# Coffee/Caffeine



## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

Ok, this may sound silly, but has anyone found anything good with coffee/caffeine that helps with their mood and social interaction?

I know that usually it is advised for us SA'ers to not drink it in excess as it can exacerbate anxiety symptoms but find it sometimes can be really useful. I try not to drink it often, as inevitably it does begin to affect me negatively, but I'm wondering if the effects are similar to what people experience while using other stimulants like adderall and ritalin. If so, does coffee/caffeine have any affect at all on the dopamine receptors, based on the way it can make some people feel?


----------



## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

Like many stimulants it can increase sociability (probably related to dopamine), but also anxiety. I've found it to be one of the most anxiogenic stimulants I've tried, and can only tolerate it when I'm on anti-anxiety meds. I'll probably be adding it to my paroxetine/mirtazapine combo when college rolls around.

If you're not on meds though, caffeine most likely isn't going to help SA but make it a lot worse. I haven't had any caffeine in months because of this (pretty damn hard to avoid too). I'd be interested to hear SSRIers' experiences with caffeine.


----------



## KyleThomas (Jul 1, 2009)

RockiNToM said:


> Ok, this may sound silly, but has anyone found anything good with coffee/caffeine that helps with their mood and social interaction?


Caffeine seems to have very little effect on me. I know it's supposed to make you more alert, but I think I'm immune to its effects. I can drink coffee and/or coke right before going to bed, and still sleep like a baby.

So, I guess the answer to your question would be "No".


----------



## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

euphoria said:


> I've found it to be one of the most anxiogenic stimulants I've tried, and can only tolerate it when I'm on anti-anxiety meds.
> 
> If you're not on meds though, caffeine most likely isn't going to help SA but make it a lot worse. I haven't had any caffeine in months because of this (pretty damn hard to avoid too). I'd be interested to hear SSRIers' experiences with caffeine.


Really? I don't get super anxious so much anymore with it, I used to really, really bad when I was younger in my teens. These days, it doesn't make me super anxious unless I drink it in excess. While on SSRIs coffee did absolutely nothing, it didn't make me anxious but it didn't stimulate me either, oddly enough.


----------



## Madison_Rose (Feb 27, 2009)

It makes me worse, and more anxious, definitely. I only drink decaf now, and limit my caffeine consumption to one cup of black tea per day at most, about four a week.


----------



## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

I'm pretty much immune to the effects of caffeine, I can drink 4 or 5 Red Bull and then sleep for 8 hours.


----------



## weebeastiebaby (May 15, 2009)

When I was taking paxil and had little tolerance to caffeine, drinking coffee or an energy drink would improve my sociability. Now that I have a higher tolerance and don't take paxil anymore I usually just get jittery.


----------



## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

KyleThomas said:


> Caffeine seems to have very little effect on me. I know it's supposed to make you more alert, but I think I'm immune to its effects. I can drink coffee and/*or coke right before going to bed, and still sleep like a baby.*


Keep in mind that a standard 12 ounce can of cola typically only contains 35 to 40 mg of caffeine. Caffeine pills that you can pick up at any store (real cheap) will contain 200 mg each, so a soda has relatively little.


----------



## zookeeper (Jun 3, 2009)

Coffee is the black blood of life.

Although, I remember when my anxiety started to get _really_ bad, I thought my first really serious anxiety attack was just the caffeine from the many cups of coffee I drank that day.


----------



## DMBfan (Aug 29, 2008)

When my GAD started I had been exercising for a year and I quit coffee and drank only the occasional soda. It made absolutely no difference in my anxiety. I love coffee so these days I use 2/3 decaf beans when I make my morning coffee since I don't notice a taste difference. I find lots of coffee (like 300+mg of caffeine) makes me jittery.


----------



## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Unlike most stimulants which primarily affect the catecholamines (dopamine, noradrenaline), Caffeine instead acts primarily as an adenosine antagonist, however according to this website http://www.nootropics.com/

"Moderate consumption of adenosine-inhibiting, common-or-garden caffeine improves concentration, mood and alertness; enhances acetylcholine release in the hippocampus; and statistically reduces the risk of suicide. Regular coffee drinking induces competitive and reversible inhibition of MAO enzymes type A and B owing to coffee's neuroactive beta-carbolines. Coffee is also rich in antioxidants. Non-coffee drinkers are around three times more likely to contract Parkinson's disease. A Michigan study found caffeine use was correlated with enhanced male virility in later life."

