Anxiety and Caffeine

[Rafterman]

Enjoying the back and forth about the effects of caffeine on anxiety. Great thread, X.  I had to give it up years ago because it made me feel too jittery. It's stimulant effect is due to the fact that it delays the reuptake of the stimulants that your body is already putting out. Epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, dopamine, etc., become like planes circling the airport, while not being allowed to land. So if you area already hyped, caffeine will make it harder for you to come down. Most people like that feeling, but I couldn't deal with it. I guess the good thing is that they say if you are on caffeine for many years, it can begin to act as a calmative. Go figure. I certainly know that it's popular. The most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Nothing else even close.

[Xfizzler]

Enjoying the back and forth about the effects of caffeine on anxiety. Great thread, X.  I had to give it up years ago because it made me feel too jittery. It's stimulant effect is due to the fact that it delays the reuptake of the stimulants that your body is already putting out. Epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, dopamine, etc., become like planes circling the airport, while not being allowed to land. So if you area already hyped, caffeine will make it harder for you to come down. Most people like that feeling, but I couldn't deal with it. I guess the good thing is that they say if you are on caffeine for many years, it can begin to act as a calmative. Go figure. I certainly know that it's popular. The most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Nothing else even close.

I hear you Rafter! I can drink it occasionally but its not something I look for immediately after waking up. I already have enough things on my mind to wake me up. If I drink coffee and already in a Heightened mood I will forgo the coffe. For the last 4 months i have really enjoyed this Traditional medicines throat coat tea and Egyptian licorice tea it is so amazing together. Really calms me down another favorite is lavender honey stress relief by Yogi. And feeling a lot better since. 

Xfizzler

[Rafterman]

Enjoying the back and forth about the effects of caffeine on anxiety. Great thread, X.  I had to give it up years ago because it made me feel too jittery. It's stimulant effect is due to the fact that it delays the reuptake of the stimulants that your body is already putting out. Epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, dopamine, etc., become like planes circling the airport, while not being allowed to land. So if you area already hyped, caffeine will make it harder for you to come down. Most people like that feeling, but I couldn't deal with it. I guess the good thing is that they say if you are on caffeine for many years, it can begin to act as a calmative. Go figure. I certainly know that it's popular. The most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Nothing else even close.

I hear you Rafter! I can drink it occasionally but its not something I look for immediately after waking up. I already have enough things on my mind to wake me up. If I drink coffee and already in a Heightened mood I will forgo the coffe. For the last 4 months i have really enjoyed this Traditional medicines throat coat tea and Egyptian licorice tea it is so amazing together. Really calms me down another favorite is lavender honey stress relief by Yogi. And feeling a lot better since. 

Xfizzler

Interesting that you should mention Egyptian licorice tea, X. It's a good example of how a stimulant can have a calmative effect. I know many people who swear by licorice tea and it's calming properties. Yet, licorice is an adrenal gland stimulant. Many with high blood pressure are told to avoid it in large amounts. You would think that it would amp one up, but it doesn't. I am really glad that it works for you when used with the lavender-honey stress relief formulation. My wife diffuses lavender ever night and it really seems to keep her level. She had always suffered anxiety around bedtime.

[Xfizzler]

Enjoying the back and forth about the effects of caffeine on anxiety. Great thread, X.  I had to give it up years ago because it made me feel too jittery. It's stimulant effect is due to the fact that it delays the reuptake of the stimulants that your body is already putting out. Epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, dopamine, etc., become like planes circling the airport, while not being allowed to land. So if you area already hyped, caffeine will make it harder for you to come down. Most people like that feeling, but I couldn't deal with it. I guess the good thing is that they say if you are on caffeine for many years, it can begin to act as a calmative. Go figure. I certainly know that it's popular. The most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Nothing else even close.

I hear you Rafter! I can drink it occasionally but its not something I look for immediately after waking up. I already have enough things on my mind to wake me up. If I drink coffee and already in a Heightened mood I will forgo the coffe. For the last 4 months i have really enjoyed this Traditional medicines throat coat tea and Egyptian licorice tea it is so amazing together. Really calms me down another favorite is lavender honey stress relief by Yogi. And feeling a lot better since. 

