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Attempted to quit twice - failed twice. For me the quitting symptoms come in four phases: 1) very slight uncomfortableness (nothing severe) [~3 days] 2) more

by rv-de 6y ago

Attempted to quit twice - failed twice. For me the quitting symptoms come in four phases: 1) very slight uncomfortableness (nothing severe) [~3 days] 2) more vivdness, alertness, euphoria, calmness [1 to 2 weeks] 3) weird chest / heart issues (nothing too severe but very unpleasant and first time was quite worrying) [2 to 3 weeks] 4) I'm feeling down, unmotivated, dull [starting at about week 4 or 5] --- stage 4 is what I never survived so far. it's just taking too much of a toll. then again it's an up and down so I once managed to stop for 4 months. but it brings me to a pre-depressive state where I just don't see much point in working. otoh I very much enjoy just relaxing, chilling - if I can do that I'm happy. if not it's a chore - no productiveness at all. very slow mental processing. --- I started drinking coffee during puberty. So, I guess my brain is not just chemically hooked on it but actually neurologically developed around it. --- then the first cup - what a bliss.

Cactus2018 6y ago
I try to go through your first phase once a month. Going several months without a rest leads to intense withdrawal headaches when I finally take a break - comparable to allergy induced sinus pain. This comic summarizes my experience with caffeine withdrawal exactly https://www.stickycomics.com/inside-caffeine-withdrawal/ https://www.stickycomics.com/inside-caffeine-withdrawal/
elliekelly 6y ago
I often wonder whether quitting caffeine is just as difficult as quitting tobacco but a much more socially acceptable vice. Oddly enough I’ve yet to meet someone who has been hooked and then managed to quit both who can compare the experiences.
- asdff 6y ago
  Chiming in. For me, caffeine withdrawl happens hours after not having coffee in the form of a splitting migrane. With nicotine, it was the exact same splitting migrane, only it started a half hour after the last dose. Both migranes lasted constantly for about a week, felt like I couldn't think, but afterwards I was no longer physically addicted.
- pwdisswordfish2 6y ago
  Hi there, I've been hooked on both and quit both. Through all my years of university I drank at least one cup of coffee every single day until the last year. And that last year I picked up vaping, ramping up to 50mg nicotine cartridges vaping in the morning and evening every day. To summarize, I've quit coffee since August 2019 (not a single cup) and vaping since two months ago. Surprisingly, both were not a huge issue to quit physiologically. Lack of caffeine resulted in a hazy brain feeling for the first week or so. No perceived physiological effects from nicotine withdrawal. The real challenge is habits you form from these addictions. I still drink some kind of hot liquid in the mornings. For vaping, I first threw out all my high nicotine liquids and continued to vape with something like a 5mg until it ran out. Due to the COVID lock-down, going out to purchase juice luckily takes effort. It's still an on-going mental battle of recognizing when I'm feeling a nicotine craving and dealing with that feeling (ex. re-affirming why I quit, not getting angry with myself for craving but just moving on). For anyone reading this: I definitely recommend quitting anything you are doing that you feel you are addicted to (that you can live without, or is harming you). For me personally, the entire experience was kind of like starting a homework assignment/project. Just starting it feels dreadful but somehow when you finally take the plunge it's not too bad. Not the case for everyone, but it might motivate you to go for it! Cheers PS. AMA
blahedo 6y ago
> I started drinking coffee during puberty. So, I guess my brain is not just chemically hooked on it but actually neurologically developed around it. While I didn't pick up coffee until a little later, I started on caffeinated drinks (soda, tea) well before puberty. I've had this same thought—that I'm more than just habituated to it—but I haven't seen others making the same claim before. The last time I quit caffeine, I had standard withdrawal symptoms for a few days (as expected), then a week or two of catching up/rebalancing sleep, and then? I started routinely getting hit with what I can only describe as depressive episodes. It took a while to connect them with being off caffeine, but a little bit of (non-blind obviously) experimentation strongly suggested that they were due precisely to my brain-body chemistry being out of whack due to lack of caffeine. I resumed caffeine, of course. I never suffered from depression before nor since. Anyway, so, I don't ever completely quit caffeine anymore.
- dkersten 6y ago
  That a substance could have such a hold on you that you have basically decided that you will never stop using it is... kinda scary. I mean, I get it and I’m certainly not going to tell you to stop, but it’s still kinda scary.
  - rv-de 6y ago
    I second that. I'm convinced it's possible but it would require intelligent management of the symptoms and the environment. I think most people's motivation to work in an office is highly dependent on caffeine.
    - dkersten 6y ago
      > I think most people's motivation to work in an office is highly dependent on caffeine. Absolutely, especially all the people who aren’t morning people who are forced to live by the morning person routine.
viklove 6y ago
How much were you drinking? Multiple cups a day?

