Stress Center Peer Support

I have already told my story about coffee about over a year ago on this site and still have that same issue. The issue being is that I need coffee in order to function at a higher level then my normal being, and that being is completely and utterly exhausted and stressed out in the mornings before I have coffee. I need someone out there to help me figure out how I can do without coffee because it leaves me feeling jittery and stressed, it effects the muscles in my back, I have lower back problems and this enhances it. Is there another drink besides coffee that a person with depression and anxiety can have that will make me a more level headed person throughout the day but give me the same energy as coffee does, minus the jitters and stress? Please god, someone out there has to know something! Thank you so much for reading this!

-Brett

I dont know about another drink, but if you dont do your exercise program in the morning I would consider that.Its a good way to wake yourself up.

At my non-caffeinated state I am pretty slow going. I found that Super B vitamins help really boost my energy, as well as morning exercise. For concentration, fish oil has helped. When I quit coffee, I wondered if maybe I had ADD because I couldn't concentrate. Some of that is the anxiety, but fish oil has been proven to aid in concentration, even in folks that really do have ADD. Do check with your dr. if you are on any other meds before supplementing with either of these. But you should definitely take a large dose of super B first thing in the a.m.

what do you mean by super B vitamins? Is that a mixture of all the B vitamins together that they call it SUPER B vitamin? I will do it if it will help me as far as energy and the fish oil for concentration, for I am not on any depression or anxiety medicines because of the constant side effects like hot flashes, and over and stomach problems which is my main issue because I have IBS and my anxiety contributes to it, or vise versa. I have been dealing with this since I was 10 and now i have just turned 24 and still do not have my life in order as far as my anxiety and depression is concerned. I have a fiancee and she has a son and we own a house. We will be married in the next couple of years and I want to have come along way with my anxiety and depression and not be in the same state that I currently am in! Its so frustrating and im sure you and alot of people on this site understand what I am going through. I still dont do things that I want to do on a whim because of it, especially the stomach issues. I constantly think that if I go somewhere I will be in the wrong place at the wrong time and have to go to the bathroom. The stress that my body goes through is also a huge thing that I am dealing with which is most of the underlying cause along with it all. i do heating and air conditioning and I am so fogged up during the day even if i drink coffee, the lingering effects still keep me anxious and blurry. But it does get me going in the mornings and thats why i drink it, i would be so sluggish without it and not be able to think even more because there is absolutely no energy there. someone help me!

Hey Brett !

I used to drink 2 thermoses full of coffee a day. I have never heard of an easy fix to stop drinking coffee. Replacing it with something else never worked. I just made up my mind to stop altogether. I had some of the worst headaches and tremors I've ever had. It was the worst 2 weeks of my life. I did this during 2 weeks off from work. I knew I wouldn't be able to quit at work, so I did it away from work. I don't know of any vitamins or magic pills to help you through this. My advice is to just stop. You'll be cranky and miserable and your typing wwwiiiillllllll lllooooooooookkkk llllikkkkeee ttthisssssss, but in 2 weeks, you'll be glad you did. I accidentally had a caffeinated coffee a few weeks ago. I started to shake 20 minutes after I drank it. It was supposed to be decaffeinated but they made a mistake I guess. I stay away from decaf coffee now too. I drink either green tea or beer LOL I make sure to get 8 - 10 glasses of water in a day to. You can do this if you can put up with the mood swings for a few weeks. You'll feel much better after.

Hi Brett - seriously look into your food intake, because it sounds like maybe you could be on a diet that is taking all your energy from you.

I have no idea what you diet is like but I do know this:

High fat & protein diets are dangerous and wear out the body - the digestive system, and can wreak havoc on muscles and most body function. It is hard for the body to heal from anything when it is so busy trying to assimilate food that isn't optimal.

Also the more processed the diet, the less whole and fresh foods you eat, the harder it is on your body.

Coffee is merely a band-aid, it gives you somewhat of a boost and caffeine has anti-inflammatory agents, so you get a temporary "fix" until the next day.