Xfizzler

Interesting that you should mention Egyptian licorice tea, X. It's a good example of how a stimulant can have a calmative effect. I know many people who swear by licorice tea and it's calming properties. Yet, licorice is an adrenal gland stimulant. Many with high blood pressure are told to avoid it in large amounts. You would think that it would amp one up, but it doesn't. I am really glad that it works for you when used with the lavender-honey stress relief formulation. My wife diffuses lavender ever night and it really seems to keep her level. She had always suffered anxiety around bedtime.

Yes I too have a diffuser. I love that thing! Use it for just about everything. While sick , sressed, company over or simply want to have the house smelling clean. I really love mixing fragrances and getting the benefits from the oils. Thanks for your great comment Rafterman!

Xfizzler

[FootballKing]

Caffeine doesn't really give me Anxiety.. But I have terrible Anxiety and borderline panic attacks.  I wish Doctors won't so paranoid these days.  Years back, I easily got a prescription for my Anxiety.  Now they just try to push depression meds like Zoloft (which the all have major side effects).  Wish I could just get prescription for true anti-anxiety.  I'm anxious, not depressed.

[Rafterman]

Enjoying the back and forth about the effects of caffeine on anxiety. Great thread, X.  I had to give it up years ago because it made me feel too jittery. It's stimulant effect is due to the fact that it delays the reuptake of the stimulants that your body is already putting out. Epinephrine, nor-epinephrine, dopamine, etc., become like planes circling the airport, while not being allowed to land. So if you area already hyped, caffeine will make it harder for you to come down. Most people like that feeling, but I couldn't deal with it. I guess the good thing is that they say if you are on caffeine for many years, it can begin to act as a calmative. Go figure. I certainly know that it's popular. The most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Nothing else even close.

I hear you Rafter! I can drink it occasionally but its not something I look for immediately after waking up. I already have enough things on my mind to wake me up. If I drink coffee and already in a Heightened mood I will forgo the coffe. For the last 4 months i have really enjoyed this Traditional medicines throat coat tea and Egyptian licorice tea it is so amazing together. Really calms me down another favorite is lavender honey stress relief by Yogi. And feeling a lot better since. 

Xfizzler

Interesting that you should mention Egyptian licorice tea, X. It's a good example of how a stimulant can have a calmative effect. I know many people who swear by licorice tea and it's calming properties. Yet, licorice is an adrenal gland stimulant. Many with high blood pressure are told to avoid it in large amounts. You would think that it would amp one up, but it doesn't. I am really glad that it works for you when used with the lavender-honey stress relief formulation. My wife diffuses lavender ever night and it really seems to keep her level. She had always suffered anxiety around bedtime.

Yes I too have a diffuser. I love that thing! Use it for just about everything. While sick , sressed, company over or simply want to have the house smelling clean. I really love mixing fragrances and getting the benefits from the oils. Thanks for your great comment Rafterman!

Xfizzler

My pleasure, X., and thanks for your comments about diffusing. I told my wife and she loved them. I have been teasing her for years about the diffuser that is always running, but I actually know that the essential oils that she is diffusing do a lot of good!

[Denman66]

I quit coffee/ caffeine about a year and a half ago. Used to drink it everyday, then noticed I was getting anxiety and even getting the late morning crash from it. After a while I just started feeling like total crap from it, so I figured why drink it?
It sucks cause I LOVE the taste of it and it drives me nuts everytime I smell it lol

[irie311]

Any stimulant gives me hella anxiety, especially the come down, but where I work I do get a like a cream coffee thing(kinda jabe to sometimes) but I'm always on my ptsd/ anxiety meds so it's not as bad but I can still feel that feeling in my stomach from it, I won't take any stimulant unless I'm on my meds actually. anyways many blessings!

[anxietyguy]

I had to stop coffee cause GERD , but since I stoped, my anxiety level is lower ( not much, but lets say a 15 % less )

[Richardg8092]

Partly thanks to this thread, I have reduced my STRONG (real) coffee intake to 1 - or max 2 - single (rather than double) shots at home each morning.
My one 'professional' coffee from the cafe near work is now consumed before 11 am, rather than at 2pm.
And I am absolutely convinced that my 'end of the day' anxiety meds work far more effectively as a result of the reduction in daily amount of caffeine consumed.

I've read the 'reduce caffeine'  literature for years - but always thought "oh well of course, that doesn't apply to me..."  
Denial is an amazing thing. It may be equally important as the Placebo and Nocebo effect, in my opinion.

Long story short, in my experience, less (real) coffee = significantly reduced anxiety.
I can't speak to Instant Coffee - which, as a true coffee snob, I wouldn't touch with a 40 foot pole.

R.