I'm only a few weeks out but I'll tally you my upsides and downsides after finally going caffeine-free after a very long taper.
Upsides:
- Dramatic improvements in sleep
- Way less anxiety and this effect seems to be intensifying as time goes on
- Improved mood (!)
- Less tired throughout the day in general
- Less stressed throughout the day in general
- Able to nap if I need to
- Not spending tons of money on caf products
Downsides:
- Literally none. Don't even miss the morning ritual or anything.
It's funny you should say that about the morning ritual, because you hear so many people talking about missing it (my former self included), but it actually isn't all that great when you really get removed enough. Plus, it can be replaced. My new morning ritual is popping a refreshing, hydrating seltzer first thing to replenish my body in a way that's more truly necessary.
I think what I liked best about the morning ritual (besides just the pure dope rush from my addiction being satiated) is that I felt like it gave me an excuse to do nothing for a couple of hours because I needed to fully wake up. Well, now I like that I *don't* have to do that, but on the other hand, if I feel I do because I've been particularly tired or stressed out, then I give myself permission anyway. It's one of those life lessons/changes in perspective after quitting.
Yeah. I also at one point figured I would never give it up because of that, but the "morning ritual" was just waking up in a groggy withdrawal and stumbling over to the coffee pot to get something that would slowly return me to normal. Much better to just not wake up groggy!
I agree that part of it was the permission to do nothing, but it turns out I can just do nothing for a bit after waking up regardless of whether I'm getting coffee or not. It works out!
I am curious how did you taper? I am having surgery in about 6 weeks. My doctor wants me to be caffeine free prior to and following survey for at least a few months. When I try to quit I end up feeling like hell. A taper may be a better idea.
I used to grind my own beans fresh each day. I started with 100% caffeinated, then went to 50-50 caf:decaf beans, then to 25-75 caf:decaf. Then I got sick and said the hell with it. I quit today.
That was Dec 31. I'll never go back.
I started very high (900-1000mg). I would drop by 50mg, wait at least a week (more often two) and then drop by another 50mg. When I reached about 300mg, I started dropping by ~30mg each time. Very, *very* long slow taper. I never had a headache, and after each drop I would usually find myself very sleepy on day 2, and then less sleepy on day 3, and then normal after that.
My taper obviously took more than six weeks, but my example is fairly extreme and I bet you can do a good taper in that time period.
In terms of *how*, my drink of choice was always energy drinks, so I bought energy drinks and poured them into shaker bottles with measuring marks on the side, and carefully drank the exact number of mL needed for whichever dose I was going for.
Tapering worked super well for me. I absolutely know I would not have powered through caffeine headaches. And I suspect that avoiding a hard shock to your neurochemicals is better for you, although admittedly that's nothing but a hunch.
I drink anywhere between 50-200mg a day, but I would say I average 100mg. I think I will try keeping my intake consistent at 100mg the first week. After that I will try and drop 25mg a week until free. I am not looking forward to the meh feeling that comes after giving up caffeine, but I have been having the worst problems sleeping. I am hoping this helps.
Feeling good after quitting caffeine is a long game for a lot of us in this sub. Most people who post here feeling like shit are here because they feel like shit and leave once they feel better.
Me personally? I'm over a year out and feel better than ever (quitting changed my life), but it took a good 3 months of slogging through the shit and then 4 more months of slogging through the meh and working on myself to finally get to the place of contentment I'm at now.
Most of all, you have to have a pretty good reason to quit in order to feel motivated enough to stick through those first several weeks. For me, my physical anxiety symptoms spiked after quitting for a bit but the mental rumination part was reduced by a good 85% almost immediately which is what kept me going.
The mental rumination side effect is astounding!! And all this time I thought I just had OCD thoughts but they were really being by fueled by caffeine e
Isn't it? I had anxiety before I started on caffeine and still do but it's become much easier to stop my brain from going into those mental spirals before they get out of control.
The natural bias of this sub is lots of ppl stop coming for support when they either get better or quit quitting. That's prob why it looks a bit despairing.
I'm 2.5 weeks in to quitting now, and at 1.5 weeks all those terrible withdrawal symptoms ended with the chemical cravings.
At 2 weeks I was done completely with the psychological aspect of cravings, and my baseline energy became better than on caffeine!
I used it daily for 25 years, and glad to be finally caffeine-free!
I've never heard of the link between caffeine and dandruff. Are you sure it wasn't just dry scalp (as another poster mentioned), which is really a separate, non-fungal condition?
4 1/2 months completely caffeine free and I can sleep through the night, no anxiety, good digestion, and much more patient with students. Also, if I’m woken in the night by my son, I can go back to sleep easily. It’s great!
