caffeine addiction struggles

Did you know what you eat and drink dramatically affects how you feel? Learn how to calm yourself and feel more energetic through diet and exercise.
Michelle Holly
Posts: 32
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:14 pm

Post by Michelle Holly » Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:09 pm

Hi. It~s been a while. I haven~t written in a while, but I need to. I am still struggling with caffeine addictions. I try so hard to quit. I manage for maybe a day or two, but then I go back. It~s really hard for me to quit. I, like momorph, have the thought patterns that I need coffee in order to function. I know, though, that it is causing me to have more anxiety and more depression. I guess it~s just the weaning part that~s difficult. I think that once i~m off of it for a week or two and decide not to pick up that first drink, then it will be easier for me to avoid caffeine. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Thanks,
Michelle

momurph
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 6:36 pm

Post by momurph » Wed Feb 13, 2008 5:30 pm

Thanks Michelle and Spectro49, for posting and letting me know I'm not alone in this.

Micelle, in one of your earlier posts, you asked if anyone would want to be a "sponsor" for you while you tried to quit. Did anyone respond to that? I certainly wouldn't be a good sponsor, since I am entrenched in my need for caffeine right now! But maybe we could keep in touch and encourage each other, share things we've read and heard about caffeine that might give us the motivation to quit, and just help each other out. Be "cheerleaders" for each other!

By the way, I notice that just THINKING about quitting caffeine makes me feel anxious and irritable! (I suppose that's "Anticipatory Anxiety" -- I just finished that lesson. Guess I should listen to that tape again :-)). Feeling anxious thinking about quitting caffeine just makes me think it's not worth trying right now ... but I'm not sure.

Thanks again for posting. Any and all feedback out there is welcome!

Maureen

Spectro49
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 9:12 am

Post by Spectro49 » Fri Feb 15, 2008 3:30 am

Michelle, it is hard to give up caffeine, I love my Mcdonalds coke at lunch and a piece of chocolate in the afternoon, I don't want to give it up :(

jesse1216
Posts: 18
Joined: Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:44 pm

Post by jesse1216 » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:10 pm

I have my mother to blame for my coffee addiction; she started me on it when I was 5! I only drink a cup a day but i don't like the way it makes me feel. I'm going to buy some decaf since I think it's just the ritual of having a morning cup of joe that keeps me drinking it. I've been doing it my entire life practically. I don't think the withdrawal will be too bad since it's just a cup. I've gotten headaches when i've skipped it but i get headaches all the time anyway. Wish me luck

Tinwhistle
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri May 25, 2007 8:53 pm

Post by Tinwhistle » Sun Feb 24, 2008 9:01 am

I am having a VERY hard time quitting caffeine.

I quit coffee 20 years ago with no problem, have never liked chocolate (yeah I'm weird that way!) but I'm absolutely addicted to Pepsi. I quit it cold turkey on Feb. 1st and only made it a couple of days before I gave in and started drinking it again.

I was happy to read on here that the withdrawls only take a few days. I was also happy to read that they ARE a real thing...my family thought I was crazy when I claimed that I was going through caffeine withdrawls. I think that starting today I am just goint to attempt to drink a little less every day and see if that works for me. I hope that it works. I truly forget what it's like to get a good night's sleep...

Mary Wargo
Posts: 274
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:37 pm

Post by Mary Wargo » Sun Feb 24, 2008 12:46 pm

It took me a year to get off of coffee. I went to half decaf and half reg, then to just decaf and then slowly cut down on the decaf. I would get terrible headaches if I stopped abruptly. I still drink my green tea though but it doesn't effect me like coffee did. Anxiety wise. If I stop anything suddenly my chances of staying "stopped" are not good.

Michelle Holly
Posts: 32
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:14 pm

Post by Michelle Holly » Tue Feb 26, 2008 9:26 am

Hi everyone. It has been a while since I have written back, but I want to write more regularly 'cause it really helps to have support in kicking the caffeine habit. I keep on trying and then end up giving in.
Momurph, I would really like it if we could keep in touch with eachother (kind of like sponsors) so that we can help eachother out in overcoming this addiction.
Maybe we could exchange e-mails so that we can write privately to eachother and cheer eachother on.
It is so frustrating. I tried to quit today, I did it until about 4:00 (just before writing this). I had a cup of coffee. It gave me some more energy for about ten minutes, but then I know that I will feel the crash. I get up, but then as the day goes, I feel even more tired than I did before the coffee. and I end up feeling depressed and anxious. Any suggestions and support would be great. I will try again, I won't quit trying to give up caffeine. Hopefully I'll kick the habit for good soon.
- Michelle

Michelle Holly
Posts: 32
Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 2:14 pm

Post by Michelle Holly » Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:03 am

I'm writing again cause I need to vent. I am still struggling with caffeine addictions. because of the caffeine, I have trouble sleeping, feel anxious and depressed, and I just have a hard time functioning overall. I hate being addicted. I need help.
thanks for listening,
Michelle

momurph
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2007 6:36 pm

Post by momurph » Wed Mar 19, 2008 8:07 am

Hi Michelle,
I am SO sorry about not getting back to your last post about us emailing each other -- I just noticed it now :-(. I would love to exchange emails with you and help support each other. I am still addicted too ... in fact, I am not sure I would be the best support person for you since I am still hitting the caffeine pretty hard.

Still, if you would like to try I would love that. I hope you'll forgive the oversight on my part. Let's see -- is there away to private mail each other from this forum, and exchange email addresses that way?

I am sorry to hear how hard this caffeine addiction is for you. Please hang in there and don't beat yourself up. We need to take things one day at a time. I am already on Lesson 12 and still drinking my coffee and tea throughout the day, although I think it might be a little less lately.

Be gentle with yourself. You'll be able to do this when the time is right, and with us emailing each other and helping each other out it could really make a difference for both of us.

Keep me posted ...
Fondly,
Maureen

leajay983
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 1:55 pm

Post by leajay983 » Thu Mar 27, 2008 3:48 pm

Me too! I was weaning myself off..then I had a really bad morning..really foggy and sluggish so I caved and had a cup...and whoa! I felt fantastic! Which led to another cup and bang! I'm back on the java again! I'm back to trying half-caf again..I went to decaf at one point but have yet to find one that tastes good!

However, I'm not gonna beat myself up about it...if I need to take it slow then that's just the way it's gonna be...at least I'm trying! :)

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