Caffeine...a trigger to drink
 

I love coffee and my energy drinks rather drink caffeine then alcohol anyday however I am noticing a pattern. Caffeine gives me the jitters and anxiety which triggers me to want a drink to counteract the effect. I am gonna have to give up the caffeine bc its really stupid of me to drink it when it makes me feel like crap and then want to drink to stop the anxiety. Caffeine makes me anxious and irritable. My system is so freakng sensitive to everything alcohol, caffeine, food this sucks. lol

If coffee is your trigger to drink then don't drink it.

I'm also a coffee drinker, have been my whole life, but I only have one cup or two in the morning with breakfast.

Coffee itself is not bad, but if that is what is triggering you to do more harm to yourself than it IS bad.

Try changing your routine, or at least the amount of caffeine. Less coffee, more milk, or something like that.

I would def do a change up if it triggers you or pushes you towards alcohol.

To me caffeine has been a substitute as have lots of sweets and desserts.

There are other people who have the same symptoms, I can't drink a lot of strong coffee, however tea seems okay.

Right now I'm drinking a ton of Mtn Dew. I used to be a beer & coffee kind of guy, I hated soft drinks, but now everytime I think about having a beer I open a Mtn Dew... seems to be working so far.

Im completely aware I shouldnt drink it but coffe is my addiction which then leads me to drink. I love a cup in the mornings but it could lead to three then I get anxious. I do need to cut down to half caffeinated but I thought it was a substitute for alchold but then realized it triggers me to drink.

If you keep doing what you're doing, expecting different results, but ending up jittery, it sounds like untreated alcoholism to me...

Try fresh fruit and veggies, hot water with fresh lemon...

If caffeine caused me to feel jittery and anxious and that made me want to drink...I'd at least switch to decaf, Innerchild - and pronto - what are you waiting for? :)

D

Okay welll I dont need to be made to feel stupid and what does caffeine have to do with untreated alcoholism???? Wish I never posted about this I dont need to be judged because I like to drink coffee

If you need caffeine in the AM, maybe something that doesn't have the associations that coffee has for you would help. Have you tried Yerba Mate? I've had several flavored kinds- chai and chocolate- it gives a lift but to me it's less jangly than coffee. Just an idea.

Innerchild I don't see where anybody is judging you. And no one can make you feel stupid, only you can make that happen. You see we are all alcoholics here and have been where you stand right now. We said the same things to ourselves and others. So we do know what, not who, is talking. It is hard to be an injured victim among those who played that role so well, for so long, and stopped, dontcha think?

I am not playing an injured victim thank you Itchy and Maybee Ill look into Yerba Mate I tried some natural fake coffee and didnt like it at all lol.

Sorry, I was talking about me, and I didn't make it clear. I can't have much coffee, artificial sweetners, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and more. I am highly sensitive now and not happy with how they make me feel: I end up reacting...just me. I bought a water filter. Water gets boring. Peace. If ya got a resentment, not my intention. Do you know how my keyboard on this phone changed...i only put it in my pocket for 2 minutes...

Hey Sugarbear. Its all good last night I was in a bad mood. I have a very sensitive system too and water gets boring lol. I am trying to replace my gym energy drinks with powerade and gatorade bc the carbs give you energy. I just had some half caffeinated hald decaf coffee sitting out in a cafe so no more. Dont need any trigger to get all jittery and drink.

I need to exercise! I found out the splenda and coffee gave me hypoglycemia and it was not good. Gained 7 pounds, then found that splenda is worse than saccharin! Made me gain, yes gain weight.

Sticking with teas, sugar & honey, but sensitive to that and tap water (i go to aa) tastes moldy here.

Feeling like i am in a no win situation

At 75 days, i think my feelings i have numbed are trying to surface. Just be here for me when they do! Have a peaceful sunday!

I got the old keyboard back, but tired of capital letters.

Ladies, I'm having some issues with caffeine, sugar and carbs also. Sugarbear, same here with the reactivity. And I'm beginning to wonder about the diet drinks and even stevia causing me not to lose the weight I'd hoped would just fall off. Anyway... The sugar and caffeine were probably causing my extreme mood swings and were the reason I was verbally attacking my boyfriend last week. It was hard for me to tell whether it was that or the grief I was experiencing for my mom... Some of us are just going to have to be extra careful with what we eat and drink now.

Fruits & veggies. I made chicken stock last night and need to finish today. Also, I heard hot waterand lemon juice brings oxygen to our system. That and an apple for me before my 7 am aa mtg.

There's a healthy eating support thread here... Some of us post what we eat there. Have you found it yet? I'll be starting the Whole30 challenge tomorrow, Aug 1st and posting about it there.

Caffeine will wreak havoc on your blood sugar levels, first by making your body release adrenaline, and then with the ensuing "crash" once it wears off. I had the same problem, because alcohol is a "quick fix" for both a drop in blood sugar as well as anxiety. You may want to lay off the caffeine for a while, until you get some distance between the last drink.

Trust me, I know, because I drink espresso non-stop. Having a double espresso now, actually. You mentioned Yerba Mate, which I also drink, and it is much better for you than coffee. It has caffeine, but it has other things as well which counteract the anxiety somewhat. Yerba Mate can be brewed like tea, but I drink it old school out of a gourd.

Soberjen, thanks!