I remember watching Urgelt's video years ago...This is what youtube SHOULD be about, REAL people sharing bits and pieces of their lives, not the commercialized pop culture idiocy that's all over the website today =( Urgelt please make more videos!! I would love videos where you simply read from poems or storybooks. Your voice is very therapeutic.
Been coming back to this video for years now; it’s oddly relaxing. Crazy to think this video is 17 years old now-your channel belongs in a museum! Hope you are healthy, and wishing you many more happy new years to come.
I struggled with caffeine addiction when I was in my teens and this video came out around that time and helped me over come it! hope you are still doing well
Coffee itself is not just caffeine, there is a cocktail of other chemicals, namely Beta-carboline that acts as a potentiator for caffeine. Much in the same way tobacco contains harmala alkaloids and B-carbolines, that potentiate nicotine. Tea is a much more balanced array of alkaloids that smooths the caffeine effects, thanks to antioxidants contained in the leaf
I was blind, and now I can see... I know the feeling well. That was me, 29 years ago. For seven years I had no clue what was happening to me. It was all unconscious. I think 2 cups of coffee is enough to establish a mild addiction in most people, and as you know, once you're addicted, drug tolerance comes into play, making your body seek higher doses. Understanding that, and putting your conscious mind in control while the addiction is still mild, is a good thing.
People don't understand just how addictive caffeine really can be. People throw around the word addiction too lightly but when you are really both physically and psychologically addicted to it, it is kinda like being an alcoholic. Bad reactions to it are rare so most people don't understand what this like but for some people it is as horrible as hard drugs!!!! I'm both physically and psychologically addicted to it. Believe me it's really, really hard to give up! I started using a lot of caffeine to counteract the exhaustion caused by my depression. It made me feel awake, alive and almost positive at first which my brain couldn’t do on its own! But it really just makes everything worse and I still keep reaching for it because I have a have never been a strong person!!! I go through 1 to 4 cases of Diet Mountain Dew a day. That means I can reach up to 48 cans in one day!!!! I'm a brain dead zombie without it, feeling extremely disconnected and almost slightly drunk and too physically sick to function!! But with it my thoughts race and I'm edgy and irritable and sometimes kinda manic!! Either way I feel completely crazy!! I'm not blaming the caffeine I have mental health issues I’m working on but it's really not fair that people don't take it seriously! People with addictions or any mental health problems are already treated like crap but what does someone like me do? There’s no rehab for this, the world runs on dunk’n! Most people with more serious addictions just laugh at me thinking I'm somehow faking this. I have high blood pressure, heart issues, get dehydrated easily and the aspartame in it is rotting my brain making my depression worse! In most people it probably is a benign substance but I wish people would understand that it is still a drug and it can still be a problem for some people. I struggle against the urge to self medicate my mental health issues with worse things and I've managed to pull back my drinking so I don't become an alcoholic but no matter what I do I can't stop myself from consuming caffeine, I feel so fucking powerless to it!!!! I always say I’ll stop, or it is my last one but I know I’ll go back to it because I always do!!!! I hate what it has done to my life and who I am because of it but then all I can think about cracking open a nice cold can of dew and forgetting my problems for a few moments!! And then the guilt and shame and the cycle starts again! But when you try to tell people they just laugh at you because it can't be real! Maybe it is just me? Maybe I’m just some kinda freak with no self control at all! Maybe I just failed at this like everything else in my life!! I really hate the thing I have become!!!!!!
Duke, I've never heard of anyone drinking that much 'Dew in a single day. It's very likely that you are experiencing, not only addiction, but severe caffeine intoxication. (Look it up on Wikipedia.) Many of the symptoms you are experiencing are surely drug-induced. Most any human consuming that much caffeine will experience symptoms similar to yours. It's not just you; it's your human physiology responding to intoxication. If there are additional underlying mental health issues, they will be masked and dominated by intoxication and made all but untreatable. I urge you to see a physician. The dose you are describing is not merely addicting, and not just intoxicating. It could be life-threatening. I agree with your concern about aspartame. I refuse to touch the stuff, it's dangerous. One last point. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) used to treat depression are, according to a recent report, designed to a flawed chemical model of depression. SRIs are used to increase serotonin levels, on the assumption that low serotonin levels are causing depression. This model has been called into serious doubt; there is evidence that the reverse is true, that high serotonin levels produces depression, and that increasing serotonin is the exact wrong thing to do. If you are on an SRI, I suggest speaking to your doctor about non-SRI alternatives.
Urgelt I'm trying to step down and I don't have all four cases every day most days its about 2- 3 but when I get a bad mood I just stop caring and I go crazy with it! I really want to stop but having both a physically and psychologically dependency is ruff because it is an emotional crutch for me. it is a catch 22 I need to stop to fix my mental issues but those issues give me and addictive personalty that wants to suck in any vice I get near! it is just frustrating to hear people that try to quit their one or two morning coffee habit complain about being "kinda grumpy" or "a headache" and everyone assumes that is what I'm going through so no one takes it seriously! back when I was having all 48 cans every day for years I tryed to quite cold turkey once and it felt like street drug withdraw!!!! my bones hurt, I was stuck bed shaking and puking and it felt like my brain was exploding!! I was suicidal with in a week, it really was "drink" or kill myself so yeah I caved!! but I'm much better now and I'm determined to finally bet this! it is just a lonely addiction because no one understands or even believes me!!
theduke ofweasels I hear you, Duke, and I absolutely believe you. Quitting for you is going to be nothing like quitting for the average caffeine-dependent user. If you have depression, that's a good reason to talk to a doctor about quitting caffeine before you seriously try it. Caffeine is a mood booster, though not a very good one, since the effects fade so quickly and you're right back to craving more. In other words, it's self-medication for depression. Cutting your caffeine intake suddenly could trigger a serious depressive episode. If your doctor can recommend non-SRI drug solutions for your depression, it ought to ease the strain of reducing your caffeine consumption. You may want to consider boosting your natural endorphin levels. Endorphins are mood-boosters, too. The primary means of boosting endorphins in your brain is vigorous exercise and athleticism. Long-distance runners, for example, get a 'natural high' out of their training; I think they aren't often the victims of depression.
Urgelt yeah my depression has just been found out to be part of a mood disorder. it's not quite bipolar but it is like I have two kinds of depression stupid, slow, blank, numb, exhausted, empty, detached, foggy, achy, lazy "I don't care, let me sleep." depression! Then there is the frustrated, cynical, sarcastic, angry, hyper, squirmy, antsy, jittery, crazy, self-destructive "my mind is a burring blender!" / "fuck life! pass the vodka" / "I really really really despise myself!" depression that makes me just want to rip off my skin to escape!! so yeah my going nuts, I just started a mood stabilizer so that might help. I know all the things I need to do to get better but it is really really hard to make myself do them! I failed at life, I hate it so much, I have no one to blame but me for my poor choice but I still can't make myself function! it really is self medicating!!! and I do it in lots other self destructive ways!!!(binge eating, drinking, self-harm and more) being this out of control is frustrating! it is like I was born with no willpower at all! I know my unhealthy lifestyle is making me worse but it is so hard to change my behavior. I just can't be the strong person I should be. I just keep failing at life! no matter what I try I don't change. it is a war with my self that I will never win!!! sorry for ranting I guess it is just a bad day.
Urgelt I'm backing off the caffeine slowly this time so I stay at a doable level of withdraw and it is helping it is just hard I crave it a lot and when I have a bad day or get emotional it is all I can think about! like I'll drool over the dumbest things like the coldness of the can or the sound of popping it open or the burn of that first sip of fizz! its a real mind fuck! I'll like even dream about it. this must be what it feels like to be an alcoholic because I so know better then slip up anyway and binge drink on it and then I wake up in the moring with a caffeine hangover and I'm "WTF did I just do to myself" so much regret and guilt! UGH! I will be working with my doctors and fighting this because I want a better life!
this is an interesting story, my ex husband was plagued by mirgraines in the same frequency and duration you describe, like a couple days of every week were migraines - I asked him to consider his diet/food choices. He refused. He just wanted a drug and like you, the drugs were full of caffeine. . . He honestly thought the caffeine was helping he drank coffee all day long
Dalton Labensky The help you need can come from only one source: you. First step: inform yourself. Read the Wikipedia entry on caffeine, for starters. Use search engines. Second step: if you deny you are addicted, there can be no solution. Third step: carefully weigh pros and cons of quitting. Some addicts decide the pain of quitting exceeds the damage of not quitting. I decided the opposite for myself. But I am not your decider; you are. Fourth step: make a plan. Some folks find tapering easier. Some prefer cold turkey. (I chose the latter.) Lock in your plan on the calendar. Understand that if you quit, there's going to be a period of unpleasantness and fatigue. Might want to avoid quitting when you are working or attending school, when you need your wits about you. You can include drink substitutions in your plan. Water is good, but it may leave you feeling unfulfilled if you've been drinking a lot of soft drinks. Herbal teas sweetened with stevia extract powder are just as tasty as any soft drink, and healthier to boot. There's a lot of variety available - at least one herbal tea I enjoy is similar to cola. Fifth step (if necessary): it's not at all unusual for addicts to backslide, for their plans to fail. If you still want to quit, pick yourself up and try again. There's no rule that you only get one shot at it. Caveat: 4 Monsters a day is probably enough to addict many people. But I doubt it's an extreme addiction. In extreme cases, or in cases of poor health, you can incur serious health risks by quitting abruptly. In such cases a consultation with a doctor is wise before you start. Good luck, Dalton.
Do you drink 4 monsters back to back? If not you shouldn't be too worried...people take pre workout drinks that contain 700mg of caffiene in one scoop in one sitting...that's more than 3 monsters at once....and people who do that tend to use more than one scoop a day...you're not that deep yet...it's gonna be ok
How inspiring. You are a smart man by figuring it out on your own. Thank you for sharing. I am a 1 or 2 cup in the morning drinker, but convinced to quit now😮
Damn right caffeine is bad for you...i don't drink it for 2 weeks now and i am feeling so much better! (note: i am having strong social anxieties) The only problem i experience is with gym motivation, i was used to drink strong black before a training seasion.
Jacek Wałasiewicz You didn't mention if your social anxieties came during withdrawal, or during regular caffeine use, or are a phenomenon unrelated to caffeine. During withdrawal, it's normal to feel fatigued and listless for a time. Drink lots of water and sleep as much as you are able. You might also reduce your gym time and instead substitute walking as a less stressful way to enjoy physical activity during withdrawal. Parks or country roads are ideal. Studies have found that social anxieties and depression are countered by walks through natural settings; it's actually better than prescription drug treatments, I think, though I am not a physician and my opinion doesn't count for much. Your fatigue will get better gradually as your adrenal glands recover from the beating they took from caffeine. Good luck to you!