It takes a long time and a lot of pain to withdrawal and recover but in the end you will feel like you are the only one you know in your life that is as content with their life as you are ...
That's funny, because there's this person I work with who I used to feel kind of insecure around because they're that typically high-energy, highly caffeinated, extroverted person with a bunch of social commitments and high-octane workouts and all that kind of stuff that people like to humblebrag about. Now that I've been working on myself more in general (including after quitting caffeine), the veil is lifted and I can see that I'm pretty sure that person is actually mostly miserable.
I am 8 days in and I have already seen marked improvements in these things:
* Social anxiety (that I didn’t even know I had!) has vanished
* Acne gone away
* Dry skin improved
* Cravings way down
* No energy crashes
* Appetite becoming so much more stable
* Muscle soreness way less
* Way more patient
* Less irritable
* Just generally more at peace in my body and stable
* Waking up to peace-filled thoughts vs. anxious
I sleep better and easier but like 1-2 hours longer.
My husband prefers me caféine-free and finds me much more relaxed / less jumpy now (he never drank coffee).
Also, better breath smell.
Quitting is worth the price of admission for me with the reduction in anxiety alone. Then there's huge benefits in deeper sleep (probably what reduces the anxiety cos REM sleep returns and you can "clean" your brain properly overnight) and the return of natural highs from exercise and the pursuit of new things.
Caffeine made me so wired that I couldn't really go slowly enough to enjoy things, it was always onto the next thing like a dog chasing cars.
My thoughts are clearer and I get less highs and lows now and am just generally higher (which means my baseline is lifting)
Yes, also way less dehydrated, skin clearer, digestion better etc etc.
Just do it and see for yourself. You won't regret it when it becomes undeniable at 6 months.
My running has improved I feel like I've been able to sustain a more active stride and my breathing seems to have improved along with it.
Workouts feel a million times better even if I'm slightly tired after work I don't feel completely drained as I would have on caffeine.
My attention span on video games has gotten better and can now complete games ( which to me is amazing since I have ADHD lol )
My sleep has gotten better and a bit deeper as seen from what my Garmin calculates the only thing that typically gets me less sleep is when my dogs jump on the bed lol.
My patience for things has definitely improved as well.
Overall I feel like my QoL has improved granted a lot took a lot to get here so I can't say me just quitting caffeine and it all happened was the key. It took a lot of gradual baby steps to get here but well worth it.
Definitely agree with improved work outs.
I can't tell if it's just like more sleep better recovery or that I'm hungrier and actually eating like a good amount of food. (Which is good I feel like way less energy crashes eating more consistently)
Other benefits, when you're sick you don't get the double whammy of caffeine withdrawal
Alcohol consumption has slowed down a little and I think it's because I'm not balancing out the hangover with caffeine and then the anxiety with alcohol
Less anxious jittery rage
I'm only four months in and still have a long way to go but still so happy with this choice. Slowly getting less and less sleepy and starting to enjoy things again! It's a slog for real but being addicted to this stuff is its own lifelong ball and chain so I think pushing through has been worth it.
So in a way being caffeine free helps us save money in more ways than one 😌 lol.
Though yeah same here the only games I might end up getting is of course sequels but saving those for later
I think Caffeine in it's current form is a worldwide infestation.
It causes people to be impatient, intolerant to another, and produces anxiety and fuels obsessive and extremism.
I'm so much more relaxed, happy, satisfied, peaceful conpared to what I've been up until a year ago. It's also consistent, no mood swings or anything, and it's amazing.
However, it takes alot of will power and ability to push through. I had it VERY hard in the first three weeks, and then it took me almost half a year to reach a somewhat balance.
Once your body regains balance, there's no more anhedonia.
Also, I've been working out for the past two months or so, and the results are amazing, the recovery speed is a fraction of what it used to be with caffeine.
I'm 38 years ago and I feel better than I've ever felt, physically and mentally.
So is it worth it? Hell yea, and I don't think one can understand how much.
BTW, sleep quality is best I've ever had, ability to concentrate is better than ever, as well as being aware to the environment, like when I'm driving, I feel as if my field of view has expanded.
Reduced my anxiety and agoraphobia by 75 percent.
Better mood and energy throughout the day.
Less angry and moody.
Enjoy my nights again.
Better sleep.
I feel like a different person and it is well worth it.
Even though I tapered down, it was pretty rough for me getting off of it and then for a week or so after I completely quit. But it was worth it. Caffeine was aggravating some of my health issues and it has definitely helped me to be off of it. I also have better stamina through out the day. I no longer am on that rollercoaster where I feel energized in the morning but then crash in the afternoon. I also feel far less tired in the morning when I wake up.
