Anxiety and Caffeine

[Frank Reynolds]

I used to drink one or two energy drinks everyday. I’ve always had some anxiety but when I cut this back I did find it helped especially the longer I kept trying to keep my intake lower. The odd panic attack but daily anxiety was noticeably better.

[hauntinggrounds]

Caffeine can definitely worsen anxiety from what I've experienced. If you have a tolerance though it may not make a difference. Like with everything it differs person to person. I remember a while ago after a hiatus a strong cup of coffee could actually induce a panic attack. My heart would speed up and I would get that feeling in my chest area. It has since gone away, thank goodness, as I love coffee. So either drink lots of coffee and get your tolerance up or quit all together. Just my two cents.
Also if you're taking meds it can help curb the anxiety all together. I think for me it was the abilify that helped stop the caffeine induced panic attacks. Caffeine can make your mind race which is bad for those prone to anxiety.

[peacemaker]

I like to put 1 shot of amarula or baileys in my coffee which is not even half a standard drink. This probably helps abit with the anxiety the coffee causes.

Try to get some decent decaf coffee because the caffeine in coffee does worsen anxiety which i`m sure someone has already suggested.

I think provided you only have 1 or 2 coffees per day it shouldn`t affect anxiety to much..

[Richardg8092]

It's a great theory Costro77.  Caffeine is one of the methylxanthines found in coffee (and tea and chocolate).
Theobromine is another - which used to be used as a bronchodilator medicine for asthma  (but not any more)
By definition, a caffeine tablet is only caffeine - so you wont get any of the effects produced by the myriad of other chemicals found in coffee.
Which reminds me, it's time for my second cup.

(And caffeine and theobromine aside, if chocolate wasn't so full of the damned evil sugar, I'd be a chocoholic, without doubt )

[peacemaker]

I made an interesting observation. Its probably not the caffeine alone which makes the anxiety and heart rate up. It has to be done by the other substances in coffee, tea and so on. Because (it does not true every time) if I take too much coffee, or even tea, I start feeling sometimes very bad. But a pure caffeine pill, or cola with an equal or twice of amount of caffeine does not produce those effects. What do you think about this theory?

That`s a good point you make especially with the cola.  When i drink a nice cold cola with caffeine i certainly don`t get worse anxiety but i have no idea about the ratio of caffeine in a can of cola compared to a pod coffee made from a machine.  Although lately i have been having diet fizzy drinks so it wouldn`t make a difference.

I would like to look into that ingredient (Theobromine) in the above post from Richard or maybe some other ingredient, actually i wonder if there is a similar ingredient other than caffeine in those energy drinks.  I really hate the feeling i get after drinking energy drinks..

[Richardg8092]

It's not the caffeine in sports or energy drinks that worries me so much as the sugar....

Typical examples of Caffeine

A cup of brewed coffee   135mg
Caffeine Tablet                100mg
Ave energy drink              80mg
Coke (12 oz)                    45mg
Hershey's Milk Choc Bar    10mg

Sugar in typical 8oz serve of drinks.

SoBe NoFear Energy    66gm      14 tsp sugar
Extreme Energy Shot  58gm      12.6 tsp
V8 Fusion                    41gm         9 tsp
Gatorade                     35gm         7.5 tsp
Red Bull                       18gm         4 tsp

Your average energy drink has about half as much caffeine as a cup of brewed coffee.
Many people will add 1 or 2 teaspoons of sugar into their cup of coffee.
But who in their right mind would add 14 teaspoons of sugar into a drink? 
Peacemaker, I would bet you my bottom dollar that the awful feeling you get left with after the energy drink is the dreaded 'sugar crash'. 
MrRotoRooter, your Red Bull comes off looking pretty innocent compared to the other drinks on this list.

[hauntinggrounds]

Never even heard of SoBe NoFear. Sounds like a nightmare.
Definitely try to be aware of sugar intake, it is harsh on the body.

[kkaschke]

Some people just don’t appreciate what they’re given. That’s a cheap rent.

[Richardg8092]

I don't want to hijack the purpose of the thread, but I will quickly mention the Public Housing situation in Australia.
Those who are very elderly and unwell who do not have any family support, people with disabling medical conditions (physical and mental health, incl. alcohol & drug use), people who can demonstrate 'real' homelessness get prioritized.  Families who are 'culturally and linguistically diverse' who are newly arrived in Australia also get prioritized.
However, the level of government / community housing is atrociously inadequate.
So if you are 80 year's old but in good health, you will likely have been on a waiting list for a decade or more, watching your life's savings & superannuation dwindle away, paying private rent to a landlord. 
Tax Breaks for business is much sexier than tackling homeless. Popularity keeps a Government in office.

That's why it's soooooo anxiety provoking when some-one lucky enough to score one of these units - which are 'as rare as hen's teeth' - who shows no gratitude for being rescued off the streets, but goes onto complain about what they DON'T have drives me nuts.   
I can no longer blame my feelings of annoyance about this on having drunk 'too much caffeine'.      
OK, I'll let it rest now. This is probably not the platform for this kind of discussion.

[anxietyguy]

Just use caffeine with theanine , there many supplement that contain both. The ratio must be 100mg of caffeine/200mg of theanine . It is an amazing difference than caffeine alone. I take on or two of this caps per day.