natural reaction was "I need a high"....which then for me got cravings happening or the AV talking.

I stopped coffee for a while and then when I returned to it, it gave me bad heart palpitations. Either way, it was becoming unpleasant, and I don't believe the benefits of even a small amount of coffee are worth it for me, Putting soemthing into my body that stimulates my receptors seems like a bad idea.

Carver

I could have written your post, I'm exactly the same. I've been trying to replace it with fruit tea, but I end up just drinking coffee, probably even more.

I've tried going cold turkey but end up dashing to the shop early the next morning to get some. It's ridiculous.

Upwardspiral

Yeah, I think that ultimately it is just going to be a struggle and I will have to want my well being more than a cup of Joe. I'm early in the AA program and I think I need to start thinking of my caffeinism as part of the spiritual sickness that caused my alcoholism while I work the steps.

I'm certainly not applying this to anyone else BTW, all you coffee normies can keep on enjoying your brew...I won't judge

soberclover

I have given up diet soda and that helped lower my caffeine; however, I'm still drinking 3 to 4 cups in the morning. I've been using a Keurig so not mixing half regular and half decaf which I really could with the adapter....gives me something to think about.

bigsombrero

Same here. When I first got sober, I was guzzling an entire pot of coffee every morning with reckless abandon as soon as I got up. I'd continue until I was bouncing off the walls with anxiety. Slowly but surely, I got a handle on my consumption. I closely monitored my habits and eventually settled on 2-3 cups in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

One thing that really helped me get on the right track was switching my coffee maker. Instead of a huge coffee pot that holds 8 cups, I got one of those "mini" machines that only holds 4 cups. Kind of like those small ones you see in hotels. I also purchased a coffee grinder, and use only whole bean coffee. I cut out any type of soda completely. These little tweaks have led to a more healthy and manageable caffeine intake for me. Hope you can use some of these tricks to help you get on the right track.

Ultramarathoner

I found myself drinking too much coffee when I quit- possibly b/c of the sugar I was adding.

I switched to black coffee, then caffeinated tea.

Lance40

Personally I consider all forms of obsession or compulsion that show up in my life to be areas of concern in my sobriety journey. I take the viewpoint that they are a behaviour that indicates something is amiss in the physical, spiritual, emotional or psychological aspects of my life. When I become aware something like this is in play I don't necessarily drop everything and start a "program" about it, but I do pause to take stock of where I'm at and where I'm headed.

I got hooked on coffee after I quit drinking. I drank coffee all day at work and at times would prepare another cup while I still had some left to drink. I've been sober a year and now drink one to two cups of coffee a day. Sometimes in the afternoon I find that the cup is still sitting there half full from the morning. I can't tell you exactly how I did it because I never consciously made a decision to cut down on my consumption. Rather, as I stayed focused on my sobriety and recovery and became more stable and grounded in my life and being, I found that compulsions, obsessions and addictive tendencies started to become less and less of a pronounced presence in my life.

I want to be clear that I'm not suggesting that being hooked on coffee or other non-alcohol related things should be part of dealing with alcohol addiction. What I am saying is that I have made a personal decision to embrace sobriety in a holistic way that covers all of my life without just being limited to my alcoholism. I find the benefits are well worth the work.

SDH73

Two-cups-a-day guy here. One in the morning, one in the afternoon. Occasionally a third later in the evening if I'm tired at work.

I too have considered cutting coffee out completely. In the morning I don't feel that I NEED a cup of coffee, but it's part of my routine and sort of a sober morning treat. Same in the afternoon. And in a weird way it compartmentalizes my day: first coffee - late afternoon, second coffee - bedtime. So I guess I deal with my day as two separate halves that way, and I kind of enjoy that.

BUT, I wonder how much more productive I might be in the mornings if I didn't spend the first hour or so making and drinking my coffee, then either doing that again at home later or going out to hunt for coffee elsewhere. It would be awesome to just roll out of bed and be ready to take on the day NOW, not after my coffee.

Anyway, best of luck to ya! I'll be watching to hear what you say after a week or so sans caffeine. If it's the bees knees maybe I'll join you.

Saskia

Or you can get "Half-caff" k-cups :-)

Dharma33

<<<<<<<<

Am I drinking more coffee than when I was drinking alcohol? Yes, then I felt too sick in the mornings to stomach it.

3 cups now in the morning....too much? Maybe.

On The Road

I have problems with anxiety. Anxiety is a trigger for me. When I decided to get sober this time, I went all-in to eliminate things that make me feel this way. So when I stopped alcohol cold turkey, I stopped all caffeine, too. That meant giving up my triple shot latte in the morning follow up by 2 or 3 additional cups throughout the day. One of the best decisions I ever made. Don't miss it at all. My heart isn't racing and I don't feel jittery either.

advbike

I love my morning coffee and wouldn't define it as a "spiritual sickness".. haha.. but I admit that I'm physically dependent and have had to cut down. I drink it while I read the news, and use a single cup maker, not the cartridge type. That helped me become conscious of how much I drink.

I'll have 2-3 cups before noon, no later or I have sleep problems.. we go to bed early here in the tropics. I also can't seem to completely quit.. I enjoy it too much, and I think that's okay, as long as it's not causing problems. But I'm curious to see how you do..