Struggling with caffeine addiction, any advice?

[katedaniels]

Hello,

I used to drink only coke and i'm now struggling to stop drinking it, I have managed to cut back alot, I no longer have coke at home and have restricted myself to 2 of the 500 ml bottles whilst at work. I tried the cold turkey approach and got headaches, felt really tired and just had no energy to do anything, so I started drinking it again, this has happened several times but I think I need a different approach. I recently discovered that it was the caffeine in coke that i'm addicted to and feeling lousy is part of the process of stopping having it.

Has anyone successfully managed to stop drinking caffeinated drinks? Would you be able to suggest some advice on how to do this? Or just talk about what worked for you please?

Thanks,

Kate

[Penel]

Hi Kate

I have been addicted to sugar, and have to be careful not to drink too much coffee. I cut down gradually and found some alternative drinks. I also made sure to drink a lot of water. Is there a drink with less caffeine in that you could move on to? This article has some good ideas on cutting out caffeine.

m.wikihow.com/Quit-Caffeine

Good luck, hope you can manage to quit.

[toplad67 in reply to Penel]

Read volkow Hcognitivechocolate cake.

Should understand addiction in neurological terms.

12 steps process would have you believe that you are powerless in your addiction like. I believe you have the power and it takes reprogramming.

In neurological terms I believe you have to reboot your brain . Try nlp or cognitive work. It does work, but takes effort. You are in a battle.

[katedaniels in reply to Penel]

Thanks, that looks really useful. I wondered if it was sugar first as coke is full of it and when I was drinking lots of coke I also craved chocolate and cake. Then I've read something about a low carb diet and there's also similar withdrawal symptoms from carbs. I really wish I had never started buying the big bottles of pop.

[Penel in reply to katedaniels]

You can beat it! I have to admit it took me several goes. Over the course of several years I have managed to move from a sugar addiction to a lowish carb diet, taking it very slowly to minimise the withdrawal symptoms.

Have a read of "Salt, Sugar, Fat" by Michael Moss, if you haven't already. It's about how food manufacturers deliberately make everyday food addictive (and fattening).

Good luck.

[pinkymoo]

I used to drink it every day too. I reduced the amount I drank from a 2 litre bottle a day to cans and then one can. Then I switched to drinking ribeana squash. I think it was the sugar I was addicted to as well as the caffeine. I've since cut out the ribeana and now have a glass of its juice and a coffee as part of breakfast but the rest if the day I just drink water.

I think a certain amount of it is willpower and if you can't go cold turkey (I totally know what you mean about headaches) then your best bet is to carry on weening yourself off it. A lot of what your body is telling you about lack of energy and the headaches is just it trying to get its next fix. If you can power through that then your on to a winner.