Urgelt First of all id like to inform that my english language skill is not very good so i apologies for that. It appears that i had social anxiety from the beginning of my life but from what i have noticed so far caffeine especially directly after drinking it boosted strongly the negative effects of my anxieties (the effect was really strong in really crowded places). Id like to note that back in the day i was also abusing strong preworkout supplements which had a lot of caffeine in it... It seems that during withdrawal i have hard time waking up but after that i dont experience energy drop down during the rest of a day like i had on caffeine usage. I really doubt i will ever again touch anything with caffeine. ( my mind is strong i barely drink alkohol and i dont smoke :) Have a nice day
Jacek Wałasiewicz No need to apologize for learning a second language. It's an achievement worthy of pride, not a source of embarrassment. And your written English is quite good - better than many native speakers can manage. It's great that you have made the connection in your head between the drug and your symptoms. Making that connection is a stumbling block for many caffeine consumers; they don't understand how using the drug produces their symptoms. I know; for years, I had no idea what was causing my symptoms. I didn't think it could be caffeine, since mainstream media - then and now - insists it's harmless, just 'extra energy.' And many doctors ignore caffeine's effects on their patients; they are often caffeine addicts themselves and deeply in denial about it. Thanks for contributing here for the other readers!
I like the perspective in which you present caffeine. It is so socially accepted that people don't even think about it as an addictive drug with side effects that have such a negative impact on ones quality of life. Thank you for posting this video.
I lost count of my years with caffeine addiction.im now30 and I started taking caffeine in different forms as a teen.i know I would take pain killers with caffeine such as Excedrin with a coke or even energy drinks.im now out of control taking 4-10pills a day every single day!!!to keep going with my chronic migraine issues.doctors don't help at all.i cut caffeine cold turkey about 5 times up to fifteen days in a row.but then I get back involved with things I have to do like work as and chores little by little I get hooked up again in Excedrin.i feel miserable hopeless and helpless.i want to know what it feels not to have a migraine again.ill like to take back control of my life,and not pain controlling my life.
Life is not a bowl of cherries, even without an addiction like this one. It took something like six months after I quit before my migraines were mostly abated. I quit out of desperation; nothing the doctors suggested had helped at all (and one thing they suggested, which was an ergot medication *with* caffeine in it, probably made things worse). I didn't know in advance if the migraines would decrease due to quitting caffeine, then. But they slowed, and their intensity dropped, and then stopped entirely. In subsequent years I would sometimes get bad headaches, but nothing like the headaches I had while using caffeine heavily. And not nearly as often, either. There were some peculiarities about those caffeine-fueled migraines. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about them was that I found I could trigger them through heavy physical exertion. If I hadn't had a migraine in a week or more, playing a pickup basketball game or doing anything similar would bring it on within a few hours. That was just nuts. Not a happy time in my life. Freeing myself from caffeine took me into a better place in my life. Other ailments eventually rolled in; aging does that to us. But even now, I place a high value on being free of those incapacitating migraines. Quitting caffeine was the right thing to do. Other benefits accrued from quitting: I slept more soundly. Awoke feeling more rested. Didn't approach life as frantically. When in the grip of my caffeine addiction, I suspect my ability to think clearly was impaired. It's no longer unknown to medical science that migraines can be (but are not always) connected to caffeine consumption. If you are using caffeine heavily and suffering from migraines, ending caffeine consumption is really the *first* thing to do. And you know this. That's more than I knew when I was a serious migraine sufferer. You're ahead of where I was. So, quitting is hard. Caffeine is a lot more addictive, especially at high doses, than is widely understood. It's harder to quit than is widely understood. But there are rewards for those who can do it. That's a promise. You might benefit from a talk with your doctor. I think your consumption is much higher than mine ever was, and so it could be a good idea to talk over your options. Quitting an addicting drug when high doses are involved might trigger undesirable physiological effects - especially with respect to your heart. A discussion of approaches - tapering versus cold turkey - and of diet, exercise and pharmacological aides could prove fruitful to you. Best of luck to you, Nestor.
Urgelt I highly appreciate your reply I've felt alone and misunderstood for a long time.i have family thinking I'm lazy, antisocial, and even faking my symptoms.ill soon come up with a plan to be able to quit this toxicity.thanks for your video and thanks for the feedback,it gives me a sense of hope/light at the end of the tunnel.
I needed to hear Ur story right now as I'm suffering from a bad caffeine headache. Tomorrow,I'll be fine.Last year I realized that my "weekend headaches" were due to not consuming coffee over the weekend.My realization took some time because I never thought 1 cup a day could equal addiction.I quit. Last week I had a heavy workload & decided a cup of Lipton tea a day shouldn't hurt.Boy,since Sunday evening, my head has been pounding & I can't eat. I'll never do that again. Thanks for this vid.
Your English is good enough, Shay, I understood your comment. The first step to ending an addiction is awareness, and you've completed that step. You understand exactly what caffeine is doing to you. The second step is the decision. You've made yours. Now comes the hard part. Withdrawal is no fun. But if you can get through the first 30 days, I think you'll start to feel better.
Wow! I Have to thank you for posting this, I have a girlfriend who has constant migraines and I will share this information with her. I drink a lot of yerba mate which has caffeine too... I can't drink coffee at all, I start shaking and my mom told me she drank it during her entire pregnancy with me, this was before women knew better I think... thank you! I've learned a lot.
Absolutely, I couldn't agree more, especially on the fact that most of society is ignorant to just how powerful, and addicting, caffeine can be. Sadly most people don't understand that it's a "drug" at all!
About how coffee makes me feel: irritated, unhappy, depressed,I don't tolerate when someone does something stupid,I sleep badly and my stomach gets inflated. thank you for your video, maybe it will help me now..
I stopped consuming caffeine two days ago. Ironically, I was finding myself always exhausted and always stressed when I was on caffeine. I'm experiencing terrible headaches and feeling extremely lazy, but much more calm. I hope this will be the right course of action to feel better. You certainly had an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely inspires me to totally quit caffeine for the rest of my life. It's hard. It's not just the effects of caffeine that I enjoy, it's just the whole thing about holding a cup of hot, black coffee in your hands. But it's getting to the point it's making my anxiety go crazy. It's not going to cure it, but caffeine definitely will make me anxious/nervous for reasons I never would be before, and things that do make me nervous, it just escalates it to a whole different level.
Congrats, SOUPRUNO1. You've done well for yourself. For me, the worst symptoms of withdrawal were over within a few weeks, but like you, I didn't feel "right" immediately. I still felt cravings when I smelled coffee brewing, for example. And my migraines diminished gradually, not really coming to a complete end for several months. I chalk that up to profound changes caffeine makes in the brain. Ending the addiction is just the first step; then your brain needs to heal the damage.
Thanks for posting this! I usually stop and get an energy drink on my way to work and almost always have soda with meals. I recently started getting heart palpitations, panic attacks at night, depression, mood swings, problems concentrating and chest pains. After doing some research on the internet I found out that these can be side effects of caffeine. Today I have decided to start my new life caffeine free including chocolate. We'll see where this takes me.
Your story mirrors that of many of the viewers who left comments. It's easy to fall into the trap. We are taught to "just say no" to drugs which don't profit industry, but the message for caffeine is "no worries, drink up." Advertising targets a younger audience these days, too. That isn't helping matters. Good luck with your cold turkey, Rez. Won't be much fun, but you'll feel tons better once you're gotten through it.
Your options are: 1) Do nothing. At the dose you are taking in, likely your symptoms will worsen. 2) Quit cold turkey. Withdrawal is very tough to get through, but this option lets you do it in the shortest possible time. I think it will help with your sleeping within a few weeks. 3) Taper off gradually. You can't avoid withdrawal symptoms by tapering, but you can ease them somewhat. The downside is it takes much longer; you stretch out the discomfort.
I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who believe that the truth about a thing - in this case a drug - is established by consensus. Nature is indifferent to our opinions. The properties of drugs in humans don't change at our whim; it matters not what laws we pass, or what consensus we form. A drug's harm or addictiveness depends on our physiology and the drug's chemical nature, and only on those things. It's a lesson we all need to take on board. I'm glad you have done so.
Interesting story! I gave up coffee 25 years ago, since it gave me nausea, stress, and discomfort including slight depressions. Since then, I have gradually decreased caffeine use, like in tea. I now drink only water and sometimes hot cocoa and beer. Unlike caffeine addicts, I do not feel sleepy in the morning; no need for a caffeine shot! Headaches have never been a big problem, though I have them occasionally. Drinking a few glasses of water before sleeping helps a lot to prevent them.
I'm 15 years old and trying to kick the caffeine. It's been going on for almost 2 years, with my daily intake ranging from 100mg to 500mg, sometimes even more. One week is the longest I've gone without caffeine since 8th grade. But thank you for posting this video, it gave me a bit more motivation, and I do hope to break my habit by the time this summer ends.
I'm glad you understand your addiction. And I respect your decision not to end it. My main purpose is to inform. Many do not seem to grasp what caffeine is - an addictive drug - nor how it might affect them. I'll advise you to keep an eye on your dosage, and keep the other eye on how it affects your health. You know what to look for.
It's very, very good that you are able to connect your symptoms to the cause. It took me seven years to connect those dots... because I just couldn't bring myself to regard caffeine as harmful. My head was full of the 'common wisdom.' It couldn't be that. Could it? It could, and was. I'm not on a crusade to get people to do what I think is good for them. For me, the name of the game is accurate information, so people can make up their own minds how to go forward. Good luck, GM.
You have a point. That's why addictive foods and beverages are so dangerous to us, they exploit our weakness. I think the only counter to that weakness is to be aware of it and exert conscious control over ourselves. It's not effortless.
Thanks for posting this Urgelt. People need to take caffeine addiction more seriously. Ive been heavily addicted for the last 10 years. I went cold turkey 2 months ago. No caffeine since. The first 4 days are the worst. Extremeley strong headaches and severe fatigue. I could sleep 14 hours a day. Cravings went away after 1st week.First 2 weeks i was very fatiuged then it went down. Now 2 months later im still somewhat chronicallay fatigued but not as much as before. hope it will go away
You're absolutely right. Because media treats caffeine as harmless - which they do to benefit advertisers, their life's blood - there's a reality disconnection in our minds. It's a rare caffeine addict that realizes their addiction is a health problem, and an even rarer one who decides to take action. Most of those go it alone, as I did. I think if you look hard enough, though, you'll probably find a forum.
It's a potent addictive drug. Not the most potent and addictive, but by no means is it benign. Persons suffering from anxiety and panic attacks are well advised to stay away from caffeine. It can make things much worse. I'm glad you're feeling better, Stephen.
True. In my total ignorance about caffeine, I abused it. There was no moderation in my habits back then. It's my hope that if we can inform people, they'll make better consumption decisions. Alas, mainstream media isn't interested in educating people about caffeine. They would not wish to upset their advertisers.
Two years ago when I was 15, I was addicted to caffeine. I drank a big thermus of coffee every day. This was only on weekdays, though, so on the weekends I would experience headaches and irritability. After five months of this, I began to get cramps and diarrhea. I had to go to the emergency room because my mom thought I had appendicitus, but once I stopped drinking so much coffee, it stopped. So I totally agree with this guy. You have to be really careful about how much caffeine you consume.
Your story reminds me of my own experience with coffee. I never was much of a coffee drinker, but the following summer i finished my degree, I had aquaintances with Mr. Migraine almost every weekend. The cafeteria where I worked stored free coffee and it was surprinsingly good. The coffee machine was empty? Just make another batch! It was a weekday job and I could easily drink 2 to 3 coffees a day.