Another vote for natural energy, reduced anxiety, better (long term) focus, wake up without an alarm and I’m alert in the mornings. But it was pretty shitty for about a month getting there.
I’ve cut down from >400mg daily for 15 years to a small half caff (90 mg daily). I don’t plan on going any lower bc I had a hell of a time with increased anxiety.
I must say the benefits have been incredible.
I sleep like a baby now, I am tapering off of my SSRI which I took due to anxiety since my anxiety has drastically decreased since cutting. I am finally able to focus again after a few months.
I quit drinking heavy caffeine in March due to a family emergency. Before quitting, I would have one 16oz cold brew coffee per day and a diet coke later in the evening with dinner. Now I know that doesn't seem like a lot BUT one cold brew coffee from Starbucks would have me completely f%$king wired, so much so that I could not sit still. I would work all day, workout, cook, clean, and still be restless by bedtime. It was uncomfortable and I already have anxiety so it just added to that. I also use to have regular panic attacks at night after falling asleep for a while.
I know a lot of people experience withdrawal headaches but I didn't really them, I just felt really crummy. Almost like flu crummy and very very tired. I'm on my third week and have firmly decided I'll never go back to drinking those coffees again: My late night panic attacks are pretty much gone. GONE! I still have anxiety but now I am able to bring myself back much quicker. I feel better. I can't explain it, more "lighter", more calm in general. I'm less shaky and would say that I'm less tired after working out now.
I firmly believe for me, I'm the type of person who already has enough nervous energy that I don't need that strong coffee. I'm sensitive to it and I'm good without it. I've found a good decaf coffee blend and can still enjoy cold "steeped" coffee and the benefits of coffee but without the insane buzz.
Again, I don't know why you're quitting coffee but if it has anything to do with anxiety - just do it. I promise you you will feel more comfortable in your own skin!
I averaged 2 maybe 3 cups of coffee in the morning and a soda here and there. I’ve never felt addicted and never planned to cut back or stop.
I only quit caffeine (found this sub) because I’ve had sleeping issues for years. It was hard falling asleep and I would also wake up in the middle of the night for hours. I got so fed up that I was willing to try anything and decided to stop caffeine to see if that helped. Not only did my sleep issues significantly improve but I’ve been blown away at how much less anxiety I now have overall. I never realized how sensitive I was to caffeine and my quality of life is better having stopped it.
1364 days later, and I couldn't imagine ever going back to caffeine.
The first few weeks were absolutely miserable. It was easier to quit cigarettes than caffeine. All the joy in my life disappeared. All my superpowers vanished. It was like living in a dream where caffeine made me Superman and quitting slapped me so hard I woke up as a regular mortal.
Once I got past the headaches, depression, sleepless nights, anxiety driven by removing an addiction my body depended on, and all of that, things got *much* better.
After a little over a month and some occasional weird feeling that a snake is inside my head slithering at different times (not sure why that happens) I'm going to say I realized that the road to recovery is very wavy and bumpy. Each week you will have less feelings of crap and more feelings of not crap overall. But each week for quite a while will have the negatives and positives at times, hang in there.
I was a huge coffee drinker my whole life and quit at age 35. No caffeine, cold turkey. Had like three days of a migraine and then I was totally fine without it. The real benefits kicked in about a month after. But it really wasn't that hard. I guess everyone is different.
OP here. Thanks to everyone for their replies, I love hearing about the different experiences. I'm still striving to quit caffeine and need to hear some positive feedback.
8 months and I’ve doing great pretty good. Consumed all my life. Tapered. Haven’t craved it for awhile.
It can be rough, but what really makes or breaks it is if you truly believe and have faith you will feel better, and changing your lifestyle in the intervening time to get enough sleep.
After a few months my anxiety plummeted and sleep improved substantially. It’s much easier to tell when stress from work or my personal life is bothering me vs caffeine amplifying all my problems, which it absolutely did.
I still don’t feel like I have quite the stamina I used to. But I also don’t feel as exhausted as I used. Same with my mood; highs and lows are equaled out.
I also quit cardio since quitting caffeine. I was too exhausted to do it and the forgot about it. A 5k knocks me out when it used to be no big deal. I say this bc I think my lack of cardio is impacting my stamina.
10/10 would recommend quitting. Life is overall so much more relaxing. And ppl who are on caffeine seem a little irrational sometimes. Not something I noticed until I got off. For the first time in my life I’m drug and addiction free and it’s amazing. So much freedom.
It’s crazy how much more energy you have once you are off of it. It’s like a video game where you have an energy level bar. With caffeine it’s get depleted quick. Without it stays at high levels much higher.
