Besides caffeine?

[Alic1990]

I crave caffeine all the time, because I got used to drinking coffee - 4 cups of black coffee per day for a couple of years, and now I am addicted!! I have some things I drink besides coffee, like: lemon water, juice, and milk. But, I was hoping someone might have more ideas?!?!? Thank you for reading.

[Cooper27 Administrator]

Why not switch to decaf coffee? You could always gradually switch the proportions, to have half caffeine, half decaf, then 3/4 decaf, then 100% decaf?

It would probably be more satisfying because it's a more direct substitute. Your ritual would be the same (boiling kettle, having a hot drink) so the habit side of it won't be missing.

[AndrewT in reply to Cooper27]

Dear alic1990,

I agree Completely, with Cooper, Slowly 'Reduce' the Caffeine Content, of your coffee....But keep the 'Rituals' the same. Ten minutes after your grapefruit, five minutes before the 'Loo', seventeen minutes before you Get The 'Paper'.....

I would also SLOWLY introduce, a little, fruit juice- initially in WITH the 'Habit', but slowly at Other Times too. You are, whether you believe it or not, as much Addicted to the Ritual as to the Caffeine. Take the Coffee out, replace it with a Hot Chocolate, made in a similar way- and Spending At Least as 'long' to make, and you 'might just' feel, very nearly, as Satisfied.

Addiction 'Works' at many Levels, and indeed, there ARE Many Levels of Addition. Smoking, for example, has as much to do with the hands- and what 'they' do- as it has to Nicotine Addiction. One of the more 'Effective' Treatments simply Atomised Water, making a Mist... with this 'Mist' Smoke Rings, Puffer Trains and Circles (to mane a few 'tricks) could be performed- the Hands were Busy, 'Smoke' was both Going In, and Out- Psychologically it WAS still 'Smoking'. Very Effective, it was too.... just using Water!

Do, by all means, Try the Ginger Root, Chicory, Fruit Teas, Magic Wands, Incantations and so forth... they May, very well, 'Work' for you. Please Don't think that I'm being Cynical here but... If sitting in a room, Rhythmically 'Hitting' your hand, with a Ruler WORKS, then great!

Whatever you do 'Do' alic I wish you Every Success, for the future. If, in say, Five years time, you have Found a 'Cure'- no matter how 'Silly' (six carrots on Friday night...) I'll say Well done!

Sending my, indeed ALL our, very best wishes.

AndrewT

[CMTwifie]

I’m addicted to caffeine too, and the only suitable alternative stimulant I’ve found is tea made with grated, fresh root ginger, the tea strainer container being left in the cup. Ginger has a lot of health-giving properties so give it a go!

[Whydothis]

Another suggestion, that works for me, is powdered chicory. It gives me a hot drink, black or white, used in the same way as coffee but no caffeine. It is perhaps an acquired taste, although I enjoyed it from the start. I do find I need a 'proper' hot drink now and again for sitting down and relaxing, rather than a cold one that is fine for plain thirst.