It's good that you understand your situation, 2pawd. What drives me nuts, looking back, is how long it took for me to realize that I was abusing a drug and addicted to it. I was totally oblivious. Like everyone else around me, I believed caffeine was completely harmless. I don't believe it now. Science doesn't think it's harmless, either. I hope more people will get the word.
Thank you for posting this. I was a heavy Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew drinker for years, and I found it made my anxiety and depression much worse. Now I only have caffeine on a sporadic basis and my symptoms are much improved. I think there's a lot of truth in what you say about questioning medical professionals, because many pharmaceutical companies pay lobbyists to convince gov't officials to allow certain drugs, when they may not be safe. We have to be careful and trust ourselves
Making the logical connection between symptoms and cause is surely the hardest part. Our information environment is saturated with messages to the contrary, assuring us that caffeine is "harmless energy," rather than the psychoactive, addictive drug it really is. Good luck to you, MWC.
I didn't realize that drinking 10 cups of Green tea and eating 10 bars of Chocolate in a day was unhealthy... I just thought they were "normal cravings" I learned that Caffeine damages the brain as well as the intestinal tract. White tea is an extremely healthy "substitute" for caffeine. Thanks for your honesty ,sir ! :-)
ok thank you very much ive cut caffeine out for 3 days, last night got about 10 hours sleep after being awake for around 38 hours, i feel so much better, thank you very much all the very best to you.
I most sincerely wish you luck, BigDane417. It will be rough- maybe very rough, if you've been a heavy user. But if you can hang in there, it will get better. You should notice it getting easier within 30 days or so. I got echoes of cravings for years after I quit, but they were easy for me to resist. All I had to do was remember the migraines. Your body will want rest - lots of rest. Your adrenal glands will need time to recover. Heavy caffeine use is very hard on them.
I really enjoyed your story man. It was really well told. I'm at University at the moment (that's what we call college in the UK!), and have had had periodic times where I have been consuming 600-800mg a day in the form of caffeine pills. It usually goes up when I have tough assignments due, and lasts for a couple weeks, and then goes down to a baseline 300-400mg a day.
Oh, absolutely. The notion of migraines continuing - and mounting in intensity and frequency - for the rest of my life was a real motivator. I wasn't sure it was the caffeine doing it until I quit cold turkey, and they tapered off and ended. But I had strong suspicions. Once that was confirmed in my mind, there was no chance I'd ever resume high-dose caffeine consumption.
One of the lowest moments in the FDA's history was its craven capitulation to the food industry's demand to approve aspartame as an artificial sweetener, despite its toxicity and addictiveness. I hope you can stay free of the horrible stuff, Sue.
I quited like you cold turkey and got the worst headaches Ive ever had. During that time ive had a rough time in my life so the withdrawal symptoms only became worse and I began drinking it again. Now days I don't think about it much really but to be totally honest I can't remember the last time I went to school, work or even training without it. I can't even remeber the last time I was feeling refreshed waking up. So thanks to your video im going to quit coffee. Thank you Urgelt
+Urgelt I'm glad a well informed and and personal video that you've made has been released! I have an "addiction" to caffeine due to me drinking monsters daily since I was 9. I experience the migraines that last for days on end and have even told to wear glasses due to it seeming like I have an issues with my eyesight. I also was introduced to nicotine at the age of 11 and have had that take a toll on me just as much as the soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages. I get the same urges and mood swings. I was prescribed anti depressants at the age of 13 and had to get off of them due to a drunken feeling when I took them and went to school. I've tried to not drink soda or smoke and when I've walked by someone who is it throws me back into the cycle like a junkie looking for a fix. Currently when I drink a soda my stomach becomes very upset and I'm having to eat more to reduce that pain. I've talked to my doctor about it and they tried to prescribe me energy supplements, like you..
+Urgelt I feel taken over by the substances I consume and it would help me greatly to hear how you got over the mental barriers because it may help me get over the poisons I'm cramming into my body on a daily basis. Thank you, and I congratulate you on you success on overcoming the addiction.
+YoItsGoProTurtle Your story sure is familiar to me, Yolts. Most caffeine addicts don't seem to get migraines out of it, but I was an exception, and you may be one, too. Human physiology varies considerably from person to person. The only way to know if caffeine is responsible for your migraines is to get off of it. For me, the motivation was simple. I would have done anything to end those horrible headaches. When I quit caffeine, I wasn't sure it was the culprit, but for me, the migraines tapered off and finally stopped within about six months of quitting caffeine. I experienced some milder headaches later on in life, but nothing like those monsters. In those days there was nothing in the scientific literature about caffeine causing migraines in some individuals. Today, that has changed; migraines are one of the symptoms produced by caffeine recognized by modern medicine. Yet caffeine treatments for migraines are still commonly used. I suppose most migraines arise from other causes which remain mysterious, so doctors feel justified in prescribing it for short term relief. But in the case of a patient whose migraines are actually caused by caffeine, it's a bad option. I recommend using your migraines as your motivation. That worked for me. I didn't piddle around with half-measures: I went cold turkey, just on the slim hope that it would end my migraines once I was past the withdrawal symptoms. I was fortunate in the result. If your migraines don't go away after quitting, be patient. It can take some time for your body to reset itself. And if they persist for a year after quitting, it will be time to think about making other lifestyle adjustments, or look into some of the newer treatments. Good luck!
+Urgelt I'm glad you replied and I didn't get headaches or any urges when I was younger and then I drank a monster and that branches to other energy drinks and then I was pressured into smoking because it was the "thing" and I was the worst decision I could have made. I'm inspired of your will and I'm going to quit soft drinks containing caffeine to see if it's the culprit of my migraines and then I will branch off towards the smoking. I'm glad there's a great and supporting community to give me courage and will. Thank you for the help and motivation!
+YoItsGoProTurtle Quitting any addictive drug is no fun, but I think migraines are worse. Unfortunately, you're likely to experience migraines *while* you're trying to quit. I have to admit, I was a miserable fellow during that period of withdrawal symptoms. It gets better. Even if your migraines have a different cause, being free of caffeine will bring you to a better state of health and mind. And if, by chance, your migraines are actually caused by your caffeine consumption, you will free yourself of those, too. I will hope for the best for you.
You're doing great, Mariana. If you can stay off caffeine for a few more weeks, you'll be well past the worst of it. I think that the intensity of withdrawal is a measure of how addicted a person is; if it's profound, then the addiction is advanced. Fortunately, the body adjusts to lack of the drug. Getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of water should help with that. Perhaps the best thing about quitting is the drug is no longer making decisions for you; you're back in charge.
Well said, PA. You have clear vision. Tapering off an addiction is an alternative. It works for some, not for others. I don't honestly know if it's better than cold turkey, success-wise. I went cold turkey. I wanted to get it over with, not stretch out the withdrawal process. I don't regret it.
It's not easy to quit under any circumstances. But you're right, being surrounded by other addicts makes it a lot harder. Especially because of how addicts behave. Your quitting is vaguely threatening to them. You'll take some grief. Under those circumstances, cold turkey is probably the only tactic that has a chance to work. Good luck, Bob.
I went cold turkey as well and haven't drank anything with caffeine for almost a week now. I was super addicted to diet coke and coffee, but I'm now switching to more tea, decaf coffee, and a few non-caffeinated sodas. Great video, your story was very interesting
I have to limit my caffeine intake because it starts causing heart palpitations after a short while. I also know a woman who had to have heart surgery after drinking too much caffeine. My doctor told me to stay off it but I talked him into letting me drink two small cups a week. I really envy people who can drink several cups a day without side effects because of the great "pick me up" I get. Thanks for sharing your story.
This was an interesting story. I had my first very bad migraine attack when I was in army. I didn't think about it then but it was the first time I went without coffee for long time. I'm currently decreasing my coffee consumption to zero in hopes of getting rid of insomnia and occasional headaches.
Urgelt, i hope that you will have more free time in the future to share your knowledge and experiences with us. This video helped, and inspired me to put down the bean. Its been 4 days now. Its also been 4 days of a constant nagging headache that is only relieved by sleeping. On a good note ive noticed a slight reduction in anxiety which is a great relief to me.I was also less scattered and reckless at work. Caffeine seems to have been overstimulating me to the point of not being a good thing.
You're the first commenter, if memory serves, to report that a caffeine addict can take advantage of influenza to end an addiction. I think it's a fascinating contribution to our discussion here. Sugar is addictive, too, though the physiological mechanisms are different. Sometimes the line between drugs and food seems blurred... and the blurring is made worse by industrial processing, where drugs and sugar are added to foods to hook consumers and convert them into addicted customers.
I'll be the first to admit, withdrawal is very, very unpleasant for most people. Like you are doing, I quit cold turkey, gritted my teeth, and stuck it out. It was not fun. If you can hang in there for about 30 days, it'll get much easier to continue without the drug. It's worth it. Good luck, TLG.
I've come to view most drugs in the same light, whether prescription, over-the-counter, found in consumer products, or illegal. Most are blunt hammers; they produce some effects we desire, but they also produce harm. Drugs should be a last resort; but there is profit to be had in selling them, which means advertising, which means our minds are saturated with a distorted view of their benefits. But here and there, people are catching on. I'm glad you are joining us, Peter.
It's terrific that you were able to connect symptoms to cause, Carl. Good on you. I'm retired. During my career I was occasionally called upon to teach others in my field, but it was strictly a sideline. My speaking skills are far from professional caliber. But that's ok. If we let the pros do all our talking for us, it's going to be a much more boring world.
Good points, Sam. I'm cautious about caffeinated teas, because of my history of addiction. I do drink green and black teas, but no more than 3 or 4 cups per week. There's so many herbal teas that I love, I don't feel I'm missing out.
I've been trying to cut down slowly but I just hate the drowsiness and headaches that come everytime. But your story has really inspired me to stop doing this to my body. Cheers mate.
Congrats on doing this.I know it wasn't easy.I work ten hour night shifts and take care of my one year old in the mornings.I drink at least a liter of Diet Dew when I am working.If I don't have it, I am super groggy.I cannot wait until I can quit this job and give it up.I have thought about getting the carbonated water.I think I will buy some and try drinking that instead when work isn't busy.Thank you for posting this.
Good luck, R1D. It's not easy giving up an addiction. If you can hang tough for six weeks, though, you'll be past the worst of it, and it becomes easier.
I'm convinced that food choices are as important, if not more so, than caloric intake. Just recently, scientists have uncovered vital roles for certain gut flora species in promoting or preventing obesity, insulin insensitivity, and inflammation. The food choices we make may be modulating helpful or harmful gut flora populations! Ending addictions is no easy thing. Withdrawal is unpleasant, to say the least. But it can be done. Good luck to you, SonofSilas.
Just as a point of clarification: migraines almost always affect only one side of your head. If it hurts on both sides, it's very likely a withdrawal headache, but not a migraine. Caffeine can relieve migraine symptoms in the short term by dilating blood vessels in the brain, but in the long term, for many people, caffeine can make them more vulnerable to getting migraines. Acknowledging an addiction is the first step to recovery - if you want to recover, that is. Good luck, AoCranger.
