# A question to those who have quit caffeine successfuly



## AndyLT (Oct 8, 2007)

We all know that caffeine increases anxiety, so I wanted to try quitting it again. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. It seems, that I'm very sensitive to it.

Usually, I drink just one cup a day.

Now 48hours passed since my last dose and, even though I feel calmer & my thoughts are deeper and more rational, I'm also experiencing these symptoms:
- no drive to do ordinary things
- mild to strong depression
- life seems to be dull (and it is dull in my case)

I know that a cup of coffee would brighten up things instantly! And I want it badly now. 

*A QUESTION:*
Will these symptoms pass?


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## WalkingOnEggShells (Mar 17, 2010)

Well I'm still chugging down TWO cups a day so I wouldn't know. 

I think initially, in the first week or so, yes, you are gonna feel sluggish, (and the worst bit is there is a chance of headaches). 

if your life is dull by itself, there are probably root issues that need to be fixed, rather than covered up with a blanket of joe, y'know what I'm saying?


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## AndyLT (Oct 8, 2007)

WalkingOnEggShells said:


> if your life is dull by itself, there are probably root issues that need to be fixed, rather than covered up with a blanket of joe, y'know what I'm saying?


I admit that I'm using coffee and, occasionally, alcohol to make my life more bearable.
I'd like to be high on life itself, but with SA, life isn't so fun.


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## ju_pa (Sep 21, 2008)

Are you drinking your coffee black ? Because I don't think plain coffee can cause anxiety. More like a dopamine rush and better neuromovement.

If you use milk then try with out it.


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## AndyLT (Oct 8, 2007)

ju_pa said:


> Are you drinking your coffee black ? Because I don't think plain coffee can cause anxiety. More like a dopamine rush and better neuromovement.
> 
> If you use milk then try with out it.


Caffeine is a stimulant which makes you feel less depressed and more anxious. Didn't you notice that? After a cup of coffee, everything seems to be more edgy, sharp. I tend to react fast and often over-react after it. And it shouldn't matter where the dose come from. Be it Coke or plenty of strong black tea or coffee.

But yeah, caffeine sensitivity varies from one person to another. What is lots to me, may be nothing to you.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

I've totally quit caffeine, it's been a couple of years now. 

I'd say the feelings that you list are like any other feeling - they come and go. I now use exercise and thought change to change the way I feel, and distractions as well. Calming techniques. Journalling. Things like that.


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## AndyLT (Oct 8, 2007)

leonardess said:


> I've totally quit caffeine, it's been a couple of years now.
> 
> I'd say the feelings that you list are like any other feeling - they come and go. I now use exercise and thought change to change the way I feel, and distractions as well. Calming techniques. Journalling. Things like that.


Well, but I did some online research and found out that caffeine IS highly addictive and can cause similar withdrawal symptoms.
I mean, usually, I don't have such intense feelings.


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## leonardess (Jun 30, 2009)

any addiction, from what I've read, takes about 6 months to completely disappear. 

I found that caffeine made me irritable more than anything else, sort of on edge.

Physical symptoms of being on caffeine as well as withdrawing were headaches, shaking, nervousness, the usual. Sometimes I find myself resorting to sugar for the energy loss. Other than that, the whole cutting out of caffeine wasn't that traumatic for me, and I used to drink a couple of redbulls a day as well as a few cups of tea, and a couple of cups of coffee.

It didn't have much of an effect on my feelings in general. Mine have always been intense, caffeine or no.


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## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

I've been almost caffiene-free for a year or so, after I noticed it making me more and more anxious and jumpy. It's been all good for me. Maybe you should cut down gradually instead of cuttign it out altogether, suddenly?


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## Cleary (Nov 10, 2007)

- no drive to do ordinary things
- mild to strong depression
- life seems to be dull (and it is dull in my case)

Yeah, I felt the same way when I tried to quit. Which is probably why I've never completely quit coffee.


