Spectered

When I quit drinking, I also cut back on caffeine so I could sleep better. It helped a little bit, but still felt like I could be sleeping better, so 6 days ago I decided to cut out the caffeine entirely. I slept better, but the headaches were horrible (painkillers didn't help) and I gave in today and drank a couple cups of tea.

I'm just curious to know what your reactions to caffeine have been since getting sober? Does it help or hurt with staying sober in the long run?

Deckard

I found that I no longer needed caffeine once I started sleeping in a regular fashion and waking without fog or hangover. I'm still not a morning person, but now just not anti-morning.... So, I have not had caffeinated coffee or tea in about six months (in context of 1 1/2 year + without alcohol).

However, they are totally separate issues to me. I could drink coffee tomorrow without its having the slightest impact on my commitment to not drink alcohol. That has to remain paramount.

SnowDawg

Too much caffeine can throw me into stress and an anxiety attack! But I'll do a shot first upon arising. That helps kick start. But that's all for me!

Ghostlight1

I agree, caffeine throws me into anxiety and restlessness. I don't recommend it.

Resolv

Hey Spectered, For me, two cups of coffee in the morning is way better than several shots of booze. Having said this, I also agree with those who posted before me. After my two cups first thing in the morning, I switch to water, caffeine free sports drinks and/or vitamin water and decaf tea (iced or hot).

Caffeine helps my sobriety in that it's an alternative to alcohol. Like you, I have problems sleeping, so as long as I limit my caffeine intake and put a lot of space in between caffeine and bedtime, it doesn't hurt my sobriety.

See ya'


Resolv

digdug

I have a severe anxiety disorder. I remember my second day of rehab, still in detox, I bought a bottle of soda and couldn't make it through half the bottle without feeling like crap.

I now have strict limitations on caffeine intake. No coffee. Only iced tea (watered-down) or diet soda (no more than 16 ounces). No caffeine after 3pm.

Cutting down has helped tremendously with my anxiety and sleep. And because my caffeine consumption is so low, I can go several days without it and not have any withdrawal symptoms (headaches, insomnia, etc.).

Now nicotine, on the other hand has been much harder to give up. But at least I haven't had a real cigarette in over a year (just use an e-cig with middle nicotine level).

UnixBer

You can avoid most of the headaches and withdrawal symptoms from caffeine if you taper it off for a period of 2 weeks or more. I quit caffeine like this over 2 months ago and today I don't even remember why I drank it.

I suppose it is better without the caffeine after all. It might help some, but mostly it is associated with aggravation and anxiety in recovery. I also noticed that when moving to e-cigs my caffeine tolerance seemed to drop a lot. And I noticed coffee actually making me sick and strangely psychotic or anxious, thus the decision to stop using it.

There are a few good caffeine threads here if you have the patience to search for them.

PurpleKnight

I cut back on my caffeine as I wasn't hungover in the morning anymore and struggling through work each day!!

But I still have my 2 cups of coffee in the morning and then switch to green/white teas in the afternoons and the lead up to bedtime in the evenings!!

It sounds like caffeine withdrawal, which coupled with alcohol withdrawal might be too much by completely stopping both in the one go!!