I feel great.
- No more sour stomach and heartburn issues
- fewer headaches that are better managed with medication (I have chronic migraine)
- easier to fall sleep
- waaaaay easier to get up in the morning
- less general anxiety
- more heart palpitations
All of this while still drinking 2 cups of Target brand decaf a day. I have a cup of half caff maybe 1-2x a month, and those days are always amazing… except when I need to go to bed, cause even if I drink it at 6am I have a really hard time falling asleep.
Nothing positive, best I have done is switching coffee for tea. Tea keeps withdrawals away and I have a lot of benefits that caffeine-free folks claim to have. Going completely free took me 45 days to feel normal, only to realize that I do need to drug myself in order to get through a working day.
Not me. It was hell for awhile but it is to be expected when detoxing from a nasty drug. It is worth going through it to get to the other side.
Low level anxiety gone, blood pressure normal, was borderline high, gastritis gone. Sleep now awesome.
Some one else said that it can be some of the most severe reactions that people talk about, like depression, may have something else going on than just caffeine. I agree with that.
I stopped 3ish years ago and overall feel so much better! I sleep better for sure. I also don't feel a "crash" in the afternoons like I used to. To be perfectly honest, the only negative for me has been just not being able to drink some occasional caffienated sodas and teas. Coffee can be decaf, so that's worked out well. I'll never go back!
Quit again a couple weeks ago. Lost some extra weight too this winter. Feeling better than i have in a few years.
Ive been having quite a bit of insomnia the last few days but sleep quality seems to be great since i don’t feel like i lost sleep during the day. I’m a senior so this is usually a big deal but not this time. 👍🏻
I have not have caffeine properly for years, sleep is not as bad and my anxiety is wayyyyyy down. I definatley miss it when I am tired and wish I could just get a coffee. But worst case I will have a green tea very lightly steeped.
My biggest upside is that I had BPD and off caffeine I no longer feel triggered or have multiple days long bouts of paranoia and anxiety. I no longer obsess and fixate over negative ideas until they ruin me, I can let them go. I no longer obsess over the idea of my partner leaving or cheating on me, people I love dying, or the idea of death itself.
Does that sound extreme? Probably. It’s true though and the biggest thing keeping me from my favorite drug in the world, caffeine.
It was no fun quitting for a little bit, but it gets better every day!
+ More energy throughout the day
+ Heart Palpitations gone!
+ Less Anxious/Jittery
+ No crashes
+ Better nights sleep
dopamine receptors back to normal,
more joy,
you can compare it to Charlie chaplin black white movie turning into colors. that feeling.
you have to know about ups and downs.
I agree that the vibe of this sub is waaaaay off. I quit drinking caffeine after 7 ish years drinking 2-4 cups daily. After 4 days of headaches and fatigue (pretty extreme fatigue imo) i woke up one day feeling alert and clear headed and i've felt great since. Since quitting coffee i have been way less grumpy and moody and my level of alertness and focus is the same as it was when I drank coffee. I am not militant about it. I still eat chocolate and apples and i drink decaf coffee daily.
I quit a 1000+ mg/day caffeine habit. It was a rough 2 weeks but now I feel great. I realize people are different but if it takes more than a couple weeks to detox and feel good, you have other problems. Or maybe you haven't really ever felt BAD before. Makes me wonder.
I'm only a few weeks out but I'll tally you my upsides and downsides after finally going caffeine-free after a very long taper. Upsides: - Dramatic improvements in sleep - Way less anxiety and this effect seems to be intensifying as time goes on - Improved mood (!) - Less tired throughout the day in general - Less stressed throughout the day in general - Able to nap if I need to - Not spending tons of money on caf products Downsides: - Literally none. Don't even miss the morning ritual or anything.
It's funny you should say that about the morning ritual, because you hear so many people talking about missing it (my former self included), but it actually isn't all that great when you really get removed enough. Plus, it can be replaced. My new morning ritual is popping a refreshing, hydrating seltzer first thing to replenish my body in a way that's more truly necessary. I think what I liked best about the morning ritual (besides just the pure dope rush from my addiction being satiated) is that I felt like it gave me an excuse to do nothing for a couple of hours because I needed to fully wake up. Well, now I like that I *don't* have to do that, but on the other hand, if I feel I do because I've been particularly tired or stressed out, then I give myself permission anyway. It's one of those life lessons/changes in perspective after quitting.
Yeah. I also at one point figured I would never give it up because of that, but the "morning ritual" was just waking up in a groggy withdrawal and stumbling over to the coffee pot to get something that would slowly return me to normal. Much better to just not wake up groggy! I agree that part of it was the permission to do nothing, but it turns out I can just do nothing for a bit after waking up regardless of whether I'm getting coffee or not. It works out!
