desypete

i drink tea till it comes out of my ears
but then i am not going to end up in a police cell for drinking to much tea or wake up the next day with guilt shame and remorse

tea just doesnt have that same effect on me

Coldfusion

The detox program where I was a patient did not allow caffeine or sugar (but they did allow cigarettes).

1newcreation

It puzzles me 2! Don't know why can drink cup in mrg & less than an hr later while either praying or reading literature or bible will feel sleepy or nowadays even fall asleep BUT if drink it after 6pm will keep me awake & it's battle tryin to sleep...grrr love coffee but just learned my limits I guess

Weaver

I used to be a caffeine "addict." During my drinking days and after early sobriety I would down monsters, coffee, 5 hour energy etc all day long.

Bad side effects...jitters, shakes, anxiety etc. I still have a soda from time to time but cutting out the majority of caffeine has been great! I do not like the way it makes me feel at all, and I believe that it is pretty terrible actually...especially the energy drinks, they are downright AWFUL for you.

I think the biggest thing I didn't like about caffeine was that I felt as though I "needed" it. I don't want to "need" any chemical anymore.

AG2013

Welcome back SnowDawg. Maintain your usual level of coffee. Detox one drug at a time.
Hang tough and good luck to you.

Jupiters

I usually have 2 in the morning...and one later in the afternoon. In between those, I drink copious amounts of water, green teas and other teas (some non caffiene) I rarely drink pop, juice or energy drinks.
But when I was detoxing, coffee was public enemy number one!!!
everyone is different! you know your body best

HockeyGuy

Haha, yeah I don't feel caffeine is all that bad as long as you limit it to something manageable. Couple cups a day!

ESD907

I've found best way to drink coffee for me. I make approx 16oz pot in the a.m. and sip it throughout the day...yes, having to mircrowave it..I just pour about 2oz at a time. Keeps you alert and doesn't make you ill, and no crashes. If I'm out about, I'll heat it to super hot and take in a thermos (work, etc).

ElleDee

I LOVE LOVE LOVE my coffee. A couple of years ago I had to give it up for a week before having surgery because they didn't want me going through caffeine withdrawal in the hospital. I thought that was funny but I guess it happens to some (headaches, etc.) I had no problem not having it... no withdrawal. So I feel comfortable consuming as much as I want.

Croissant

As long as you just have tea, no crumpet!

grubby

Not a problem at all, just one quick side note: don't consume too much near bed-time.

I plan on being a life-time caffeine user.

My only regret is that i didn't discover coffee earlier

Unlike the scam-like alcohol with it's "hidden fees", "catch", "hangover", "strings attached", and "withdrawal syndrome" caffeine has NEVER given me any un-pleasant side-effects. It may give you a very mild 1-2 hour headache if you consume too much in too short a time-span, but that's about the worst i have experienced with coffee.

Another side note: i notice coffee seems to aid with bathroom visits, i drink a large cup and almost without fail i am in the bathroom anywhere from 1 - 2 hours later. It seems to help a lot with staying "regular".

FreeOwl

I'm currently totally addicted to the stuff. I drink VERY strong espresso.... several per day most days.

I've tried a few times to cut it out and always go back due to headaches, exhaustion, physical fatigue and irritability and mood issues.

In the past 9 years the longest I've gone without caffeine is 4 days.

I note both physical symptoms and emotional symptoms of overuse....

Yet I continue.

This all rings strinkingly familiar to my experience with alcohol.....

I want to moderate - but have not been able to.

I strongly suspect that if I just quit altogether, on the other side of the withdrawal and recalibration, I will feel much better overall because of it.

But I have yet to take the step of acceptance and commitment to caffeine-sobriety....

Fiveyearssober

I honestly needed my coffee to get me through detox. I love my coffee and I focused on that when I quit drinking. I needed the energy boost and decided that if it helped me quit booze - great alternative After five years sober I am now releasing my grip on coffee but still have at least two cups a day. Whatever gets you through is what you need to do!

Soberpotamus

It's what I did too... my focus shifted to coffee and I was adamant about having good coffee! I invested in a nice French press and a good grinder. It helped me to have that "hobby" early on. I don't regret my slight obsession with it. But my grip has loosened a little since, just like you've said here. I agree wholeheartedly that temporarily shifting your attention to coffee in early sobriety seems to be a really good thing for alcoholics.

desypete

lol i would give up tea totaly for a bit of crumpet, sadly its just tea

UnixBer

Personally, caffeine has always increased my anxiety levels. After some time in recovery I've developed some kind of caffeine intolerance. I notice its effects more acutely and they are not good.

It's still a drug by the end of the day, and caffeine is also an insecticide. Used to destroy the nervous system of invading bugs on crops etc. I wonder what it does to a human being in long-term use, where caffeine addiction and tolerance develops and the amounts tend to increase?

Being off the stuff personally I'm better off. Waking up is easier and so is getting sleep. Coffee has some good tastes though. Everyone enjoy your cup.

PurpleKnight

My first few weeks Sober where awful, very little sleep and a full days work to survive, caffeine got me through, kept me awake but it wasn't great for my already high heart rate due to withdrawal, so there was a balance to be struck!!

Caffeine though is still a apart of my daily routine, a few cups in the morning to get me going and then in the evenings I switch to green/white teas, they help me relax after work in the lead up to bedtime.

weirdesttoner

I'm sensitive to caffeine. I stopped drinking coffee several months before completely stop drinking alcohol.
I didn't miss it at all, especially since i stopped drinking alcohol i don't need it anymore. I was using it because i was too hungover in the morning and unable to focus or do anything than stare at my computer screen and drool.