I really enjoyed this video! I'm 17, and I've been drinking coffee somewhat regularly for about a year now. I've always had concerns about it's effect on health, but have not found much negative information. I'm certainly going to try and cut back, and keep my coffee drinking to a minimum. My mother also drinks coffee and is a self described "addict" requiring a cup of coffee each morning. (continued in reply to this comment)
Caffeine is a short-term mood elevator. Withdrawal could cause temporary depression in some people, or make it worse (if already present). For people who have been diagnosed with chronic depression or bipolar, and wishing to end their caffeine addiction, caution is wise. It's advisable to consult a doctor about how to proceed without triggering an unpleasant event.
I'm glad you know the truth about caffeine, Mike. I'm not at all glad that you're coping with chronic pain. No fun, that. One of these days, we really need to acknowledge that among the cannabinoids are drugs that are safer than any of the pain medications currently available by prescription, they are not addictive, their analgesic properties compare favorably with opiates, and they're cheap to produce.. Which is not to say there are no side effects, but we do need them in the medical system.
Thanks alot!! you saved my project. For my biology class we needed to make a presenation about caffeine addiction. Thanks to you im gonna get a good point. Once again. Thank you!!
I picked up caffeine during university to cope with exams and study. I've found nothing so far to make me want to quit it. It's helped me incredibly and improved my life, and I've never had a side effect from it that I would consider as negative. I know I'm addicted (because I feel tired and without motivation if I go a day without it), but I don't mind it as long as I can keep it coming. I'm sorry it triggered your migraines, but different things have different effects on different people.
Don't underestimate it. It's considerably harsher- in terms of addictivity, psychoactivity and physiological harm - than some illegal drugs. Hope it goes well for you, DH.
Awareness is a good first step. Your options now are to let the drug addiction continue, knowing it will extract a heavy price eventually, or begin to end your addiction. It's entirely up to you.
I used to be awfully addicted to caffeine (I consumed instant coffee excessively on a daily basis) some time ago, but now not as much. Now, I drink only one cup in the morning and I am glad to say that I have become more stable emotionally and such. I am thinking of completely cutting off caffeine, at least for a while, since I also suffer from anxiety. Thanks for this helpful vid!
You're right. Anxiety and caffeine is a bad combination. Though at only one cup in the morning... well, physiological responses to drug doses vary, there probably isn't anything universal one might conclude, but I would *expect* such a low dose to produce hardly any noticeable effects. But... don't neglect the fact that caffeine can appear in other foods and products, such as chocolate. So coffee intake alone might not determine your full dosage of the drug. Thanks for chiming in, Brainstormer!
Hey Urgelt, I don't know if you remember Haffron. But, I play Haffron. I stopped drinking caffeine after I got a kidney stone. I got one on Dec. 21 last year, and it was one of the most life changing events of my life. I still probably consume too much sugar, but I am not going to drink soda willingly every again. After a few days I got over not having Caffeine. Being sober of it is a great feeling. I have a lot more energy without the presence of an artificial high.
I sympathize. It is bad, in the early period. It can take a couple of months to get past the worst of it, though that seems to vary among different individuals. It's been three decades since I quit, and the smell of fresh coffee still hits me hard in the gut. It's still a craving, but at least the withdrawal symptoms are far, far in the past. I'm glad for that, at least.
Food for thought. Congratulations on overcoming your addiction. As my username denotes, I was heavily into coffee for a long while. My choice is instant ice coffee, starting in my teens and I was heavily into it with over 200g of coffee a month, and this was never filter coffee so most of it went down, always black I have greatly diminished my intake (at 31) and Iwas fortunate not to suffer any debilitating effects as you did. Your testimony is a great urge not to get back on that train
Withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person, but it's usually unpleasant. It sounds like you're mastering yours. Hydrating is good. Fasting for a few days probably won't hurt you much. Be sure it doesn't go beyond that, ok? If you still feel nausea after day three, you'll need to get some food in you regardless, and if that goes poorly, I recommend you call your physician. Minimize pain meds like Tylenol. They aren't really very safe. Your liver will thank you.
I'm 12, and i am addicted to caffeine too. It has actually HELPED me. When i consume caffeine I feel happier. My ADHD goes down. I become very calm. My intelligence boosts (as in more access). I feel a pleasurable rush. I can very much tolerate withdrawal. I become a bit depressed and get horrible headaches, but I can stand it. I usually can cut down though. Usually, after an overdose I scale down to about 50 mg then I go down to 25 mg....
Strangely, stimulants can have a calming effect on children. In adults, it's the opposite. Stimulants can worsen anxiety. The transition occurs during your teen years, which is where you are now. For this reason, I recommend being cautious about drawing conclusions about how caffeine will affect you in the future. The past may not predict the future very well at all.
Quitting caffeine was the best thing i ever did for myself. I was very addicted with many of the same symptoms you had. Migraines etc. i had started using alcohol to try and counteract the caffeine so that i could sleep. Bad combo.
This is great. I also struggle with coffee addiction. I think I have also to go cold turkey. The so called „benefits“ of coffee are a trick from the coffee industry, that will keep is hooked on coffee and caffeine
Watch out for caffeine added to products where you don't expect to find it. It's even harder to quit when the drug has backdoors into your body. Best of luck!
Headache (but not a migraine headache, which occurs on only one side) is one of the classic caffeine withdrawal symptoms. It's clear evidence of an addiction. If you can tough it out, the headaches will eventually fade and you'll be unaddicted. Or you can try tapering down gradually, which seems to work for some people.
That's good progress. Green tea has less than half of the caffeine found in regular coffee. It's still more consumption of the drug than I think is healthy. Here's one thing I do: when I make green tea, I use one tea bag in an 18 oz mug, not a cup. I add stevia to sweeten it. And I keep a tall glass of water on hand, too. Altogether, that's a lot of water and not very much caffeine. If I decide I want more tea, the next mug will be an herbal variety.
I would say that the addiction was truly over within about 6 months, Steven. Coffee still smelled delicious to me then (and still does years later), but I didn't feel a craving to drink it. The worst of the withdrawal symptoms are over after about a month, though. If you can make it that far, it gets easier to resist the cravings.
you refeared to 6 months of fighting you addiction too lightly, i think. giving up on coffeine, tobacco and other addictions, in such a radical way, is an act worth praising. hats off to all that are able to do so! personaly, i am lucky because i never started smoking and drinking coffe(a way of living for most people). none of my friends fight their habbits. actualy everyone is smoking and drinking lots of coffe. young people should pay attention to this. JUST DO NOT START!
I hope you can keep it that way, Azdan. I'm with you, I love green and black and white teas. Too much for my own good, really. Just to be sure I don't readdict myself, I use just one teabag per day of caffeinated tea. All the other teas I drink are herbal, and every few days I skip caffeinated tea altogether, just to monitor for withdrawal symptoms. So far, none have emerged. Before 1980, I'd have laughed at anyone doing that. "It's not that dangerous!" But it is.
I began consuming coffee heavily in 1973 while working on a survey crew. Everyone on the crew gulped the stuff, so I joined in. The migraines started within weeks. I kick myself for not connecting the dots right then. Not everyone will experience that symptom (nobody else on the crew did). Unfortunately, there are lots of other bad effects from heavy caffeine consumption. It's impossible to avoid them all.
I know the feeling. To an addict, water just doesn't satisfy. The only way it *will* satisfy is to bludgeon your way through withdrawal and end the addiction. I drink lots of water nowadays, and it quenches my thirst perfectly well. I think drinking herbal teas (sweetened with stevia) might help a bit with the dry throat. But if you are going to quit, there is simply no way to avoid the unpleasantness of withdrawal. No pain, no gain.
I was diagnosed with ADD because I drew in class. Medication didn't help, but I got good grades so the matter was dropped. When I became an adult I started drinking coffee, 1-2 cups a day, thinking it'd help me be alert. Despite everyone saying so, I noticed that, rather, it makes me more restless and tense. Tea will help you focus, caffeine just stimulates adrenaline. Fortunately I'm not addicted, but I like the taste and smell of coffee so I'm trying to find decaf. Hard to find here in Japan.
Since I posted here, you have been an inspiration to me to quit caffeine. I know the race is long, but at the end its only with myself. Thank you, I have been ''sober'' for a week.
@Urgelt Thanks for the speedy response, Urgelt. I'm think I'm going to start phasing caffeine out of my intake. Thanks for sharing your story as well. Very well told.
It's hard to become addicted to green tea, I think, but probably not impossible. Here's what you can do to virtually eliminate the risk: - Use one tea bag per 18 oz mug of water. (I actually like the taste of it this way, using stevia for sweetening.) - Drink lots of water along with your tea. (Green tea is a diuretic, so you'll need more fluids.) - Mix up your teas. 3-4 green tea bags per week, the rest herbals. Do that, and I think the risk of addiction is vanishingly small.
Cheers, Cooper91. If you can get through withdrawal, it'll get better. Once free of caffeine, the absolute best way to shake drowsiness is physical activity. Take walks, play sports, go bike riding. If you're sedentary, it'll be tough going forward without the caffeine.
You're making a wise decision, DA, good for you. I hope your migraines will stop. Unfortunately, migraines can have other causes, some of which are mysterious. Good luck to you, and thanks for your comment.
My caffeine consumption has gone way down over the years. 8 years ago, I was heavily addicted to all products caffeinated and couldn't stop myself. My energy was through the roof and the crashes would be horrible, which would effect my life. I've done research and have learned to keep my levels daily much much lower or else things will get out of hand. Plus, mostly tea and some coffee is what I stick to and it works just fine. I never want to experience crashes or be on that roller coaster again. I'm glad I've been able to cut back but still have an enjoyable cup of tea or coffee without addiction taking hold again. Thanks for the vid!
Your experience sounds similar to mine, Chris. I don't think it's necessary to practice total abstinence, and in recent years, I've been able to include green and black tea *in moderation* in my beverage intake, enjoyed both, and run into no symptoms at all. At larger doses, though, caffeine can seriously wreck a person's health. Addiction is no joke, and neither is caffeine intoxication or side effects. But that isn't the message we get from mainstream media or advertising. We're being told that caffeine is 'instant energy' and harmless. Those are lies. Believing those lies can hurt us. You know better. Help the people you know understand the truth, eh? If enough people know the truth, lying ads will no longer have any power over us.
@@Urgelt I agree with you. I've tried my best to inform others and give helpful advice. It's hit or miss with people...some listen while others don't. However, making the effort is most important.
I remember watching Urgelt's video years ago...This is what youtube SHOULD be about, REAL people sharing bits and pieces of their lives, not the commercialized pop culture idiocy that's all over the website today =(
Urgelt please make more videos!! I would love videos where you simply read from poems or storybooks. Your voice is very therapeutic.
I completely agree! And this was 13 years ago. Imagine now.
Been coming back to this video for years now; it’s oddly relaxing. Crazy to think this video is 17 years old now-your channel belongs in a museum! Hope you are healthy, and wishing you many more happy new years to come.
I struggled with caffeine addiction when I was in my teens and this video came out around that time and helped me over come it! hope you are still doing well
The credit is 100% yours. And congratulations, by the way! You done good!
@@Urgelt Urgelt still checks comments?!
@@mr.misterioso9862 I do, occasionally.
