Caffeine
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 318
Dee that's so true. Alcohol has been a struggle for me but I've smoked here and there for the past 5 years and nothing. Nada. Just not my thing. (unless I'm incredibly overwhelmed and think I "need" something to help me calm the heck down)
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,303
I also need to remember that my coffee consumption was tied to my alcohol intake. I could barely make it through one afternoon without a nap, even with coffee. Then once I quit, I was so fatigued that I would have to drink coffee at night if I wanted to hang out with my husband at all once kiddo was in bed. I guess it comes down to being so frustrated with my energy levels. I am so tired of being tired. But maybe also my fatigue in the afternoons and evenings is due to a caffeine crash.
Dee, how long have you been sober and how long have you been off of cigarettes?
Dee, how long have you been sober and how long have you been off of cigarettes?
Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,384
Sober since April 2007, and off cigs from the same date.
I only smoked when I drank...but that was all the time by the end..chain smoking and chain drinking - but I never had any problems giving up the smokes....
D
I only smoked when I drank...but that was all the time by the end..chain smoking and chain drinking - but I never had any problems giving up the smokes....
D
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,439
Renarde, did you ever check out my thread on quitting caffeine? It's got a list of withdrawal symptoms and some other information you may find helpful. I think caffeine can really be harder to quit than most people imagine. A lot of people don't think of it as a 'real' drug so they're surprised when it comes with very real withdrawal symptoms.
I quit cigarettes and alcohol cold turkey, but when I tried that with caffeine, it was too much for me. It made my head hurt like he11. So, I did one cup a day for a week and then cut it out and that was a lot easier. I will say though that I was unusually tired for the first couple of weeks. And I just didn't feel chipper at all. But that passes and it gets better. The first month was a bit rough for me, but month two I've felt fine.
Don't beat yourself up. Caffeine is a powerful drug and the withdrawal symptoms can just be a little much if you try it all at once. Keep with the taper, keep your end goal in mind and you'll get there!!
And yes, one of the problems with caffeine is that you start to 'need' it to stay awake because once you've had some if you don't have more you're going to have that caffeine crash. I used to need it just to drag myself out of bed. Now I feel fine without it. You'll get there too.
I quit cigarettes and alcohol cold turkey, but when I tried that with caffeine, it was too much for me. It made my head hurt like he11. So, I did one cup a day for a week and then cut it out and that was a lot easier. I will say though that I was unusually tired for the first couple of weeks. And I just didn't feel chipper at all. But that passes and it gets better. The first month was a bit rough for me, but month two I've felt fine.
Don't beat yourself up. Caffeine is a powerful drug and the withdrawal symptoms can just be a little much if you try it all at once. Keep with the taper, keep your end goal in mind and you'll get there!!
And yes, one of the problems with caffeine is that you start to 'need' it to stay awake because once you've had some if you don't have more you're going to have that caffeine crash. I used to need it just to drag myself out of bed. Now I feel fine without it. You'll get there too.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 154
I decaffeinated months ago because I knew that it would hinder my effort to quit alcohol. One of my frequent excuses to drink was that i couldn't sleep, and i couldn't sleep partly because of caffeine. It also aggravates any anxiety or emotional upset I have and that's another excuse to drink.
I tapered down and found this worked very well. Went from regular coffee to mixing regular with decaf, then to total decaf, which still has some residual caffeine in it.
The headaches and fogginess were the bad for a couple of days but they faded fast.
I still drink a cup of decaf in the morning, but other than that, it's low caffeine tea (white or green.)
Good luck!
I tapered down and found this worked very well. Went from regular coffee to mixing regular with decaf, then to total decaf, which still has some residual caffeine in it.
The headaches and fogginess were the bad for a couple of days but they faded fast.
I still drink a cup of decaf in the morning, but other than that, it's low caffeine tea (white or green.)
