Caffeine Addiction

fatvegan88
fatvegan88 Posts: 71 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have problem. A drug addiction. Whether it's coffee, tea or chocolate, I need the sweet heart racing joy of caffeine. A addiction is defined as being anything that you continue to do despite the negative effects. For me, my stomach hurts after and the urge to go the bathroom is unwavering. If I give up caffeine I'm immediately constipated, despite the fact that I eat enough fiber to push anything through. I need around 2-3 caffeinated drinks or bars or whatever a day or I get the worst headaches I have ever had. I cannot function at all without it. Some people just think this is a fact of life but it's really a full blown addiction for me and as much as I don't have the same negative habits as a heroin addict, I still feel like it's a problem. I have tried to quit but the headaches and fatigue are so strong I'm running back for more the next day.

I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on this. Thanks

Replies

  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    If you brew your own coffee, slowly reduce the amount of grounds you brew with. See if that works. If you don't brew your own, find ways to slowly dilute the coffee you drink. See if that works.

    While coffee is a mildly addictive substance, you shouldn't have to suffer major withdrawal from going without.
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    I wouldn't consider 2-3 servings of caffeine a day a problem or an addiction-I drink 3-4 cups of coffee plus 1 can of diet soda every day and have no problem with it and neither does my doctor. I'm having a hard time understanding what the issue is?
  • Jdismybug1
    Jdismybug1 Posts: 443 Member
    Coffee = Life in my house. Never thought of as an addiction. I drink coffee all day long.
    If my husband has too much coffee and not enough food his stomach hurts.
    I have a few friends that can not tolerate certain creamers and go for dairy free. Maybe these could be part of the issues you're having.
  • se015
    se015 Posts: 583 Member
    I agree with OP, I have the same problem, but I won't fix it. So I can atleast admit I have a problem, but won't go through the rest of the steps :)
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    Why do you need to quit caffeine?
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,723 Member
    I love coffee but several years ago I developed an arrhythmia problem for almost a year due to too much caffeine (my Dr said) fortunately it cleared up so since then I drink the same amount but I make it with half decaf & have regular & get the same great taste
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    Life is hard...enjoy coffee.
  • RedSierra
    RedSierra Posts: 253 Member
    edited July 2017
    fatvegan88 wrote: »
    I have problem. A drug addiction. Whether it's coffee, tea or chocolate, I need the sweet heart racing joy of caffeine. A addiction is defined as being anything that you continue to do despite the negative effects. For me, my stomach hurts after and the urge to go the bathroom is unwavering. If I give up caffeine I'm immediately constipated, despite the fact that I eat enough fiber to push anything through. I need around 2-3 caffeinated drinks or bars or whatever a day or I get the worst headaches I have ever had. I cannot function at all without it. Some people just think this is a fact of life but it's really a full blown addiction for me and as much as I don't have the same negative habits as a heroin addict, I still feel like it's a problem. I have tried to quit but the headaches and fatigue are so strong I'm running back for more the next day.

    I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on this. Thanks

    People have different sensitivities to caffeine. Some people can drink it all day long with no side effects. Others are very sensitive.

    You can also become sensitive to it. That happened to me -- I went to the hospital emergency room twice in a week with high blood pressure and a racing heart after a lifetime of drinking as much coffee as I wanted with no problems. I love good coffee, but I don't love what happened to me. I cut it out of my life.

    Like others have said, taper off it. Reduce the amount gradually and/or slowly replace with decaf to avoid the withdrawal headaches (decaf has caffeine too but not very much). My doctor told me 1 cup a day shouldn't hurt most people. But if you have a problem with it, then withdraw and see how you feel. Drink a lot of water instead and find an herb tea you like.
  • grayblackmfp
    grayblackmfp Posts: 140 Member
    I don't think that two or three coffees are a lot. If it really bothers you then cut back or go cold turkey. I used to drink a lot of diet cola, a lot more than two or three glasses a day. I had to quit due to acid erosion. I picked a day when I felt miserable anyway and started drinking water instead. I had some headaches but it wasn't that bad. I don't have to think what I'm drinking because it's water so there's no debate. If I go out I'll have some wine but that's maybe once a month because my social life is sad.
  • LisaEatSleepRun
    LisaEatSleepRun Posts: 159 Member
    It obviously bothers you OP, and you consider it a problem. As such, you might try as others have suggested and cut down then taper off. This will limit the withdrawal symptoms you experience (headaches, constipation, fatigue) and allow you to adapt to less caffeine. You are welcome to your opinion, however, rather than saying addiction shows weakness, how about you consider that humans are creatures of habit, and habits can become addictive. I am addicted to caffeine, however I have no plan to reduce my 3-4 daily coffees as they bring me pleasure. Also, my morning coffee increases my morning workout performance, so another positive that outweighs any potential negatives for me. Also, I have skim milk in my coffee which increases my overall protein intake for the day! Wishing you every success in quitting though!
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I live on caffeine. I drink around 10 cups of black tea a day and then drink around 2 sugar free energy drinks a day and take caffeine pills before long runs.