Coffee itself is not just caffeine, there is a cocktail of other chemicals, namely Beta-carboline that acts as a potentiator for caffeine. Much in the same way tobacco contains harmala alkaloids and B-carbolines, that potentiate nicotine. Tea is a much more balanced array of alkaloids that smooths the caffeine effects, thanks to antioxidants contained in the leaf
I miss you so much! I wish you'd come back.
I was blind, and now I can see... I know the feeling well. That was me, 29 years ago. For seven years I had no clue what was happening to me. It was all unconscious.
I think 2 cups of coffee is enough to establish a mild addiction in most people, and as you know, once you're addicted, drug tolerance comes into play, making your body seek higher doses.
Understanding that, and putting your conscious mind in control while the addiction is still mild, is a good thing.
People don't understand just how addictive caffeine really can be. People throw around the word addiction too lightly but when you are really both physically and psychologically addicted to it, it is kinda like being an alcoholic. Bad reactions to it are rare so most people don't understand what this like but for some people it is as horrible as hard drugs!!!!
I'm both physically and psychologically addicted to it. Believe me it's really, really hard to give up! I started using a lot of caffeine to counteract the exhaustion caused by my depression. It made me feel awake, alive and almost positive at first which my brain couldn’t do on its own! But it really just makes everything worse and I still keep reaching for it because I have a have never been a strong person!!! I go through 1 to 4 cases of Diet Mountain Dew a day. That means I can reach up to 48 cans in one day!!!!
I'm a brain dead zombie without it, feeling extremely disconnected and almost slightly drunk and too physically sick to function!! But with it my thoughts race and I'm edgy and irritable and sometimes kinda manic!! Either way I feel completely crazy!! I'm not blaming the caffeine I have mental health issues I’m working on but it's really not fair that people don't take it seriously! People with addictions or any mental health problems are already treated like crap but what does someone like me do? There’s no rehab for this, the world runs on dunk’n! Most people with more serious addictions just laugh at me thinking I'm somehow faking this. I have high blood pressure, heart issues, get dehydrated easily and the aspartame in it is rotting my brain making my depression worse! In most people it probably is a benign substance but I wish people would understand that it is still a drug and it can still be a problem for some people. I struggle against the urge to self medicate my mental health issues with worse things and I've managed to pull back my drinking so I don't become an alcoholic but no matter what I do I can't stop myself from consuming caffeine, I feel so fucking powerless to it!!!! I always say I’ll stop, or it is my last one but I know I’ll go back to it because I always do!!!! I hate what it has done to my life and who I am because of it but then all I can think about cracking open a nice cold can of dew and forgetting my problems for a few moments!! And then the guilt and shame and the cycle starts again! But when you try to tell people they just laugh at you because it can't be real!
Maybe it is just me? Maybe I’m just some kinda freak with no self control at all! Maybe I just failed at this like everything else in my life!! I really hate the thing I have become!!!!!!
Duke, I've never heard of anyone drinking that much 'Dew in a single day. It's very likely that you are experiencing, not only addiction, but severe caffeine intoxication. (Look it up on Wikipedia.)
Many of the symptoms you are experiencing are surely drug-induced. Most any human consuming that much caffeine will experience symptoms similar to yours. It's not just you; it's your human physiology responding to intoxication.
If there are additional underlying mental health issues, they will be masked and dominated by intoxication and made all but untreatable.
I urge you to see a physician. The dose you are describing is not merely addicting, and not just intoxicating. It could be life-threatening.
I agree with your concern about aspartame. I refuse to touch the stuff, it's dangerous.
One last point. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) used to treat depression are, according to a recent report, designed to a flawed chemical model of depression. SRIs are used to increase serotonin levels, on the assumption that low serotonin levels are causing depression. This model has been called into serious doubt; there is evidence that the reverse is true, that high serotonin levels produces depression, and that increasing serotonin is the exact wrong thing to do. If you are on an SRI, I suggest speaking to your doctor about non-SRI alternatives.
Urgelt I'm trying to step down and I don't have all four cases every day most days its about 2- 3 but when I get a bad mood I just stop caring and I go crazy with it! I really want to stop but having both a physically and psychologically dependency is ruff because it is an emotional crutch for me. it is a catch 22 I need to stop to fix my mental issues but those issues give me and addictive personalty that wants to suck in any vice I get near!
it is just frustrating to hear people that try to quit their one or two morning coffee habit complain about being "kinda grumpy" or "a headache" and everyone assumes that is what I'm going through so no one takes it seriously!
back when I was having all 48 cans every day for years I tryed to quite cold turkey once and it felt like street drug withdraw!!!! my bones hurt, I was stuck bed shaking and puking and it felt like my brain was exploding!! I was suicidal with in a week, it really was "drink" or kill myself so yeah I caved!!
but I'm much better now and I'm determined to finally bet this! it is just a lonely addiction because no one understands or even believes me!!
theduke ofweasels I hear you, Duke, and I absolutely believe you. Quitting for you is going to be nothing like quitting for the average caffeine-dependent user.
If you have depression, that's a good reason to talk to a doctor about quitting caffeine before you seriously try it.
Caffeine is a mood booster, though not a very good one, since the effects fade so quickly and you're right back to craving more. In other words, it's self-medication for depression. Cutting your caffeine intake suddenly could trigger a serious depressive episode. If your doctor can recommend non-SRI drug solutions for your depression, it ought to ease the strain of reducing your caffeine consumption.
You may want to consider boosting your natural endorphin levels. Endorphins are mood-boosters, too. The primary means of boosting endorphins in your brain is vigorous exercise and athleticism. Long-distance runners, for example, get a 'natural high' out of their training; I think they aren't often the victims of depression.
Urgelt
yeah my depression has just been found out to be part of a mood disorder. it's not quite bipolar but it is like I have two kinds of depression stupid, slow, blank, numb, exhausted, empty, detached, foggy, achy, lazy "I don't care, let me sleep." depression! Then there is the frustrated, cynical, sarcastic, angry, hyper, squirmy, antsy, jittery, crazy, self-destructive "my mind is a burring blender!" / "fuck life! pass the vodka" / "I really really really despise myself!" depression that makes me just want to rip off my skin to escape!! so yeah my going nuts, I just started a mood stabilizer so that might help. I know all the things I need to do to get better but it is really really hard to make myself do them! I failed at life, I hate it so much, I have no one to blame but me for my poor choice but I still can't make myself function!
it really is self medicating!!! and I do it in lots other self destructive ways!!!(binge eating, drinking, self-harm and more) being this out of control is frustrating! it is like I was born with no willpower at all! I know my unhealthy lifestyle is making me worse but it is so hard to change my behavior. I just can't be the strong person I should be. I just keep failing at life! no matter what I try I don't change. it is a war with my self that I will never win!!!
sorry for ranting I guess it is just a bad day.
Urgelt
I'm backing off the caffeine slowly this time so I stay at a doable level of withdraw and it is helping it is just hard I crave it a lot and when I have a bad day or get emotional it is all I can think about! like I'll drool over the dumbest things like the coldness of the can or the sound of popping it open or the burn of that first sip of fizz! its a real mind fuck! I'll like even dream about it. this must be what it feels like to be an alcoholic because I so know better then slip up anyway and binge drink on it and then I wake up in the moring with a caffeine hangover and I'm "WTF did I just do to myself" so much regret and guilt! UGH! I will be working with my doctors and fighting this because I want a better life!
this is an interesting story, my ex husband was plagued by mirgraines in the same frequency and duration you describe, like a couple days of every week were migraines - I asked him to consider his diet/food choices. He refused. He just wanted a drug and like you, the drugs were full of caffeine. . . He honestly thought the caffeine was helping he drank coffee all day long
I drink 4 monsters a day. Help!!!!
Dalton Labensky The help you need can come from only one source: you.
First step: inform yourself. Read the Wikipedia entry on caffeine, for starters. Use search engines.
Second step: if you deny you are addicted, there can be no solution.
Third step: carefully weigh pros and cons of quitting. Some addicts decide the pain of quitting exceeds the damage of not quitting. I decided the opposite for myself. But I am not your decider; you are.
Fourth step: make a plan. Some folks find tapering easier. Some prefer cold turkey. (I chose the latter.) Lock in your plan on the calendar. Understand that if you quit, there's going to be a period of unpleasantness and fatigue. Might want to avoid quitting when you are working or attending school, when you need your wits about you.
You can include drink substitutions in your plan. Water is good, but it may leave you feeling unfulfilled if you've been drinking a lot of soft drinks. Herbal teas sweetened with stevia extract powder are just as tasty as any soft drink, and healthier to boot. There's a lot of variety available - at least one herbal tea I enjoy is similar to cola.
Fifth step (if necessary): it's not at all unusual for addicts to backslide, for their plans to fail. If you still want to quit, pick yourself up and try again. There's no rule that you only get one shot at it.
Caveat: 4 Monsters a day is probably enough to addict many people. But I doubt it's an extreme addiction. In extreme cases, or in cases of poor health, you can incur serious health risks by quitting abruptly. In such cases a consultation with a doctor is wise before you start.
Good luck, Dalton.
Do you drink 4 monsters back to back? If not you shouldn't be too worried...people take pre workout drinks that contain 700mg of caffiene in one scoop in one sitting...that's more than 3 monsters at once....and people who do that tend to use more than one scoop a day...you're not that deep yet...it's gonna be ok
Hey, Dalton ! Did you solved your problem ? 'Cause I have a similar one. May you help me ?
How inspiring. You are a smart man by figuring it out on your own. Thank you for sharing. I am a 1 or 2 cup in the morning drinker, but convinced to quit now😮
Damn right caffeine is bad for you...i don't drink it for 2 weeks now and i am feeling so much better! (note: i am having strong social anxieties)
The only problem i experience is with gym motivation, i was used to drink strong black before a training seasion.
Jacek Wałasiewicz You didn't mention if your social anxieties came during withdrawal, or during regular caffeine use, or are a phenomenon unrelated to caffeine.
During withdrawal, it's normal to feel fatigued and listless for a time. Drink lots of water and sleep as much as you are able. You might also reduce your gym time and instead substitute walking as a less stressful way to enjoy physical activity during withdrawal. Parks or country roads are ideal. Studies have found that social anxieties and depression are countered by walks through natural settings; it's actually better than prescription drug treatments, I think, though I am not a physician and my opinion doesn't count for much.
Your fatigue will get better gradually as your adrenal glands recover from the beating they took from caffeine.
Good luck to you!
Urgelt First of all id like to inform that my english language skill is not very good so i apologies for that.
It appears that i had social anxiety from the beginning of my life but from what i have noticed so far caffeine especially directly after drinking it boosted strongly the negative effects of my anxieties (the effect was really strong in really crowded places).
Id like to note that back in the day i was also abusing strong preworkout supplements which had a lot of caffeine in it...
It seems that during withdrawal i have hard time waking up but after that i dont experience energy drop down during the rest of a day like i had on caffeine usage.
I really doubt i will ever again touch anything with caffeine. ( my mind is strong i barely drink alkohol and i dont smoke :)
Have a nice day
Jacek Wałasiewicz No need to apologize for learning a second language. It's an achievement worthy of pride, not a source of embarrassment. And your written English is quite good - better than many native speakers can manage.
