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ChangeMaker posted 7/25/2014 08:39 AM

I love coffee. It's my one regular, true vice. Sure, I drink alcohol a little, but I drink coffee. Regularly. Every day. All day.

I'm finding now though, that it is making me anxious about my situation (ending relationship with WW). Yesterday was very bad, I just had negative, circular thoughts all day long.

I might have to get some decaf going.

norabird posted 7/25/2014 08:43 AM

I love coffee. I had insomnia, full-out inability to sleep without ambien, for a month during non-OT appropriate time. It's only the last few weeks that I'm back to where I can drink coffee the way I'm used to (as a nightcap as well as a morning drink!).

Just one of those weird bubbles. I cut it out because of fear over staying awake during the insomnia, then it took a while for my caffeine tolerance AND my fear over tossing and turning all night to go away.

Go with decaf for now, but don't worry, coffee will welcome you back one day.

And find some way of deflecting those negative thoughts. Meditation? exercise? A walk? It's hard to derail our brains sometimes but any little bit helps.

ChangeMaker posted 7/25/2014 09:14 AM

Good advice Norabird,

I've been running a lot, gradually working up to a 5k. I have also been meditating, though it has become much harder to clear my mind since D-Day.

I've been keeping myself pretty busy, but the coffee just makes me crazy.

GabyBaby posted 7/25/2014 09:21 AM

I'm late to the coffee crowd (having been a life-long lover of tea), but man its good stuff.

I'm an oddball in that I don't feel the "jolt" that caffeine gives many, so I can drink it all day. I have bouts of insomnia as well and some things that consistently help me:
1. A good workout a few hours before bed
2. Making sure the room is dark (no lights from electronics, etc).
3. Lowering the lights about an hour before I'm ready for bed to get my mind/body into sleep mode (the darker room starts to settle my mind)
4. Something warm to drink (preferrably sipped in the darkened room).

Hope that helps!

JanaGreen posted 7/25/2014 10:38 AM

I sympathize because I love coffee, but man, it can really, REALLY affect your anxiety levels. I would definitely suggest some decaf. If you need to cut down instead of going cold turkey (I completely understand how much that sucks!) Green Mountain makes half-caff K-cups.

StillGoing posted 7/25/2014 11:14 AM

I started drinking coffee back when I started working, around 14, because the place I worked was a cafe and, well, I just had that shit going all day. I drank about 3 or more pots a day.

Kicking that habit was somewhere between quitting smoking and getting my drinking under control. I actually had the shakes from quitting coffee long enough to get it out of my system. Anymore I drink maybe 1 or 2 cups a day, the lower caffiene also means less heartburn for me.

Rebreather posted 7/25/2014 11:29 AM

We moved to 50/50 about 18 months ago when dh was diagnosed with high blood pressure. I went full decaf about 6 months ago. Don't miss it. I drank about 4 cups in the morning, so not the worst habit. I feel so.much.better. w/out the caffeine.

Anyway, you may get some relief from going 50/50 first.

sadone29 posted 7/25/2014 11:35 AM

I had to quit coffee. I was getting palpitations and it was making my anxiety so much worse. I miss it! I really was drinking way too much of it though. I looked up how much caffeine I was taking in and was really surprised by the number.

purplejacket4 posted 7/25/2014 12:09 PM

I agree. Go to half caf first. Quitting cold turkey can make you sick.

Not.the.Big.Easy posted 7/26/2014 19:43 PM

I used to drink a lot of coffee, probably about 8 pots a day. My housemate was the same and so the rule in our house was if you empty the pot, you refill the pot. The coffee maker was running all day. Basically because our coffee "cups" held just about a pot.

I was working at a construction site across from a Starbucks (I know it's bad coffee, but it was the nearest coffee). On the second day of going there they gave me free coffees for being such a good customer.

When I met my wife, she was surprised because I could drink a 24oz coffee just before bed and go right to sleep. Thanks to her belief that it was bad for me, I've gradually cut down my coffee consumption so I usually only have 48oz of coffee a day.

Want2help posted 7/26/2014 23:44 PM

Coffee makes me SO anxious. I switched to yerba mate (tea), and i'm heavily caffeinated, no jitters or anxiety.

StartingFreshNow posted 7/28/2014 10:44 AM

I have a sign on my desk "No Coffee, No Workee". It's true for me - it takes me until 9 to finish my mug of coffee and I guarantee what gets done in that time is something my 5 year old can do.