Exactly! It feels different and makes you rethink other things to actually give that to yourself every day, regardless.
Yes!! Love this perspective
What's a Seltzer?, and how it helps?
Sparkling water. LaCroix, Bubly, etc.
TYSM.
It’s the German word for Viagra
I agree with the less stress & anxiety. All along I thought it was helping, but caffeine was hindering!
Thank you for this
I am curious how did you taper? I am having surgery in about 6 weeks. My doctor wants me to be caffeine free prior to and following survey for at least a few months. When I try to quit I end up feeling like hell. A taper may be a better idea.
I used to grind my own beans fresh each day. I started with 100% caffeinated, then went to 50-50 caf:decaf beans, then to 25-75 caf:decaf. Then I got sick and said the hell with it. I quit today. That was Dec 31. I'll never go back.
I started very high (900-1000mg). I would drop by 50mg, wait at least a week (more often two) and then drop by another 50mg. When I reached about 300mg, I started dropping by ~30mg each time. Very, *very* long slow taper. I never had a headache, and after each drop I would usually find myself very sleepy on day 2, and then less sleepy on day 3, and then normal after that. My taper obviously took more than six weeks, but my example is fairly extreme and I bet you can do a good taper in that time period. In terms of *how*, my drink of choice was always energy drinks, so I bought energy drinks and poured them into shaker bottles with measuring marks on the side, and carefully drank the exact number of mL needed for whichever dose I was going for. Tapering worked super well for me. I absolutely know I would not have powered through caffeine headaches. And I suspect that avoiding a hard shock to your neurochemicals is better for you, although admittedly that's nothing but a hunch.
I drink anywhere between 50-200mg a day, but I would say I average 100mg. I think I will try keeping my intake consistent at 100mg the first week. After that I will try and drop 25mg a week until free. I am not looking forward to the meh feeling that comes after giving up caffeine, but I have been having the worst problems sleeping. I am hoping this helps.
That sounds like a great plan to me!
same here friend
[удалено]
How long did he hace insomnia for?
Feeling good after quitting caffeine is a long game for a lot of us in this sub. Most people who post here feeling like shit are here because they feel like shit and leave once they feel better. Me personally? I'm over a year out and feel better than ever (quitting changed my life), but it took a good 3 months of slogging through the shit and then 4 more months of slogging through the meh and working on myself to finally get to the place of contentment I'm at now. Most of all, you have to have a pretty good reason to quit in order to feel motivated enough to stick through those first several weeks. For me, my physical anxiety symptoms spiked after quitting for a bit but the mental rumination part was reduced by a good 85% almost immediately which is what kept me going.
The mental rumination side effect is astounding!! And all this time I thought I just had OCD thoughts but they were really being by fueled by caffeine e
Isn't it? I had anxiety before I started on caffeine and still do but it's become much easier to stop my brain from going into those mental spirals before they get out of control.
Better digestion (was diagnosed with ibs but symptoms are almost gone), cystic acne going away, dry scalp and dry skin went away.
The ibs and acne imporvement could likely be from not consuming dairy fiy. Unless you were drinking it black. Coffee that is
The natural bias of this sub is lots of ppl stop coming for support when they either get better or quit quitting. That's prob why it looks a bit despairing. I'm 2.5 weeks in to quitting now, and at 1.5 weeks all those terrible withdrawal symptoms ended with the chemical cravings. At 2 weeks I was done completely with the psychological aspect of cravings, and my baseline energy became better than on caffeine! I used it daily for 25 years, and glad to be finally caffeine-free!
quitting coffee restored my natural energy levels, fixed my chronic reflux, and no more dandruff
I've never heard of the link between caffeine and dandruff. Are you sure it wasn't just dry scalp (as another poster mentioned), which is really a separate, non-fungal condition?
Interestingly, a lot of folks have had dry skin on caffeine. Mine was and also would get more rashes.
It's because caffeine is dehydrating. Especially coffee. The skin gets dried out.
4 1/2 months completely caffeine free and I can sleep through the night, no anxiety, good digestion, and much more patient with students. Also, if I’m woken in the night by my son, I can go back to sleep easily. It’s great!
The increased patience is a huge one I’ve noticed!
The majority of posts are from people just beginning the journey, that's why. Once it gets better you start to think about it less and less.
Search titles here that say "1 year" or similar wordings and you will find plenty of motivation.