Good luck!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,303
Thank you guys. The hardest part for me is the mental acuity. I'm in a really difficult grad program and I have no time for my brain to not be working right. I was wondering today if maybe I should stick with the one a day (that has been going well) and quit when I have 6 weeks off over the holidays. I don't know. Thanks again for the support. All of these encouraging stories are helping me.
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 480
Originally Posted by Renarde 
Thank you guys. The hardest part for me is the mental acuity. I'm in a really difficult grad program and I have no time for my brain to not be working right. I was wondering today if maybe I should stick with the one a day (that has been going well) and quit when I have 6 weeks off over the holidays. I don't know. Thanks again for the support. All of these encouraging stories are helping me.
I am still holding strong to the two cups in the morning. Not looking forward to Monday. Well I am a little. I abuse caffeine so it will be nice to finally (hopefully) be free from it. That isn't to say I wont every drink a cup of coffee or a soda in the future, but I plan on abstaining for quite some time.
Like alcohol, I drink caffeine/ energry drinks/ energy shots, espresso etc for the BUZZ. I don't want to do that anymore. I want to be clear headed and no vices (except for maybe running lol)
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Europe
Posts: 1,361
Nine years ago i wanted to be free of all forms of addiction (i was 20)
Of all substances and such that influence the mind.
I ended up drinking only water. No drugs, coffee, tea, milk, alcohol, sigarettes, soda's etc. For there is something in EVERYTHING.
I remember being very unhappy at the end of that phase and very stressed out.
I had no television, no internet, no videogames, no radio, for they influence too.
Even reading a book felt uneasy.
Nowadays i drink coffee, and soda's, and tea, and milk.
None of the other stuff luckely.
I do play videogames, and have internet, and radio and television.
Reading a book feels very comforting.
My ego still whispers me into being 'hardline' sometimes.
No coffee and no this and no that.
I try to accept it to let it go.
It's all about attachment and being kind to yourself.
At least that's it for me.
I tried being very diciplinairy and keeping on pushing through personal boundries.
But there is a limit to that, and what does not bend breaks.
Then what? When the limit is reached, that has been a relapse point for me always. In order to go further i needed to use and abuse.
I respect all of you wanting to be totally free.
This is just my personal story and experience.
You all have your own path and that is awesome.
Of all substances and such that influence the mind.
I ended up drinking only water. No drugs, coffee, tea, milk, alcohol, sigarettes, soda's etc. For there is something in EVERYTHING.
I remember being very unhappy at the end of that phase and very stressed out.
I had no television, no internet, no videogames, no radio, for they influence too.
Even reading a book felt uneasy.
Nowadays i drink coffee, and soda's, and tea, and milk.
None of the other stuff luckely.
I do play videogames, and have internet, and radio and television.
Reading a book feels very comforting.
My ego still whispers me into being 'hardline' sometimes.
No coffee and no this and no that.
I try to accept it to let it go.
It's all about attachment and being kind to yourself.
At least that's it for me.
I tried being very diciplinairy and keeping on pushing through personal boundries.
But there is a limit to that, and what does not bend breaks.
Then what? When the limit is reached, that has been a relapse point for me always. In order to go further i needed to use and abuse.
I respect all of you wanting to be totally free.
This is just my personal story and experience.
You all have your own path and that is awesome.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,303
Weaver, I'm with you - nothing makes you feel like a good workout! In fact I need to get to the gym tomorrow.
So I don't have any coffee at home and didn't go to buy any. It's afternoon and I'm in the throes of withdrawal. I am going to take a nap and try to just get through this cold turkey over the next 2-3 days.
So I don't have any coffee at home and didn't go to buy any. It's afternoon and I'm in the throes of withdrawal. I am going to take a nap and try to just get through this cold turkey over the next 2-3 days.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,303
Hi folks. Day 3 no caffeine. I have had bad headaches and felt unwell, but it also feel like a cloud is lifting. I'm start to see the cycle of caffeine in the day and alcohol at night. I think this will be good for my sobriety. Herbal tea has been a nice substitute. Weaver, how are you?
DG, thank you for the support!
DG, thank you for the support!
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