Coffee/anxiety

[Beemo3780]

Any coffee drinkers? Have you ever quit drinking coffee and noticed a change in anxiety symptoms?

 

[Justmehere]

Yep. My anxiety decreases quite a bit when I avoid caffeine.

There is this thread too: Does Caffeine Make You More Anxious

 

[Pixielicious]

I'm highly sensitive to caffeine.
In my younger days, when I was working and studying, I drank a lot of it 4-5 cups a day, until my then Dr told me that my irregular heartbeat and headaches was caused by too much caffeine and that I was sensitive to caffeine.
Nowadays I only drink one cup of coffee in the morning.
One cup of coffee keeps me awake for over 8 hrs. :inlove:

 

[Stickler]

Everyone around me gets very anxious.:mask:

 

[Pixielicious]

I absolutely love the smell and taste of coffee, so I've compensated it to decaffeinated coffee. Only problem with decaf coffee is finding a good quality brand that doesn't taste like pond water lol

 

[Silver.]

Everyone around me seems to be horrible when I don't drink coffee
then I drink it and they seem much more tolerable :P

(But seriously, I think as with anything, your body just gets used to it, especially if you drink a lot of it. So your body needs to go through an adjustment period coming off it, as any other thing that we take too much of)

 

[Friday]

My anxiety increases exponentially.

ADHD opposite stimulant reaction, here. Caffeine is soothing. In fact, if I knock back 8 shots of espresso? I can usually fall asleep within about half an hour. 6 shots drunk slowly and I can sit still -yet remain awake- for an intermanably looooooong meeting, that I'd have usually lost my patience or my seat about 15 minutes into it. 4 shots a few times a day and I can almost guarantee regular-ish sleep. Without caffeine my natural sleep cycle is about 30 hours up, 4-7 down. Or 36 up 12 down. When single/childless I've worked that schedule just fine. Having a kid who needs to be in school every day (and fed breakfast) means I use this & other stimulants to squish myself into a 24hour schedule :wtf: Not enough hours in the day. Vexing.

ETA. You should see me on cocaine. Better than Valium.

 

[Beemo3780]

I drink a lot of coffee, for the past 15 years, but recently I've been having a lot of anxiety issues. To the point where I'm having nausea and rapid heart rate for no reason. I had the beginnings of a panic attack at the dentist office waiting room about a month ago, and that was a first, so I really need to make some changes before it gets worse.

My doctor told me to try quitting coffee for a while and see if it helps. I don't take any medications for my anxiety anymore, and I don't drink at all, so coffee is really my only crutch. I love it. But if it's possibly the cause of my issues, I'm going to give it up for at least a while. Already trying to battle the caffeine withdrawal migraines, but haven't noticed a change in anxiety just yet, but only been a day so far!

 

[Ronin]

ETA. You should see me on cocaine. Better than Valium.

LMAO.

I know right? The only goddamn drug I liked / enjoyed, despite the circumstances not being favorable. Because that. So super calm & normal & crystal focus for a long time.

Right, back to the odes to legal substances. Coffee = Love. Calming. I know I'm off biochem wise when my reactions to coffee shift. As in not the same depth of caalm with coffee? Need something additional to treat the anxiety.

 

[Crow]

Stopped all caffeine intake over two years ago. My anxiety got so much more manageable. Had a chai latte the other day and actually had a panic attack out of the blue. No more black tea for me.

Must add that it took six months for detox after stopping caffeine. During that time anxiety & paranoia were at an all time high. But at some point all that just stopped. Lots of sleepless nights and migraines during those first months.

 

[Stickler]

All kidding aside, it seems to make me calmer AND more alert. That whole aaaaahhh and now we are paused and ready.
I can overdose on it, but a little seems to center and focus. A whole lot can make me angry.

I am DX'ed bipolar 2 now.

 

[aut555]

Coffee, l love me my coffee. I would sell my soul for the last cup of coffee on the earth. Maybe the last chocolate bar too. It helps me get so much done and it's legal too. I dream of opening my own hole in the wall coffee shop with only me in it in some forgotten mall. What a daymare. Obviously, l am looking like the crazy coffee lady, so l must end this rant. Lol