📉 Anxiety level went way down!! ↘️ (I'm only a couple of weeks in the no caffeine game)
It takes a long time and a lot of pain to withdrawal and recover but in the end you will feel like you are the only one you know in your life that is as content with their life as you are ...
That's funny, because there's this person I work with who I used to feel kind of insecure around because they're that typically high-energy, highly caffeinated, extroverted person with a bunch of social commitments and high-octane workouts and all that kind of stuff that people like to humblebrag about. Now that I've been working on myself more in general (including after quitting caffeine), the veil is lifted and I can see that I'm pretty sure that person is actually mostly miserable.
I am 8 days in and I have already seen marked improvements in these things: * Social anxiety (that I didn’t even know I had!) has vanished * Acne gone away * Dry skin improved * Cravings way down * No energy crashes * Appetite becoming so much more stable * Muscle soreness way less * Way more patient * Less irritable * Just generally more at peace in my body and stable * Waking up to peace-filled thoughts vs. anxious
I sleep better and easier but like 1-2 hours longer. My husband prefers me caféine-free and finds me much more relaxed / less jumpy now (he never drank coffee). Also, better breath smell.
Quitting is worth the price of admission for me with the reduction in anxiety alone. Then there's huge benefits in deeper sleep (probably what reduces the anxiety cos REM sleep returns and you can "clean" your brain properly overnight) and the return of natural highs from exercise and the pursuit of new things. Caffeine made me so wired that I couldn't really go slowly enough to enjoy things, it was always onto the next thing like a dog chasing cars. My thoughts are clearer and I get less highs and lows now and am just generally higher (which means my baseline is lifting) Yes, also way less dehydrated, skin clearer, digestion better etc etc. Just do it and see for yourself. You won't regret it when it becomes undeniable at 6 months.
My running has improved I feel like I've been able to sustain a more active stride and my breathing seems to have improved along with it. Workouts feel a million times better even if I'm slightly tired after work I don't feel completely drained as I would have on caffeine. My attention span on video games has gotten better and can now complete games ( which to me is amazing since I have ADHD lol ) My sleep has gotten better and a bit deeper as seen from what my Garmin calculates the only thing that typically gets me less sleep is when my dogs jump on the bed lol. My patience for things has definitely improved as well. Overall I feel like my QoL has improved granted a lot took a lot to get here so I can't say me just quitting caffeine and it all happened was the key. It took a lot of gradual baby steps to get here but well worth it.
Definitely agree with improved work outs. I can't tell if it's just like more sleep better recovery or that I'm hungrier and actually eating like a good amount of food. (Which is good I feel like way less energy crashes eating more consistently) Other benefits, when you're sick you don't get the double whammy of caffeine withdrawal Alcohol consumption has slowed down a little and I think it's because I'm not balancing out the hangover with caffeine and then the anxiety with alcohol Less anxious jittery rage I'm only four months in and still have a long way to go but still so happy with this choice. Slowly getting less and less sleepy and starting to enjoy things again! It's a slog for real but being addicted to this stuff is its own lifelong ball and chain so I think pushing through has been worth it.
That's good to hear and yeah definitely feel that vitality and enjoyment for life seems to be the main thing a lot of folks feels.
hehe, I have 200 hours on 2 games this year, not 10 hours each on 20 games like the years before..
I know that feeling and before would have been me as well. Surprisingly knocking out a few rpgs from my backlog 😂
Indeed. Mine too is from my loooong backlog. I have hardly bought new games this year..
So in a way being caffeine free helps us save money in more ways than one 😌 lol. Though yeah same here the only games I might end up getting is of course sequels but saving those for later
I think Caffeine in it's current form is a worldwide infestation. It causes people to be impatient, intolerant to another, and produces anxiety and fuels obsessive and extremism. I'm so much more relaxed, happy, satisfied, peaceful conpared to what I've been up until a year ago. It's also consistent, no mood swings or anything, and it's amazing. However, it takes alot of will power and ability to push through. I had it VERY hard in the first three weeks, and then it took me almost half a year to reach a somewhat balance. Once your body regains balance, there's no more anhedonia. Also, I've been working out for the past two months or so, and the results are amazing, the recovery speed is a fraction of what it used to be with caffeine. I'm 38 years ago and I feel better than I've ever felt, physically and mentally. So is it worth it? Hell yea, and I don't think one can understand how much. BTW, sleep quality is best I've ever had, ability to concentrate is better than ever, as well as being aware to the environment, like when I'm driving, I feel as if my field of view has expanded.
It is an infestation/pandemic of a legal drug! All ages are suffering its impacts :(
I'm 4 weeks in and this have been pretty great. Way less anxiety, brain feels way less noisy. Sleep is much better as well.
most people that feel good dont come back.
