FreeOwl

I am noticing a definite correlation. When I have more caffeine in my system, anxiety and stress response are higher for sure. There are secondary effects too, in that the heightened levels of stress hormones throw our sleep, hormonal and adrenal balance off and it can get into a cycle where the result is all kinds of strange mood and anxiety patterns.

This on top of whatever "normal" anxiety and emotional issues begin to bubble up into our now-sober consciousness after years and decades of repression.

JD4010

I won't let myself drink coffee after about 10 a.m. I am an early riser so that works out to almost the middle of the day for me. I should could back but it's damned tough.

alwayssober1

Caffeine can certainly cause anxiety/jitters etc, but what about worsening depression?

During the 3 days without caffeine my mood was better, the past week I've been drinking a lot of black tea (6 to 7 cups a day) and I've been feeling really down, with a lot of derealization, funky mood...really strange mood?....I'm almost 10 months sober maybe its PAWS?

I'm going to give this caffeine free lifestyle another go!

anattaboy

I'm settling for 1/2 pot this morning. No headaches the past 2 days so I'm ok there. If I can get down to 2 large cups in the morning and maybe one energy drink after noon I'll be happy. I'm sure the amounts I've been drinking have contributed to irritability and not so good for my heart among other things. Geez, the way caffeine is marketed these days has allowed my AV to say yes to lotsa caffeine cuz the whole planet is doin' it. crazy addict justification. Also I drink (AV)thinking it will give me motivation rather than using it when needed for tasks. Anyhoo, pretty fast taper so far. Time will tell the benefits.

anattaboy

I'm stopping at 3 cups of strong brew this morning. I'm saving double this week as the 33oz bag of Day to Day coffee I'm using was only $7 at walmart this week. I usually spend double that. I drank some water yesterday- more than usual but will try more today. I think I'm pumped that I was able to do this but not sure I feel much different after just a few days of "normaler" caffeine consumption.

Mountainmanbob

On my second cup this morning 6:09 AM
A heavy caffeine addiction I have
MM

SoberSamurai

I love coffee but I chose to give it up for a while so I can focus on my sobriety. I'll return to it for sure though.

JanieJ

You got have some pleasures !! I drink percolated Italian coffee in the morning, two cups from my favourite bone china mug, with two brown sugars and Jersey milk- it's a pleasant start to the day. Then I might have one later, and a couple of cups of tea. Three pints of lemon water throughout the day as well.
Caffeine is addictive, but I actually found worse effects (pounding heart,jitters etc) from instant coffee, believe it or not. Don't seem to get that from the real stuff.

I think it's the lesser of two evils, but hey, I'm not drinking.

SoberCAH

I like caffeine.

I drink coffey and diet soft drinks.

anattaboy

I'm not sure why it was so hard a month ago but I'm down to 2-3 cups coffee in the morning. I was drinking coffee til noon and Iced tea all afternoon. Anyhoo, glad all the stars were aligned this past week and it went as smoothly as it did. Thanks.

UnixBer

I found another interesting article about caffeine:
Caffeine the hallucinogen?, News, La Trobe University

BrighterDayz

I drink two large travel mugs in the morning and that's it. Trying to stay away from soda, drinking a lot of water and seltzer. I also love cold brew iced coffee. It's wonderful, never bitter. Google "cold brew coffee". I typically drink hot coffee at work and cold brewed on the weekends at home.

FreeOwl

3 hours into a headache from caffeine withdrawal, I am trying to gut it out....

tapering has been pretty unsuccessful. I'm just as bad with coffee as with alcohol! Worse, perhaps... because with coffee I really CAN'T just drink one... ever!

but OHHHHH this head hurts.... and the waves of nausea. It's like having a hangover.

GGRRRRRRRR!!!!!

oak

I struggle with caffeine addiction. For me, it's been harder to quit caffeine than alcohol. It's easier to think that caffeine is no big deal and that 'everyone' drinks caffeine.

I recently went 2.5 weeks without caffeine and I stopped getting migraines during that time. I went back to drinking caffeine and on day 3 of caffeine, I got a 4-day migraine. (I also often get migraines from caffeine withdrawal. But having caffeine also seems to trigger migraines for me.) I get anxious and have trouble sleeping on caffeine too. I wake up tired. Yet, I keep going back to it. So frustrating!

I don't even drink coffee, just 2 or 3 caffeinated sodas at lunch.

Today- I realized that I see having soda as a vacation or break in the middle of the day. It makes lunch special. I need to find other ways to take a mini-vacation/break.

I feel so much calmer without caffeine. And I wake rested. And I feel a deeper sense of sobriety, a freedom from all active addiction.

oak

I hope the headache ends soon. I haven't been able to successfully taper either.

UnixBer

Nice, the headache from caffeine withdrawal is pretty common but it's a sign of arteries restoring to normalcy from their suppressed state and if this is prolonged, it may cause a strain on them. One withdrawal symptom that I didn't get from caffeine was the headache. Some may need longer tapers, but I'd think that no longer than 2 weeks. Just to save the gear in your head, not to cause any unnecessary strain or damage.

And I know many people who (only) drink sodas and maybe cola. But trimethylxanthine, aka. caffeine is the same one substance no matter what the source is. Coffee contains it, tea also gives you the same caffeine, only 50% the amount. I always found that I drank more tea when I tried to make the switch. Logically, to patch up the caffeine levels. It doesn't matter if it's coffee, green tea, cola, pill or chocolate. Only the amount may differ. But thinking about drugs, any amount sounds not-good to me. I chose not to moderate caffeine, although I did give that a few tries. Simply glad I could escape the madness.

Good luck with the withdrawals...

Newpathway

Great question. It seems like it means different things for different people. I have always loved my morning coffee and have learned to know how much is right for me. During my first two months sober I was having so many panic attacks that I couldn't have any and even the smell of coffee would cause anxiety. Now I'm happily back able to tolerate 1 heavenly cup in the morning without any issues. I don't think people should use it to push them along when they are exhausted because it's bad for your system. Get rested up instead.

Jipsee

2 cup of Joe in the a.m. and lots of water and herbal tea during the day. Even during the madness

FreeOwl

I gave up and gave in.


The pain and the nausea were unbearable.

I will resume attempts to taper.... Cold turkey is the most painful, awful proposition I've ever faced.

This is an evil drug.

anattaboy

Yeah Owl I never wanted to quit and tapering was not even do-able a month ago but it came together for me finally. 2 strong 12 oz. cups this morning. I can live with that.