Hope this helps.


----------



## arth67 (Aug 6, 2009)

it effects everyone differently, some docs say its good for you, I drink lots of instant coffee but have quit all caffiene cold turkey several times with no problems
none the less I avoid energy drinks, too much of a good thing:mum


----------



## KyleThomas (Jul 1, 2009)

UltraShy said:


> Keep in mind that a standard 12 ounce can of cola typically only contains 35 to 40 mg of caffeine. Caffeine pills that you can pick up at any store (real cheap) will contain 200 mg each, so a soda has relatively little.


True, but there must be enough people out there who _are_ affected by even those amounts, or there'd be no market for caffeine-free diet Coke. 

I know someone whose night-time sleep would be disturbed by drinking coffee/soda any time after mid-day.


----------



## RockiNToM (Jun 15, 2009)

You know what a lot of you guys are saying about how caffeine affects your anxiety is pretty much how I used to be, with anything with caffeine in it. These days, on the occassion I do drink it, it doesn't really affect me anymore in terms of worsening my anxiety. It used to give me too much of an adrenaline rush, and I would feel edgey and nervous, but now... it can be like drinking water. If I try to drink it in excess, I find it can make me a little jittery, have an upset stomach, but nothing like how it used to be. I don't even drink it very often, so I wonder why all these years later the sudden change.


----------



## TorLin (Nov 14, 2006)

i like caffeine regardless ..


----------



## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

RockiNToM said:


> You know what a lot of you guys are saying about how caffeine affects your anxiety is pretty much how I used to be, with anything with caffeine in it. These days, on the occassion I do drink it, it doesn't really affect me anymore in terms of worsening my anxiety. It used to give me too much of an adrenaline rush, and I would feel edgey and nervous, but now... it can be like drinking water. If I try to drink it in excess, I find it can make me a little jittery, have an upset stomach, but nothing like how it used to be. I don't even drink it very often, so I wonder why all these years later the sudden change.


Probably tolerance/dependence.


----------



## Cutegirl (Oct 22, 2009)

RockiNToM said:


> Ok, this may sound silly, but has anyone found anything good with coffee/caffeine that helps with their mood and social interaction?
> 
> I know that usually it is advised for us SA'ers to not drink it in excess as it can exacerbate anxiety symptoms but find it sometimes can be really useful. I try not to drink it often, as inevitably it does begin to affect me negatively, but I'm wondering if the effects are similar to what people experience while using other stimulants like adderall and ritalin. If so, does coffee/caffeine have any affect at all on the dopamine receptors, based on the way it can make some people feel?


YES! I just started drinking sugar-free redbull and v today. I had 5 over the space of the day and man, did I feel good. It helped with my anxiety for sure! Normally I'm really fatigued from depression and stuff that what happens is it's almost a struggle to just talk to the person at the check out but I was really happy to talk lol.

I enjoy this. I think I'm going to start drinking energy drinks and coffee when I go out because it's always nice getting coffee from a coffee shop ^_^


----------



## Vini Vidi Vici (Jul 4, 2009)

when i was on paxil, coffee and caffeine used to be really powerful. a monster or red bull energy drink would make me relatively manic in some situations. that is without tolerance. but once i developed a tolerance, caffeine only seemed to cause anxiety, and only caused negative effects on my social skills. only the first couple days of usage would benefit me.....but now that ive been off antidepressants for a while and just started Parnate, caffeine only makes me jittery, depressed, and makes my OCD alot worse.


----------



## wolfgang23 (Aug 26, 2009)

caffiene can be really interesting on me. I like to drink a Red Bull before a casual meeting where I may have to answer questions about things I'm not sure of. I also like to drink them before parties.

They make me feel happy and kind of high, but focused at the same time.

If there's something really important I have to do though, I avoid caffeine completely. It me even more anxious and shakey. And Caffiene destroys Ativan's effect on me. (I take ativan and a beta blocker for planned things where I have to speak a lot).


----------