    I've never had any negative side effects of this. I love my caffeine. I don't feel it is a weakness.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    edited July 2017
    fatvegan88 wrote: »
    I have problem. A drug addiction. Whether it's coffee, tea or chocolate, I need the sweet heart racing joy of caffeine. A addiction is defined as being anything that you continue to do despite the negative effects. For me, my stomach hurts after and the urge to go the bathroom is unwavering. If I give up caffeine I'm immediately constipated, despite the fact that I eat enough fiber to push anything through. I need around 2-3 caffeinated drinks or bars or whatever a day or I get the worst headaches I have ever had. I cannot function at all without it. Some people just think this is a fact of life but it's really a full blown addiction for me and as much as I don't have the same negative habits as a heroin addict, I still feel like it's a problem. I have tried to quit but the headaches and fatigue are so strong I'm running back for more the next day.

    I was just wondering what people's thoughts were on this. Thanks

    @fatvegan88 I expect you will find there are factors besides caffeine that come into play in your case but you can figure that out over time.

    Being 66 and knowing that drinking coffee reduces risk of death from all causes in most humans I try to drink 3-6 cups daily.

    Now my former carb addiction just about did me in until I cold turkey stopped that addiction in 2014. It was a hellish two weeks but keeping my total carbs just under 50 grams daily fixed my stomach hurts and the urge to to to the bathroom when it was not the right time/place for me after only 6 months of Low Carb High Fat.

    Will that fix you I do not know since we are all different. Keep in mind most of us will have one or more addictions at the time of our death. Just work to make sure they are good addictions is what I try to do. One addiction I added three years ago was to walk at least one quarter of one mile every day. It messes with my mind to miss a day walking to the bottom of a steep hill and back up. :)

    Best of success.
  • saintor1
    saintor1 Posts: 376 Member
    Coffee is full of anti-oxydant. I used to drink 6-8 large ones for decades but now back at 2-3 + cups of green teas.
  • OliveGirl128
    OliveGirl128 Posts: 801 Member
    edited July 2017
    fatvegan88 wrote: »
    It's not good to be addicted to something. I think it shows a weak will, just like a food or drug addiction. I don't drink dairy or have sugar.

    Op do you realize there's legitimate health benefits to drinking coffee? That's one of the reasons why I recently cut back on diet soda to make room for the addition of coffee. If you don't want to keep drinking it then sure, cut it out. But doing so isn't going to be some big positive change to your diet and may actually ding it a bit.


    eta: here's a good place to start
    https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/news/hsph-in-the-news/drink-up-health-benefits-of-coffee-are-numerous/

  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    I cut caffeine occasionally because I don't like being hooked on something and I sleep better if I keep the amount of caffeine in moderation (I always start drinking too much eventually, not because it's addictive, but because I just enjoy the taste of black coffee so).

    Basically, the headache isn't that big a deal -- take something (I took Advil for a couple days when I quit it cold turkey) -- but if you want to avoid it entirely you can. Taper down. Go to 75% of what you were drinking for a few days then 50%, then 25%, so on.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
    The head ache and fatigue goes away in a few days.
  • blueeyetea
    blueeyetea Posts: 44 Member
    I haven't had a cup of caffeinated coffee in years. I didn't do it cold turkey, but slowly by switching to other drinks that had caffeine but less. You say you drink 3 cups of coffee a day? Start by switching one of those cups to decaf for a while. Then switch to 2 cups of decaf. When you're ready to give up the coffee, switch to black tea as your pick-me-up in the morning, and go back to drinking to decaf then as well.

    Do you drink sodas? Look into each of them and see which contain caffeine, even clear drinks that you normally think wouldn't have caffeine. I was stunned when I found out Mountain Dew had more caffeine than Coke.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    I live on caffeine. I drink around 10 cups of black tea a day and then drink around 2 sugar free energy drinks a day and take caffeine pills before long runs.

    I've never had any negative side effects of this. I love my caffeine. I don't feel it is a weakness.

    This is me....with iced tea.

    I love unsweetened iced tea, and drink it all day long. I don't see an issue.
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,342 Member
    I now drink half caff, and no more than one at the very most and not often 2 cups a day. Too much coffee (I drank 3-6 a day) coupled with regular (not overly excessive but more than I should) alcohol use threw my hormones out of whack and raised my estrogen levels causing jawline hormonal acne and hair loss, as soon as I controlled those two things, my acne went away and my hair is now growing thicker again. I don't know if my genetics is just sensitive to it, I am not on BC so I had nothing to artificially control my hormones, I never had those issues when I was on BC and I drank the same way then. So maybe doesn't affect everyone this way, but it definitely did for me.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    The social side of drinking coffee can become addicting like. To me coffee isn't more addicting than sugar.

Categories