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.

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.