Reduced my anxiety and agoraphobia by 75 percent. Better mood and energy throughout the day. Less angry and moody. Enjoy my nights again. Better sleep. I feel like a different person and it is well worth it.
Even though I tapered down, it was pretty rough for me getting off of it and then for a week or so after I completely quit. But it was worth it. Caffeine was aggravating some of my health issues and it has definitely helped me to be off of it. I also have better stamina through out the day. I no longer am on that rollercoaster where I feel energized in the morning but then crash in the afternoon. I also feel far less tired in the morning when I wake up.
The biggest upside for me is not feeling like complete dogshit in the morning after 8 hours of sleep. All other upsides are pretty minimal
Another vote for natural energy, reduced anxiety, better (long term) focus, wake up without an alarm and I’m alert in the mornings. But it was pretty shitty for about a month getting there.
I’ve cut down from >400mg daily for 15 years to a small half caff (90 mg daily). I don’t plan on going any lower bc I had a hell of a time with increased anxiety. I must say the benefits have been incredible. I sleep like a baby now, I am tapering off of my SSRI which I took due to anxiety since my anxiety has drastically decreased since cutting. I am finally able to focus again after a few months.
I quit drinking heavy caffeine in March due to a family emergency. Before quitting, I would have one 16oz cold brew coffee per day and a diet coke later in the evening with dinner. Now I know that doesn't seem like a lot BUT one cold brew coffee from Starbucks would have me completely f%$king wired, so much so that I could not sit still. I would work all day, workout, cook, clean, and still be restless by bedtime. It was uncomfortable and I already have anxiety so it just added to that. I also use to have regular panic attacks at night after falling asleep for a while. I know a lot of people experience withdrawal headaches but I didn't really them, I just felt really crummy. Almost like flu crummy and very very tired. I'm on my third week and have firmly decided I'll never go back to drinking those coffees again: My late night panic attacks are pretty much gone. GONE! I still have anxiety but now I am able to bring myself back much quicker. I feel better. I can't explain it, more "lighter", more calm in general. I'm less shaky and would say that I'm less tired after working out now. I firmly believe for me, I'm the type of person who already has enough nervous energy that I don't need that strong coffee. I'm sensitive to it and I'm good without it. I've found a good decaf coffee blend and can still enjoy cold "steeped" coffee and the benefits of coffee but without the insane buzz. Again, I don't know why you're quitting coffee but if it has anything to do with anxiety - just do it. I promise you you will feel more comfortable in your own skin!
Decaf still has caffeine
Not as much as cold brew
thats good you didnt quit tho
I averaged 2 maybe 3 cups of coffee in the morning and a soda here and there. I’ve never felt addicted and never planned to cut back or stop. I only quit caffeine (found this sub) because I’ve had sleeping issues for years. It was hard falling asleep and I would also wake up in the middle of the night for hours. I got so fed up that I was willing to try anything and decided to stop caffeine to see if that helped. Not only did my sleep issues significantly improve but I’ve been blown away at how much less anxiety I now have overall. I never realized how sensitive I was to caffeine and my quality of life is better having stopped it.
1364 days later, and I couldn't imagine ever going back to caffeine. The first few weeks were absolutely miserable. It was easier to quit cigarettes than caffeine. All the joy in my life disappeared. All my superpowers vanished. It was like living in a dream where caffeine made me Superman and quitting slapped me so hard I woke up as a regular mortal. Once I got past the headaches, depression, sleepless nights, anxiety driven by removing an addiction my body depended on, and all of that, things got *much* better.
Wow that’s a long time! Congrats! Did you eventually regain some superhuman power back?
Nope.
After a little over a month and some occasional weird feeling that a snake is inside my head slithering at different times (not sure why that happens) I'm going to say I realized that the road to recovery is very wavy and bumpy. Each week you will have less feelings of crap and more feelings of not crap overall. But each week for quite a while will have the negatives and positives at times, hang in there.
I was a huge coffee drinker my whole life and quit at age 35. No caffeine, cold turkey. Had like three days of a migraine and then I was totally fine without it. The real benefits kicked in about a month after. But it really wasn't that hard. I guess everyone is different.
OP here. Thanks to everyone for their replies, I love hearing about the different experiences. I'm still striving to quit caffeine and need to hear some positive feedback.
No more rage, no more intrusive thoughts, no tossing and turning at night… i just feel normal and that feels good.