It's great that you have made the connection in your head between the drug and your symptoms. Making that connection is a stumbling block for many caffeine consumers; they don't understand how using the drug produces their symptoms. I know; for years, I had no idea what was causing my symptoms. I didn't think it could be caffeine, since mainstream media - then and now - insists it's harmless, just 'extra energy.' And many doctors ignore caffeine's effects on their patients; they are often caffeine addicts themselves and deeply in denial about it.
Thanks for contributing here for the other readers!
I like the perspective in which you present caffeine. It is so socially accepted that people don't even think about it as an addictive drug with side effects that have such a negative impact on ones quality of life. Thank you for posting this video.
I lost count of my years with caffeine addiction.im now30 and I started taking caffeine in different forms as a teen.i know I would take pain killers with caffeine such as Excedrin with a coke or even energy drinks.im now out of control taking 4-10pills a day every single day!!!to keep going with my chronic migraine issues.doctors don't help at all.i cut caffeine cold turkey about 5 times up to fifteen days in a row.but then I get back involved with things I have to do like work as and chores little by little I get hooked up again in Excedrin.i feel miserable hopeless and helpless.i want to know what it feels not to have a migraine again.ill like to take back control of my life,and not pain controlling my life.
Life is not a bowl of cherries, even without an addiction like this one.
It took something like six months after I quit before my migraines were mostly abated. I quit out of desperation; nothing the doctors suggested had helped at all (and one thing they suggested, which was an ergot medication *with* caffeine in it, probably made things worse). I didn't know in advance if the migraines would decrease due to quitting caffeine, then.
But they slowed, and their intensity dropped, and then stopped entirely. In subsequent years I would sometimes get bad headaches, but nothing like the headaches I had while using caffeine heavily. And not nearly as often, either.
There were some peculiarities about those caffeine-fueled migraines. Perhaps the most peculiar thing about them was that I found I could trigger them through heavy physical exertion. If I hadn't had a migraine in a week or more, playing a pickup basketball game or doing anything similar would bring it on within a few hours.
That was just nuts. Not a happy time in my life.
Freeing myself from caffeine took me into a better place in my life.
Other ailments eventually rolled in; aging does that to us. But even now, I place a high value on being free of those incapacitating migraines. Quitting caffeine was the right thing to do.
Other benefits accrued from quitting: I slept more soundly. Awoke feeling more rested. Didn't approach life as frantically. When in the grip of my caffeine addiction, I suspect my ability to think clearly was impaired.
It's no longer unknown to medical science that migraines can be (but are not always) connected to caffeine consumption. If you are using caffeine heavily and suffering from migraines, ending caffeine consumption is really the *first* thing to do.
And you know this. That's more than I knew when I was a serious migraine sufferer. You're ahead of where I was.
So, quitting is hard. Caffeine is a lot more addictive, especially at high doses, than is widely understood. It's harder to quit than is widely understood.
But there are rewards for those who can do it. That's a promise.
You might benefit from a talk with your doctor. I think your consumption is much higher than mine ever was, and so it could be a good idea to talk over your options. Quitting an addicting drug when high doses are involved might trigger undesirable physiological effects - especially with respect to your heart. A discussion of approaches - tapering versus cold turkey - and of diet, exercise and pharmacological aides could prove fruitful to you.
Best of luck to you, Nestor.
Urgelt
I highly appreciate your reply I've felt alone and misunderstood for a long time.i have family thinking I'm lazy, antisocial, and even faking my symptoms.ill soon come up with a plan to be able to quit this toxicity.thanks for your video and thanks for the feedback,it gives me a sense of hope/light at the end of the tunnel.
I needed to hear Ur story right now as I'm suffering from a bad caffeine headache. Tomorrow,I'll be fine.Last year I realized that my "weekend headaches" were due to not consuming coffee over the weekend.My realization took some time because I never thought 1 cup a day could equal addiction.I quit. Last week I had a heavy workload & decided a cup of Lipton tea a day shouldn't hurt.Boy,since Sunday evening, my head has been pounding & I can't eat. I'll never do that again. Thanks for this vid.
Your English is good enough, Shay, I understood your comment.
The first step to ending an addiction is awareness, and you've completed that step. You understand exactly what caffeine is doing to you.
The second step is the decision. You've made yours.
Now comes the hard part. Withdrawal is no fun. But if you can get through the first 30 days, I think you'll start to feel better.
Wow! I Have to thank you for posting this, I have a girlfriend who has constant migraines and I will share this information with her.
I drink a lot of yerba mate which has caffeine too... I can't drink coffee at all, I start shaking and my mom told me she drank it during her entire pregnancy with me, this was before women knew better I think... thank you! I've learned a lot.
Absolutely, I couldn't agree more, especially on the fact that most of society is ignorant to just how powerful, and addicting, caffeine can be. Sadly most people don't understand that it's a "drug" at all!
About how coffee makes me feel: irritated, unhappy, depressed,I don't tolerate when someone does something stupid,I sleep badly and my stomach gets inflated. thank you for your video, maybe it will help me now..
Dan Mac the same
I stopped consuming caffeine two days ago. Ironically, I was finding myself always exhausted and always stressed when I was on caffeine. I'm experiencing terrible headaches and feeling extremely lazy, but much more calm. I hope this will be the right course of action to feel better. You certainly had an interesting story. Thanks for sharing.
Definitely inspires me to totally quit caffeine for the rest of my life. It's hard. It's not just the effects of caffeine that I enjoy, it's just the whole thing about holding a cup of hot, black coffee in your hands. But it's getting to the point it's making my anxiety go crazy. It's not going to cure it, but caffeine definitely will make me anxious/nervous for reasons I never would be before, and things that do make me nervous, it just escalates it to a whole different level.
Congrats, SOUPRUNO1. You've done well for yourself.
For me, the worst symptoms of withdrawal were over within a few weeks, but like you, I didn't feel "right" immediately. I still felt cravings when I smelled coffee brewing, for example. And my migraines diminished gradually, not really coming to a complete end for several months.
I chalk that up to profound changes caffeine makes in the brain. Ending the addiction is just the first step; then your brain needs to heal the damage.
Thanks for posting this! I usually stop and get an energy drink on my way to work and almost always have soda with meals. I recently started getting heart palpitations, panic attacks at night, depression, mood swings, problems concentrating and chest pains. After doing some research on the internet I found out that these can be side effects of caffeine. Today I have decided to start my new life caffeine free including chocolate. We'll see where this takes me.
Your story mirrors that of many of the viewers who left comments.
It's easy to fall into the trap. We are taught to "just say no" to drugs which don't profit industry, but the message for caffeine is "no worries, drink up." Advertising targets a younger audience these days, too. That isn't helping matters.
Good luck with your cold turkey, Rez. Won't be much fun, but you'll feel tons better once you're gotten through it.
Your options are: 1) Do nothing. At the dose you are taking in, likely your symptoms will worsen. 2) Quit cold turkey. Withdrawal is very tough to get through, but this option lets you do it in the shortest possible time. I think it will help with your sleeping within a few weeks. 3) Taper off gradually. You can't avoid withdrawal symptoms by tapering, but you can ease them somewhat. The downside is it takes much longer; you stretch out the discomfort.
I'm constantly amazed at the number of people who believe that the truth about a thing - in this case a drug - is established by consensus.
Nature is indifferent to our opinions. The properties of drugs in humans don't change at our whim; it matters not what laws we pass, or what consensus we form. A drug's harm or addictiveness depends on our physiology and the drug's chemical nature, and only on those things.
It's a lesson we all need to take on board. I'm glad you have done so.
Interesting story!
I gave up coffee 25 years ago, since it gave me nausea, stress, and discomfort including slight depressions. Since then, I have gradually decreased caffeine use, like in tea. I now drink only water and sometimes hot cocoa and beer.
Unlike caffeine addicts, I do not feel sleepy in the morning; no need for a caffeine shot! Headaches have never been a big problem, though I have them occasionally. Drinking a few glasses of water before sleeping helps a lot to prevent them.
I'm 15 years old and trying to kick the caffeine.
It's been going on for almost 2 years, with my daily intake ranging from 100mg to 500mg, sometimes even more. One week is the longest I've gone without caffeine since 8th grade. But thank you for posting this video, it gave me a bit more motivation, and I do hope to break my habit by the time this summer ends.
I'm glad you understand your addiction. And I respect your decision not to end it.
My main purpose is to inform. Many do not seem to grasp what caffeine is - an addictive drug - nor how it might affect them.
I'll advise you to keep an eye on your dosage, and keep the other eye on how it affects your health. You know what to look for.
It's very, very good that you are able to connect your symptoms to the cause. It took me seven years to connect those dots... because I just couldn't bring myself to regard caffeine as harmful. My head was full of the 'common wisdom.' It couldn't be that. Could it?
It could, and was.
I'm not on a crusade to get people to do what I think is good for them. For me, the name of the game is accurate information, so people can make up their own minds how to go forward.
Good luck, GM.
You have a point.
That's why addictive foods and beverages are so dangerous to us, they exploit our weakness.
I think the only counter to that weakness is to be aware of it and exert conscious control over ourselves. It's not effortless.
Thanks for posting this Urgelt. People need to take caffeine addiction more seriously. Ive been heavily addicted for the last 10 years. I went cold turkey 2 months ago. No caffeine since. The first 4 days are the worst. Extremeley strong headaches and severe fatigue. I could sleep 14 hours a day. Cravings went away after 1st week.First 2 weeks i was very fatiuged then it went down. Now 2 months later im still somewhat chronicallay fatigued but not as much as before. hope it will go away
You're absolutely right.
Because media treats caffeine as harmless - which they do to benefit advertisers, their life's blood - there's a reality disconnection in our minds. It's a rare caffeine addict that realizes their addiction is a health problem, and an even rarer one who decides to take action. Most of those go it alone, as I did.
I think if you look hard enough, though, you'll probably find a forum.
It's a potent addictive drug. Not the most potent and addictive, but by no means is it benign.
Persons suffering from anxiety and panic attacks are well advised to stay away from caffeine. It can make things much worse.
I'm glad you're feeling better, Stephen.
True.
In my total ignorance about caffeine, I abused it. There was no moderation in my habits back then.
It's my hope that if we can inform people, they'll make better consumption decisions. Alas, mainstream media isn't interested in educating people about caffeine. They would not wish to upset their advertisers.
Two years ago when I was 15, I was addicted to caffeine. I drank a big thermus of coffee every day. This was only on weekdays, though, so on the weekends I would experience headaches and irritability. After five months of this, I began to get cramps and diarrhea. I had to go to the emergency room because my mom thought I had appendicitus, but once I stopped drinking so much coffee, it stopped.
So I totally agree with this guy. You have to be really careful about how much caffeine you consume.
Your story reminds me of my own experience with coffee. I never was much of a coffee drinker, but the following summer i finished my degree, I had aquaintances with Mr. Migraine almost every weekend. The cafeteria where I worked stored free coffee and it was surprinsingly good. The coffee machine was empty? Just make another batch! It was a weekday job and I could easily drink 2 to 3 coffees a day.
It's good that you understand your situation, 2pawd.
What drives me nuts, looking back, is how long it took for me to realize that I was abusing a drug and addicted to it. I was totally oblivious. Like everyone else around me, I believed caffeine was completely harmless.
I don't believe it now. Science doesn't think it's harmless, either. I hope more people will get the word.