All I eat is garbage for food, alot of processed crap, and high fat and protein. So, yes I can see this doing alot of damage to my body as far as my energy levels. I need to take some vitamins, those B vitamins as well as fish oil, i was taking fish oil for awhile and it def. picked up my concentration so im considering back on that along with B vitamins. I need to take the shake out of my body that i have that coffee gives me. I mean it keeps me awake during the morning but overall makes me shake a bit and keeps me worried throughout the day.

Hi Brett - You will see a huge different by replacing even one meal with whole foods. Like for breakfast, you could do a whole fruit smoothie or oatmeal (no not the instant Maple and Brown sugar stuff in packets, LOL).

The way I do oatmeal is I put about 1 1/4 cups water in a pot, when the water boils, I throw in 1/2 cup of oats, cover, and turn off the heat. In about 5 minutes it's ready.

You can put raisins or fruit in there, honey or maple syrup, whatever you want. I like to use more water because I like it nice and thin and it's easier for me to eat that way.

For fruit smoothies, I just use fresh OJ, or water, a couple of spotted bananas and about a cup of frozen fruit like strawberries. You can throw some spinach in there and you can't tell the difference.

If you have a high speed blender like a Vita-mix or Blend-Tec, that's great, if not, let the frozen fruit thaw a bit on the counter first before blending.

A lot of folks think that eating natural is fussy, expensive and time-consuming, but it really isn't.

Eating natural is cheaper in the long run, you don't eat as much because the food isn't void of nutrients the way processed and fast food is, you are getting more nutrition and it's easier on your body so you take less stuff like coffee, pharmaceuticals and OTC for things like heart-burn, diarrhea, headaches, etc.

In the time it takes to drive to the nearest burger joint you can whip up a meal too. It is just plain satisfying all around!

Hope that helps...

Brett, there is a vitamin labeled B vitamins, then there it the good one called Super B. The formulations can be a little different depending on the brand, but since your diet is lousy, any formulation will help you. And since you're dealing with IBS, make sure you take it with food to keep it from upsetting your stomach. Do some research on the fish oil, too. I'm taking quite a large dose, and it has really helped with my depression. Look for brands that are purified and come from smaller fish, and since you've got the sensitive stomach, make sure they're enteric coated. The expensive brand of fish oil I started with wasn't and I kept getting headaches and stomach cramps. The much more affordable brand I'm on now is great.

Unless you have a convenient illness, say the flu, where you are going to be sick, tired, and at home anyway, why torture yourself with quitting cold turkey? Cut down a cup a day, replacing that cup with decaff (which has a small amount of caffeine) or a cup of hot tea. It'll only hurt a little that way. Then back down off the decaff or tea one cup at a time, too. Two weeks to freedom! BTW, sometimes the shakes are actually your anxiety talking, and not necessarily the caffeine.

Make sure your blood sugar levels don't plummet during this time by eating plenty of vegetables and whole grained foods, along with small amounts of lean meat. I know for myself, when my blood sugar drops, I crave chocolate and coffee! It's easy to keep a plastic dish of brown rice with vegetables, and a small amount of chicken in a cold pack to eat when you're starting to feel run down, just get used to eating it like a cold rice salad. And I know steel cut oats are great for starting the day, but you can always just eat a bowl of old fashioned oatmeal, like Shifrah said. It's such a simple thing to cook/eat in the am to keep the blood sugar leveled for many hours.

And might I suggest that you pump up your body's immune system? Get on some probiotics, the good kind that are in the refrigerated section of the health food store. With a sensitive digestive track, I wouldn't trust that sugary garbage they call yogurt, no matter they claim it does! I know it's totally gross, but think about taking some spirulina daily. I take one teaspoon in a glass of oj, and don't notice the taste (the smell is another matter). See if you can get a sample from the health food store before you buy it.

It sounds like you have all the makings for a successful, happy, and full life! Changing your thinking and diet is you showing respect to yourself and your life. Have you finished the program? If you haven't, start over since, after all, it's a new year - time for a new you!

You could even do a gradual decrease in caffeine by using half-decaf for a week, then three-fourths decaf the next week. Your system will get off it in a much gentler way.