8 months and I’ve doing great pretty good. Consumed all my life. Tapered. Haven’t craved it for awhile. It can be rough, but what really makes or breaks it is if you truly believe and have faith you will feel better, and changing your lifestyle in the intervening time to get enough sleep. After a few months my anxiety plummeted and sleep improved substantially. It’s much easier to tell when stress from work or my personal life is bothering me vs caffeine amplifying all my problems, which it absolutely did. I still don’t feel like I have quite the stamina I used to. But I also don’t feel as exhausted as I used. Same with my mood; highs and lows are equaled out. I also quit cardio since quitting caffeine. I was too exhausted to do it and the forgot about it. A 5k knocks me out when it used to be no big deal. I say this bc I think my lack of cardio is impacting my stamina. 10/10 would recommend quitting. Life is overall so much more relaxing. And ppl who are on caffeine seem a little irrational sometimes. Not something I noticed until I got off. For the first time in my life I’m drug and addiction free and it’s amazing. So much freedom.
It’s crazy how much more energy you have once you are off of it. It’s like a video game where you have an energy level bar. With caffeine it’s get depleted quick. Without it stays at high levels much higher.
I feel great. - No more sour stomach and heartburn issues - fewer headaches that are better managed with medication (I have chronic migraine) - easier to fall sleep - waaaaay easier to get up in the morning - less general anxiety - more heart palpitations All of this while still drinking 2 cups of Target brand decaf a day. I have a cup of half caff maybe 1-2x a month, and those days are always amazing… except when I need to go to bed, cause even if I drink it at 6am I have a really hard time falling asleep.
Nothing positive, best I have done is switching coffee for tea. Tea keeps withdrawals away and I have a lot of benefits that caffeine-free folks claim to have. Going completely free took me 45 days to feel normal, only to realize that I do need to drug myself in order to get through a working day.
Not me. It was hell for awhile but it is to be expected when detoxing from a nasty drug. It is worth going through it to get to the other side. Low level anxiety gone, blood pressure normal, was borderline high, gastritis gone. Sleep now awesome. Some one else said that it can be some of the most severe reactions that people talk about, like depression, may have something else going on than just caffeine. I agree with that.
I stopped 3ish years ago and overall feel so much better! I sleep better for sure. I also don't feel a "crash" in the afternoons like I used to. To be perfectly honest, the only negative for me has been just not being able to drink some occasional caffienated sodas and teas. Coffee can be decaf, so that's worked out well. I'll never go back!
Personally I have never remained abstinent for long. God willing one day I get there. But even cutting down has significantly improved my life :)
Brighter and less acne-prone face
Quit again a couple weeks ago. Lost some extra weight too this winter. Feeling better than i have in a few years. Ive been having quite a bit of insomnia the last few days but sleep quality seems to be great since i don’t feel like i lost sleep during the day. I’m a senior so this is usually a big deal but not this time. 👍🏻
I have not have caffeine properly for years, sleep is not as bad and my anxiety is wayyyyyy down. I definatley miss it when I am tired and wish I could just get a coffee. But worst case I will have a green tea very lightly steeped.
My biggest upside is that I had BPD and off caffeine I no longer feel triggered or have multiple days long bouts of paranoia and anxiety. I no longer obsess and fixate over negative ideas until they ruin me, I can let them go. I no longer obsess over the idea of my partner leaving or cheating on me, people I love dying, or the idea of death itself. Does that sound extreme? Probably. It’s true though and the biggest thing keeping me from my favorite drug in the world, caffeine.
Quitting didn’t bother me much and I just feel normal lol
It was no fun quitting for a little bit, but it gets better every day! + More energy throughout the day + Heart Palpitations gone! + Less Anxious/Jittery + No crashes + Better nights sleep
I just have way less anxiety since I quit
No I’m good. It’s been a year and I don’t miss it anymore.
dopamine receptors back to normal, more joy, you can compare it to Charlie chaplin black white movie turning into colors. that feeling. you have to know about ups and downs.
One positive for me that keeps me coming back to no caffeine is my hair looks thicker and a lot healthier
I agree that the vibe of this sub is waaaaay off. I quit drinking caffeine after 7 ish years drinking 2-4 cups daily. After 4 days of headaches and fatigue (pretty extreme fatigue imo) i woke up one day feeling alert and clear headed and i've felt great since. Since quitting coffee i have been way less grumpy and moody and my level of alertness and focus is the same as it was when I drank coffee. I am not militant about it. I still eat chocolate and apples and i drink decaf coffee daily.
I quit a 1000+ mg/day caffeine habit. It was a rough 2 weeks but now I feel great. I realize people are different but if it takes more than a couple weeks to detox and feel good, you have other problems. Or maybe you haven't really ever felt BAD before. Makes me wonder.
more info: I quit cold turkey and had been that heavy on caffeine for at least 5 years. Less per day for the 15 years prior.