Thank you for posting this. I was a heavy Mountain Dew and Diet Mountain Dew drinker for years, and I found it made my anxiety and depression much worse. Now I only have caffeine on a sporadic basis and my symptoms are much improved.
I think there's a lot of truth in what you say about questioning medical professionals, because many pharmaceutical companies pay lobbyists to convince gov't officials to allow certain drugs, when they may not be safe.
We have to be careful and trust ourselves
Making the logical connection between symptoms and cause is surely the hardest part. Our information environment is saturated with messages to the contrary, assuring us that caffeine is "harmless energy," rather than the psychoactive, addictive drug it really is.
Good luck to you, MWC.
I didn't realize that drinking 10 cups of Green tea and eating 10 bars of Chocolate in a day was unhealthy... I just thought they were "normal cravings" I learned that Caffeine damages the brain as well as the intestinal tract. White tea is an extremely healthy "substitute" for caffeine. Thanks for your honesty ,sir ! :-)
ok thank you very much ive cut caffeine out for 3 days, last night got about 10 hours sleep after being awake for around 38 hours, i feel so much better, thank you very much all the very best to you.
I most sincerely wish you luck, BigDane417.
It will be rough- maybe very rough, if you've been a heavy user. But if you can hang in there, it will get better. You should notice it getting easier within 30 days or so.
I got echoes of cravings for years after I quit, but they were easy for me to resist. All I had to do was remember the migraines.
Your body will want rest - lots of rest. Your adrenal glands will need time to recover. Heavy caffeine use is very hard on them.
I really enjoyed your story man. It was really well told. I'm at University at the moment (that's what we call college in the UK!), and have had had periodic times where I have been consuming 600-800mg a day in the form of caffeine pills. It usually goes up when I have tough assignments due, and lasts for a couple weeks, and then goes down to a baseline 300-400mg a day.
Thanks for sharing your story. I have finally just got over the withdrawals. Do you plan on posting any more videos on this channel?
@@neytonmakarony2535 No. Fun hobby, but my time is occupied by other matters.
Congrats on getting past withdrawal! That's no easy feat.
Oh, absolutely.
The notion of migraines continuing - and mounting in intensity and frequency - for the rest of my life was a real motivator. I wasn't sure it was the caffeine doing it until I quit cold turkey, and they tapered off and ended. But I had strong suspicions.
Once that was confirmed in my mind, there was no chance I'd ever resume high-dose caffeine consumption.
One of the lowest moments in the FDA's history was its craven capitulation to the food industry's demand to approve aspartame as an artificial sweetener, despite its toxicity and addictiveness.
I hope you can stay free of the horrible stuff, Sue.
I quited like you cold turkey and got the worst headaches Ive ever had. During that time ive had a rough time in my life so the withdrawal symptoms only became worse and I began drinking it again. Now days I don't think about it much really but to be totally honest I can't remember the last time I went to school, work or even training without it.
I can't even remeber the last time I was feeling refreshed waking up. So thanks to your video im going to quit coffee. Thank you Urgelt
+Urgelt I'm glad a well informed and and personal video that you've made has been released! I have an "addiction" to caffeine due to me drinking monsters daily since I was 9. I experience the migraines that last for days on end and have even told to wear glasses due to it seeming like I have an issues with my eyesight. I also was introduced to nicotine at the age of 11 and have had that take a toll on me just as much as the soft drinks and other caffeinated beverages. I get the same urges and mood swings. I was prescribed anti depressants at the age of 13 and had to get off of them due to a drunken feeling when I took them and went to school. I've tried to not drink soda or smoke and when I've walked by someone who is it throws me back into the cycle like a junkie looking for a fix. Currently when I drink a soda my stomach becomes very upset and I'm having to eat more to reduce that pain. I've talked to my doctor about it and they tried to prescribe me energy supplements, like you..
+Urgelt I feel taken over by the substances I consume and it would help me greatly to hear how you got over the mental barriers because it may help me get over the poisons I'm cramming into my body on a daily basis. Thank you, and I congratulate you on you success on overcoming the addiction.
+YoItsGoProTurtle Your story sure is familiar to me, Yolts.
Most caffeine addicts don't seem to get migraines out of it, but I was an exception, and you may be one, too. Human physiology varies considerably from person to person. The only way to know if caffeine is responsible for your migraines is to get off of it.
For me, the motivation was simple. I would have done anything to end those horrible headaches. When I quit caffeine, I wasn't sure it was the culprit, but for me, the migraines tapered off and finally stopped within about six months of quitting caffeine. I experienced some milder headaches later on in life, but nothing like those monsters.
In those days there was nothing in the scientific literature about caffeine causing migraines in some individuals. Today, that has changed; migraines are one of the symptoms produced by caffeine recognized by modern medicine. Yet caffeine treatments for migraines are still commonly used. I suppose most migraines arise from other causes which remain mysterious, so doctors feel justified in prescribing it for short term relief. But in the case of a patient whose migraines are actually caused by caffeine, it's a bad option.
I recommend using your migraines as your motivation. That worked for me. I didn't piddle around with half-measures: I went cold turkey, just on the slim hope that it would end my migraines once I was past the withdrawal symptoms. I was fortunate in the result.
If your migraines don't go away after quitting, be patient. It can take some time for your body to reset itself. And if they persist for a year after quitting, it will be time to think about making other lifestyle adjustments, or look into some of the newer treatments.
Good luck!
+Urgelt I'm glad you replied and I didn't get headaches or any urges when I was younger and then I drank a monster and that branches to other energy drinks and then I was pressured into smoking because it was the "thing" and I was the worst decision I could have made. I'm inspired of your will and I'm going to quit soft drinks containing caffeine to see if it's the culprit of my migraines and then I will branch off towards the smoking. I'm glad there's a great and supporting community to give me courage and will. Thank you for the help and motivation!
+YoItsGoProTurtle Quitting any addictive drug is no fun, but I think migraines are worse. Unfortunately, you're likely to experience migraines *while* you're trying to quit. I have to admit, I was a miserable fellow during that period of withdrawal symptoms.
It gets better. Even if your migraines have a different cause, being free of caffeine will bring you to a better state of health and mind. And if, by chance, your migraines are actually caused by your caffeine consumption, you will free yourself of those, too.
I will hope for the best for you.
You're doing great, Mariana. If you can stay off caffeine for a few more weeks, you'll be well past the worst of it.
I think that the intensity of withdrawal is a measure of how addicted a person is; if it's profound, then the addiction is advanced. Fortunately, the body adjusts to lack of the drug. Getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of water should help with that.
Perhaps the best thing about quitting is the drug is no longer making decisions for you; you're back in charge.
Well said, PA. You have clear vision.
Tapering off an addiction is an alternative. It works for some, not for others. I don't honestly know if it's better than cold turkey, success-wise.
I went cold turkey. I wanted to get it over with, not stretch out the withdrawal process. I don't regret it.
It's not easy to quit under any circumstances. But you're right, being surrounded by other addicts makes it a lot harder.
Especially because of how addicts behave. Your quitting is vaguely threatening to them. You'll take some grief.
Under those circumstances, cold turkey is probably the only tactic that has a chance to work.
Good luck, Bob.
I went cold turkey as well and haven't drank anything with caffeine for almost a week now. I was super addicted to diet coke and coffee, but I'm now switching to more tea, decaf coffee, and a few non-caffeinated sodas. Great video, your story was very interesting
I have to limit my caffeine intake because it starts causing heart palpitations after a short while. I also know a woman who had to have heart surgery after drinking too much caffeine. My doctor told me to stay off it but I talked him into letting me drink two small cups a week. I really envy people who can drink several cups a day without side effects because of the great "pick me up" I get. Thanks for sharing your story.
This was an interesting story. I had my first very bad migraine attack when I was in army. I didn't think about it then but it was the first time I went without coffee for long time.
I'm currently decreasing my coffee consumption to zero in hopes of getting rid of insomnia and occasional headaches.
Urgelt, i hope that you will have more free time in the future to share your knowledge and experiences with us. This video helped, and inspired me to put down the bean. Its been 4 days now. Its also been 4 days of a constant nagging headache that is only relieved by sleeping. On a good note ive noticed a slight reduction in anxiety which is a great relief to me.I was also less scattered and reckless at work. Caffeine seems to have been overstimulating me to the point of not being a good thing.
You're the first commenter, if memory serves, to report that a caffeine addict can take advantage of influenza to end an addiction. I think it's a fascinating contribution to our discussion here.
Sugar is addictive, too, though the physiological mechanisms are different. Sometimes the line between drugs and food seems blurred... and the blurring is made worse by industrial processing, where drugs and sugar are added to foods to hook consumers and convert them into addicted customers.
Thanks for sharing your story! I quit coffee some time ago. One of best decisions I have ever made.
Know the feeling, JJ.
Good on you!
I'll be the first to admit, withdrawal is very, very unpleasant for most people.
Like you are doing, I quit cold turkey, gritted my teeth, and stuck it out. It was not fun. If you can hang in there for about 30 days, it'll get much easier to continue without the drug.
It's worth it.
Good luck, TLG.
I've come to view most drugs in the same light, whether prescription, over-the-counter, found in consumer products, or illegal. Most are blunt hammers; they produce some effects we desire, but they also produce harm.
Drugs should be a last resort; but there is profit to be had in selling them, which means advertising, which means our minds are saturated with a distorted view of their benefits.
But here and there, people are catching on. I'm glad you are joining us, Peter.
I congratulate you for your insight, Christopher. Hope the rest of your step-down program goes as well.
It's terrific that you were able to connect symptoms to cause, Carl. Good on you.
I'm retired. During my career I was occasionally called upon to teach others in my field, but it was strictly a sideline.
My speaking skills are far from professional caliber. But that's ok. If we let the pros do all our talking for us, it's going to be a much more boring world.
Good points, Sam.
I'm cautious about caffeinated teas, because of my history of addiction. I do drink green and black teas, but no more than 3 or 4 cups per week.
There's so many herbal teas that I love, I don't feel I'm missing out.
I've been trying to cut down slowly but I just hate the drowsiness and headaches that come everytime. But your story has really inspired me to stop doing this to my body. Cheers mate.
Congrats on doing this.I know it wasn't easy.I work ten hour night shifts and take care of my one year old in the mornings.I drink at least a liter of Diet Dew when I am working.If I don't have it, I am super groggy.I cannot wait until I can quit this job and give it up.I have thought about getting the carbonated water.I think I will buy some and try drinking that instead when work isn't busy.Thank you for posting this.
Good luck, R1D. It's not easy giving up an addiction. If you can hang tough for six weeks, though, you'll be past the worst of it, and it becomes easier.
I'm convinced that food choices are as important, if not more so, than caloric intake.
Just recently, scientists have uncovered vital roles for certain gut flora species in promoting or preventing obesity, insulin insensitivity, and inflammation. The food choices we make may be modulating helpful or harmful gut flora populations!
Ending addictions is no easy thing. Withdrawal is unpleasant, to say the least. But it can be done.
Good luck to you, SonofSilas.
Just as a point of clarification: migraines almost always affect only one side of your head. If it hurts on both sides, it's very likely a withdrawal headache, but not a migraine.