by rv-de 6y ago

Cactus2018 6y ago

I try to go through your first phase once a month. Going several months without a rest leads to intense withdrawal headaches when I finally take a break - comparable to allergy induced sinus pain. This comic summarizes my experience with caffeine withdrawal exactly https://www.stickycomics.com/inside-caffeine-withdrawal/ https://www.stickycomics.com/inside-caffeine-withdrawal/

elliekelly 6y ago

I often wonder whether quitting caffeine is just as difficult as quitting tobacco but a much more socially acceptable vice. Oddly enough I’ve yet to meet someone who has been hooked and then managed to quit both who can compare the experiences.

asdff 6y ago
Chiming in. For me, caffeine withdrawl happens hours after not having coffee in the form of a splitting migrane. With nicotine, it was the exact same splitting migrane, only it started a half hour after the last dose. Both migranes lasted constantly for about a week, felt like I couldn't think, but afterwards I was no longer physically addicted.
pwdisswordfish2 6y ago
Hi there, I've been hooked on both and quit both. Through all my years of university I drank at least one cup of coffee every single day until the last year. And that last year I picked up vaping, ramping up to 50mg nicotine cartridges vaping in the morning and evening every day. To summarize, I've quit coffee since August 2019 (not a single cup) and vaping since two months ago. Surprisingly, both were not a huge issue to quit physiologically. Lack of caffeine resulted in a hazy brain feeling for the first week or so. No perceived physiological effects from nicotine withdrawal. The real challenge is habits you form from these addictions. I still drink some kind of hot liquid in the mornings. For vaping, I first threw out all my high nicotine liquids and continued to vape with something like a 5mg until it ran out. Due to the COVID lock-down, going out to purchase juice luckily takes effort. It's still an on-going mental battle of recognizing when I'm feeling a nicotine craving and dealing with that feeling (ex. re-affirming why I quit, not getting angry with myself for craving but just moving on). For anyone reading this: I definitely recommend quitting anything you are doing that you feel you are addicted to (that you can live without, or is harming you). For me personally, the entire experience was kind of like starting a homework assignment/project. Just starting it feels dreadful but somehow when you finally take the plunge it's not too bad. Not the case for everyone, but it might motivate you to go for it! Cheers PS. AMA

blahedo 6y ago

> I started drinking coffee during puberty. So, I guess my brain is not just chemically hooked on it but actually neurologically developed around it. While I didn't pick up coffee until a little later, I started on caffeinated drinks (soda, tea) well before puberty. I've had this same thought—that I'm more than just habituated to it—but I haven't seen others making the same claim before. The last time I quit caffeine, I had standard withdrawal symptoms for a few days (as expected), then a week or two of catching up/rebalancing sleep, and then? I started routinely getting hit with what I can only describe as depressive episodes. It took a while to connect them with being off caffeine, but a little bit of (non-blind obviously) experimentation strongly suggested that they were due precisely to my brain-body chemistry being out of whack due to lack of caffeine. I resumed caffeine, of course. I never suffered from depression before nor since. Anyway, so, I don't ever completely quit caffeine anymore.

dkersten 6y ago
That a substance could have such a hold on you that you have basically decided that you will never stop using it is... kinda scary. I mean, I get it and I’m certainly not going to tell you to stop, but it’s still kinda scary.
- rv-de 6y ago
  I second that. I'm convinced it's possible but it would require intelligent management of the symptoms and the environment. I think most people's motivation to work in an office is highly dependent on caffeine.
  - dkersten 6y ago
    > I think most people's motivation to work in an office is highly dependent on caffeine. Absolutely, especially all the people who aren’t morning people who are forced to live by the morning person routine.

viklove 6y ago

How much were you drinking? Multiple cups a day?