# Caffeine? Bad with anxiety?



## Openyoureyes (Jun 13, 2012)

Not sure if this goes here, but I do drink a lot of caffeine. Did any of you stop drinking caffeine and felt your anxiety attacks were less bad?


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## ThoughtDamn (Jun 22, 2012)

Nope. My SA Peaks when I'm tired. If anything caffeine would benefit me.


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## Mauricio5 (Jun 19, 2012)

Any stimulant is terrible for my anxiety.


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## SweetNSour82 (Dec 19, 2011)

Definitely makes me feel worse. But I love coffee!!


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## sansd (Mar 22, 2006)

I don't think small to moderate amounts of caffeine affect my anxiety very much. Large amounts can.


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## SupaDupaFly (Sep 1, 2011)

caffeine makes me think happy!!


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## pehrj (Feb 12, 2009)

Given it up was the best thing I did for my anxiety.


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## matisyahu (Dec 2, 2011)

Everyone is different, but for me it triggers anxiety and panic attacks, along with weed and other stimulants like ADD meds.


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

doing about 1000mg of caffeine a day so 5 caffeine pills on a daily basis.

It does make me stressed but doesn't affect my anxiety.

No real withdrawal symptoms except for the craving to do it.


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## thing (May 17, 2012)

I don't drink much caffeine, but it actually helps lower my anxiety, if anything.


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## ArcherZG (Oct 22, 2011)

Caffeine is terrible for my anxiety.


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## theCARS1979 (Apr 26, 2010)

I use the caffiene to possibley treat add, I maybe addicted to it but oh well.


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## applesauce5482 (Apr 26, 2012)

It kinda makes my anxiety worse.

Good thing I dislike coffee!


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## riptide991 (Feb 1, 2012)

I find that coffee relaxes me if I don't use too much. If I drink a butt load I get jittery. It's really about moderation. A steady supply of caffeine can be beneficial as it antagonizes the adenosine receptors. This creates a scenario where more dopamine and serotonin are produced. But adenosine also supresses glutamate, epinephrine, etc. Some of these can increase anxiety. I would speculate that at lower levels the combination of neurotransmitters stimulated by caffeine is more beneficial and after a certain amount it becomes over stimulating. And if you have depression and anxiety as a result of low levels of these hormones then it can be beneficial. Keep in mind that a lot of SNRI's act on norepinephrine which caffeine does as well.


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## awkwardsilent (Jun 14, 2012)

I'm in the moderation is key camp, when I am amped up excess coffee really messes with my head. I feel for lack of a better way to phrase it "crazy". If I keep my caffeine and sugar consumption to moderate levels I don't feel completely better, but it is far less over the top. It also makes me less tired because if I have too much I have a harder time falling asleep at night, more sleep means I handle things just a little better. Working on a caffeine induced sleep deficit never HELPS with my stress levels.


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## DeeperUnderstanding (May 19, 2007)

Caffeine actually calms me down.


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## Twelve Keyz (Aug 28, 2011)

yeah, it makes it noticeably worse for me.


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## Deserted (Jul 25, 2011)

I did experience several panic attacks after three cups of coffee once...


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## Shauna The Dead (Jun 16, 2005)

Doesn't affect mine at all


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## Pandemic (Jan 6, 2012)

Deserted said:


> I did experience several panic attacks after three cups of coffee once...


This has happened to me as well.


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## DreamAway (Apr 29, 2012)

There's a positive clinical correlation between anxiety and caffeine intake.
It may not apply to everyone, but do your own experiments and it'll become quickly apparent whether you're someone who is susceptible to caffeine enhanced anxiety. 

I personally only drink caffeine if I HAVE to - long drive, long training session or so forth. Otherwise my anxiety becomes more pronounced.


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## randomprecision (Aug 19, 2011)

If anything it has the reverse effect on me. I feel calmer, more in control, and more focused on tasks and less focused on fear.
I have quit for a few weeks several times in my life....Let's just say I was not impressed with living without it.


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## JenN2791 (Aug 21, 2011)

Caffeine makes my anxiety fly through the roof. It's awful. Sometimes I'd have panic attacks rather than anxiety attacks. I love iced coffee, but I cannot drink it because it makes me so god damn anxious..


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## ufc (Apr 25, 2012)

Almost every time I have caffeine I have an anxiety attack. So cutting out caffeine from my diet has been the best thing for me.


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## Openyoureyes (Jun 13, 2012)

I've read most of the replies on here (thanks for the replies gave me something to read) and I've came to the conclusion that everyone is different but mostly it makes our anxiety worsen. 

It definitely makes my anxiety worse. I found that if I quit 2 days in advance I don't really shake when I have to do a presentation. I'm still really really nervous, but I don't shake. I was going to quit coffee, but I just can't. I gave up after I had to walk on stage for graduation, I got right back to drinking coffee. It does calm me down at the moment, but for the future it doesn't calm me whats so ever. I'm so addicted.


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## little e (Jun 27, 2012)

I quit drinking coffee and soda about four months ago, and my anxiety has decreased significantly. There were a couple of times I forgot and drank caffeine, and I immediately noticed its negative effects. I really miss my morning coffee, but it's just not worth it for me!


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## Elijah (Jun 23, 2012)

It's odd for me. Sometimes caffeine relaxes me and is anxiolytic - while other times, I become jittery and my anxiety skyrockets. It's a bit like playing the lottery in the sense that I really don't know what to expect.


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## Edwardo (Dec 12, 2011)

a while back, i bought some caffeine pills. The first time, I took 200mg and i felt super great, like i was talking with everyone, laughing. The other day, when my anxiety felt pretty high, and i was pretty tired, I popped 200mg and it was the worse thing i have ever done. I felt paranoid throughout the bus ride home, like people were all staring at me. I wanted to CRY...:sus

But just yesterday, before my run, I took a B complex pill and half a caffeine pill 100mg, and I felt great! Maybe it was just the run but I think small doses of caffeine can be quite beneficial for you health


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## elkin (Jul 18, 2012)

I have noticed I drink too much coffee it will sometimes make my anxiety worse (I usually don't drink more than 2 cups at a time). Otherwise, coffee seems to be good to me. It makes me happy and I am able to concentrate better. One time I quit caffeine altogether for about a month or so because I thought it might decrease my anxiety, but I noticed that it made my depression worse and anxiety stayed the same.


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## Zyriel (May 20, 2011)

If I don't or take anything with caffeine I am depressed to hell. Yet the caffeine itself makes me twitchy and increases my anxiety. But I would rather deal with being a raving maniac than being primordial goo lol.


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## Hex00 (Jun 17, 2012)

Caffeine seems to have no effect on me at all, one day I had three large Americanos and I think it made my heart beat a bit faster but caffeine is incredibly mild. I've never tried the pills though, maybe they're more effective.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

I don't notice caffeine having any impact on my anxiety.

There have been very long periods during which I've entirely avoided caffeine, wondering if it might reduce my anxiety, and it had no effect at all.


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## Jollygoggles (Mar 3, 2011)

I am officially off caffeine for life.
I was feeling tired today because I'm not well. Shouldn't have gone to the gym but I had a caffeine drink before going.
Anxiety skyrocket central after my workout. 
No thanks. Not again.


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## Elijah (Jun 23, 2012)

Anyone ever experience a considerable crash after drinking heavily caffeinated drinks- I mean to the point of feeling depressed?


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## momentsunset (Nov 10, 2009)

Yess caffeine was terrible for my anxiety and promoted panic attacks. I haven't had a panic attack since quitting it.


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