Caffeine can relieve migraine symptoms in the short term by dilating blood vessels in the brain, but in the long term, for many people, caffeine can make them more vulnerable to getting migraines.
Acknowledging an addiction is the first step to recovery - if you want to recover, that is.
Good luck, AoCranger.
I really enjoyed this video! I'm 17, and I've been drinking coffee somewhat regularly for about a year now. I've always had concerns about it's effect on health, but have not found much negative information. I'm certainly going to try and cut back, and keep my coffee drinking to a minimum.
My mother also drinks coffee and is a self described "addict" requiring a cup of coffee each morning.
(continued in reply to this comment)
Caffeine is a short-term mood elevator. Withdrawal could cause temporary depression in some people, or make it worse (if already present).
For people who have been diagnosed with chronic depression or bipolar, and wishing to end their caffeine addiction, caution is wise. It's advisable to consult a doctor about how to proceed without triggering an unpleasant event.
I'm glad you know the truth about caffeine, Mike.
I'm not at all glad that you're coping with chronic pain. No fun, that.
One of these days, we really need to acknowledge that among the cannabinoids are drugs that are safer than any of the pain medications currently available by prescription, they are not addictive, their analgesic properties compare favorably with opiates, and they're cheap to produce.. Which is not to say there are no side effects, but we do need them in the medical system.
Thanks alot!! you saved my project. For my biology class we needed to make a presenation about caffeine addiction. Thanks to you im gonna get a good point. Once again. Thank you!!
I picked up caffeine during university to cope with exams and study. I've found nothing so far to make me want to quit it. It's helped me incredibly and improved my life, and I've never had a side effect from it that I would consider as negative. I know I'm addicted (because I feel tired and without motivation if I go a day without it), but I don't mind it as long as I can keep it coming. I'm sorry it triggered your migraines, but different things have different effects on different people.
Don't underestimate it. It's considerably harsher- in terms of addictivity, psychoactivity and physiological harm - than some illegal drugs.
Hope it goes well for you, DH.
Awareness is a good first step.
Your options now are to let the drug addiction continue, knowing it will extract a heavy price eventually, or begin to end your addiction. It's entirely up to you.
It's tough to cut down, but it can be done. I think in the long run you'll find your quality of life will improve. Good luck!
I used to be awfully addicted to caffeine (I consumed instant coffee excessively on a daily basis) some time ago, but now not as much. Now, I drink only one cup in the morning and I am glad to say that I have become more stable emotionally and such. I am thinking of completely cutting off caffeine, at least for a while, since I also suffer from anxiety. Thanks for this helpful vid!
You're right. Anxiety and caffeine is a bad combination.
Though at only one cup in the morning... well, physiological responses to drug doses vary, there probably isn't anything universal one might conclude, but I would *expect* such a low dose to produce hardly any noticeable effects.
But... don't neglect the fact that caffeine can appear in other foods and products, such as chocolate. So coffee intake alone might not determine your full dosage of the drug.
Thanks for chiming in, Brainstormer!
Hey Urgelt, I don't know if you remember Haffron. But, I play Haffron. I stopped drinking caffeine after I got a kidney stone. I got one on Dec. 21 last year, and it was one of the most life changing events of my life. I still probably consume too much sugar, but I am not going to drink soda willingly every again. After a few days I got over not having Caffeine. Being sober of it is a great feeling. I have a lot more energy without the presence of an artificial high.
I sympathize. It is bad, in the early period.
It can take a couple of months to get past the worst of it, though that seems to vary among different individuals.
It's been three decades since I quit, and the smell of fresh coffee still hits me hard in the gut. It's still a craving, but at least the withdrawal symptoms are far, far in the past. I'm glad for that, at least.
Food for thought. Congratulations on overcoming your addiction.
As my username denotes, I was heavily into coffee for a long while. My choice is instant ice coffee, starting in my teens and I was heavily into it with over 200g of coffee a month, and this was never filter coffee so most of it went down, always black
I have greatly diminished my intake (at 31) and Iwas fortunate not to suffer any debilitating effects as you did. Your testimony is a great urge not to get back on that train
your voice is incredibly soothing for some reason
Withdrawal symptoms vary from person to person, but it's usually unpleasant.
It sounds like you're mastering yours.
Hydrating is good.
Fasting for a few days probably won't hurt you much. Be sure it doesn't go beyond that, ok? If you still feel nausea after day three, you'll need to get some food in you regardless, and if that goes poorly, I recommend you call your physician.
Minimize pain meds like Tylenol. They aren't really very safe. Your liver will thank you.
I'm 12, and i am addicted to caffeine too. It has actually HELPED me. When i consume caffeine I feel happier. My ADHD goes down. I become very calm. My intelligence boosts (as in more access). I feel a pleasurable rush. I can very much tolerate withdrawal. I become a bit depressed and get horrible headaches, but I can stand it. I usually can cut down though. Usually, after an overdose I scale down to about 50 mg then I go down to 25 mg....
Strangely, stimulants can have a calming effect on children.
In adults, it's the opposite. Stimulants can worsen anxiety.
The transition occurs during your teen years, which is where you are now.
For this reason, I recommend being cautious about drawing conclusions about how caffeine will affect you in the future. The past may not predict the future very well at all.
Quitting caffeine was the best thing i ever did for myself. I was very addicted with many of the same symptoms you had. Migraines etc. i had started using alcohol to try and counteract the caffeine so that i could sleep. Bad combo.
This is great. I also struggle with coffee addiction. I think I have also to go cold turkey. The so called „benefits“ of coffee are a trick from the coffee industry, that will keep is hooked on coffee and caffeine
Watch out for caffeine added to products where you don't expect to find it. It's even harder to quit when the drug has backdoors into your body.
Best of luck!
@@Urgelt Thank you 🙏🏻 coffee is the only caffeinated beverage I consume
@@saschabraband4528 you might be surprised. Caffeine is added to some food products and drugs, too, and it's in chocolate as well. Read labels!
Headache (but not a migraine headache, which occurs on only one side) is one of the classic caffeine withdrawal symptoms. It's clear evidence of an addiction.
If you can tough it out, the headaches will eventually fade and you'll be unaddicted. Or you can try tapering down gradually, which seems to work for some people.
That's good progress. Green tea has less than half of the caffeine found in regular coffee.
It's still more consumption of the drug than I think is healthy.
Here's one thing I do: when I make green tea, I use one tea bag in an 18 oz mug, not a cup. I add stevia to sweeten it. And I keep a tall glass of water on hand, too.
Altogether, that's a lot of water and not very much caffeine.
If I decide I want more tea, the next mug will be an herbal variety.
I would say that the addiction was truly over within about 6 months, Steven. Coffee still smelled delicious to me then (and still does years later), but I didn't feel a craving to drink it.
The worst of the withdrawal symptoms are over after about a month, though. If you can make it that far, it gets easier to resist the cravings.
I couldn't agree more, James. Thanks for sharing your story.
you refeared to 6 months of fighting you addiction too lightly, i think. giving up on coffeine, tobacco and other addictions, in such a radical way, is an act worth praising. hats off to all that are able to do so! personaly, i am lucky because i never started smoking and drinking coffe(a way of living for most people). none of my friends fight their habbits. actualy everyone is smoking and drinking lots of coffe. young people should pay attention to this. JUST DO NOT START!
I hope you can keep it that way, Azdan.
I'm with you, I love green and black and white teas. Too much for my own good, really. Just to be sure I don't readdict myself, I use just one teabag per day of caffeinated tea. All the other teas I drink are herbal, and every few days I skip caffeinated tea altogether, just to monitor for withdrawal symptoms. So far, none have emerged.
Before 1980, I'd have laughed at anyone doing that. "It's not that dangerous!" But it is.
I began consuming coffee heavily in 1973 while working on a survey crew. Everyone on the crew gulped the stuff, so I joined in.
The migraines started within weeks. I kick myself for not connecting the dots right then.
Not everyone will experience that symptom (nobody else on the crew did).
Unfortunately, there are lots of other bad effects from heavy caffeine consumption. It's impossible to avoid them all.
I know the feeling. To an addict, water just doesn't satisfy.
The only way it *will* satisfy is to bludgeon your way through withdrawal and end the addiction.
I drink lots of water nowadays, and it quenches my thirst perfectly well.
I think drinking herbal teas (sweetened with stevia) might help a bit with the dry throat. But if you are going to quit, there is simply no way to avoid the unpleasantness of withdrawal.
No pain, no gain.
I was diagnosed with ADD because I drew in class. Medication didn't help, but I got good grades so the matter was dropped. When I became an adult I started drinking coffee, 1-2 cups a day, thinking it'd help me be alert. Despite everyone saying so, I noticed that, rather, it makes me more restless and tense. Tea will help you focus, caffeine just stimulates adrenaline. Fortunately I'm not addicted, but I like the taste and smell of coffee so I'm trying to find decaf. Hard to find here in Japan.
Since I posted here, you have been an inspiration to me to quit caffeine. I know the race is long, but at the end its only with myself. Thank you, I have been ''sober'' for a week.
@Urgelt Thanks for the speedy response, Urgelt. I'm think I'm going to start phasing caffeine out of my intake. Thanks for sharing your story as well. Very well told.
It's hard to become addicted to green tea, I think, but probably not impossible.
Here's what you can do to virtually eliminate the risk:
- Use one tea bag per 18 oz mug of water. (I actually like the taste of it this way, using stevia for sweetening.)
- Drink lots of water along with your tea. (Green tea is a diuretic, so you'll need more fluids.)
- Mix up your teas. 3-4 green tea bags per week, the rest herbals.
Do that, and I think the risk of addiction is vanishingly small.
Cheers, Cooper91.
If you can get through withdrawal, it'll get better.
Once free of caffeine, the absolute best way to shake drowsiness is physical activity. Take walks, play sports, go bike riding. If you're sedentary, it'll be tough going forward without the caffeine.
You're making a wise decision, DA, good for you.
I hope your migraines will stop. Unfortunately, migraines can have other causes, some of which are mysterious.
Good luck to you, and thanks for your comment.
My caffeine consumption has gone way down over the years. 8 years ago, I was heavily addicted to all products caffeinated and couldn't stop myself. My energy was through the roof and the crashes would be horrible, which would effect my life. I've done research and have learned to keep my levels daily much much lower or else things will get out of hand. Plus, mostly tea and some coffee is what I stick to and it works just fine. I never want to experience crashes or be on that roller coaster again. I'm glad I've been able to cut back but still have an enjoyable cup of tea or coffee without addiction taking hold again. Thanks for the vid!
Your experience sounds similar to mine, Chris.
I don't think it's necessary to practice total abstinence, and in recent years, I've been able to include green and black tea *in moderation* in my beverage intake, enjoyed both, and run into no symptoms at all.
At larger doses, though, caffeine can seriously wreck a person's health. Addiction is no joke, and neither is caffeine intoxication or side effects.
But that isn't the message we get from mainstream media or advertising. We're being told that caffeine is 'instant energy' and harmless. Those are lies. Believing those lies can hurt us.
You know better. Help the people you know understand the truth, eh? If enough people know the truth, lying ads will no longer have any power over us.
@@Urgelt I agree with you. I've tried my best to inform others and give helpful advice. It's hit or miss with people...some listen while others don't. However, making the effort is most important.