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## riptie (Mar 22, 2010)

ju_pa said:


> Are you drinking your coffee black ? Because I don't think plain coffee can cause anxiety. More like a dopamine rush and better neuromovement.
> 
> If you use milk then try with out it.


coffee will def cause anxiety, a couple different ways as well. first if you drink really strong coffee that jittery feeling makes me anxious. also, if you drink coffee over the long term it will deplete you of minerals that will cause longer term anxiety, furthurmore, stimulants of any kind compromise the endocrine system and that leads to anxiety as well.

i agree that at first the coffee will give you the soothing dopa rush, but that doesn't last but a few weeks with an everday strong serving of caff. when i came back to caff i only got the dopa rush one time before it was anxiety as usual.


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## Phibes (Mar 8, 2009)

I've been getting really into caffeine lately. I never used to drink it. I like how it makes me want to do stuff. I'm not as down. 
I don't feel it has really affected my anxiety.


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## riptie (Mar 22, 2010)

phibes i'm glad to hear it is helping you! congrats.

:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap


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## pita (Jan 17, 2004)

AndyLT said:


> We all know that caffeine increases anxiety, so I wanted to try quitting it again. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. It seems, that I'm very sensitive to it.
> 
> Usually, I drink just one cup a day.
> 
> ...


I quit caffeine. The best advice I have for you is taper. Taper taper taper. I used instant coffee so I could control the dose (I know, gross, but it worked). I had some symptoms but they weren't as horrendous as the time I tried to quit cold turkey. Quitting caffeine had an amazing effect on my anxiety. My work anxiety dropped a lot.

I'm back on the caffeine horse again, after a few months of successfully avoiding it Once this semester is done, I'll quit again, but I cannot survive school at the moment without a jolt. I generally just drink tea now (maybe a coffee once a week) and that seems to work a lot better for me. I think I can handle some caffeine, but not a ton of it.


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## ju_pa (Sep 21, 2008)

riptie said:


> coffee will def cause anxiety, a couple different ways as well. first if you drink really strong coffee that jittery feeling makes me anxious. also, if you drink coffee over the long term it will deplete you of minerals that will cause longer term anxiety, furthurmore, stimulants of any kind compromise the endocrine system and that leads to anxiety as well.
> 
> i agree that at first the coffee will give you the soothing dopa rush, but that doesn't last but a few weeks with an everday strong serving of caff. when i came back to caff i only got the dopa rush one time before it was anxiety as usual.


Jittery feeling only if you drink it black on empty stomach. If you drink it with food you don't make you anxious.

If it still makes you anxious have you tried making green tea coffee ? Add green tea bag into coffee. It makes you feel good and calm at the same time. Why I suggest drinking coffee is that it's pro-thyroid.


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## LostPancake (Apr 8, 2009)

I mostly felt tired when I was quitting. After a couple of weeks though I really noticed that my anxiety was lower. So I've stayed off it since then.


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

Glad to find this, as I'm trying to quit caffeine myself. Very difficult. Especially when combating paxil fatigue. Feels like my limbs are lead weights at times. :no


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## matty (Nov 2, 2009)

Caffeine does nothing for me. I can drink 10 cups of coffee a day and I dont feel any different. I can drink none and feel no withdrawals. I tend to drink at most 1 cup a day or two. but then I go for weeks with nothing. To me it is just a drink. Dont know if that is good or bad.


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## AndyLT (Oct 8, 2007)

matty said:


> Caffeine does nothing for me. I can drink 10 cups of coffee a day and I dont feel any different. I can drink none and feel no withdrawals. I tend to drink at most 1 cup a day or two. but then I go for weeks with nothing. To me it is just a drink. Dont know if that is good or bad.


Not sure if you are lucky or unlucky. 
As a caffeine sensitive person, I feel almost ecstatic after a cup of it. But it also increases my anxiety, that's why I'm willing to do a trade-off.


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## AndyLT (Oct 8, 2007)

Neptunus said:


> Glad to find this, as I'm trying to quit caffeine myself. Very difficult. Especially when combating paxil fatigue. Feels like my limbs are lead weights at times. :no


Stay strong. 
Yesterday I slipped, but today again on track!


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

AndyLT said:


> Stay strong.
> Yesterday I slipped, but today again on track!


Thanks! I'm down to 1 cup from 6. I'm getting there... slowly. No more Dunkin' Donuts!


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