21–28 of 28 posts
- I probably could not do this if I had to go into an office
- Headaches went away after day 4
- After day 4 I felt generally sharper/more motivated
- I feel much better after workouts
I highly recommend the exercise to others, good way to explore your limitations.
http://bryanalexander.org/2013/01/04/a-year-without-caffeine/
http://bryanalexander.org/2013/01/06/a-year-without-caffeine-part-2/About 10 years ago I kicked my caffeine addiction. Now: - the number and intensity of my headaches has reduced substantially - I fall asleep in about 5 minutes rather than 120. - I wake up without an alarm clock - my energy levels throughout the day are regular - and if they aren't, I can fix it with a 5 minute nap - because I am no longer tolerant towards it, caffeine makes other drugs such as acetaminophen (aka par…
Do you mean combinations of paracetamol + caffeine are now more effective for you? Or is pure paracetamol also more effective?
About 10 years ago I kicked my caffeine addiction. Now: - the number and intensity of my headaches has reduced substantially - I fall asleep in about 5 minutes rather than 120. - I wake up without an alarm clock - my energy levels throughout the day are regular - and if they aren't, I can fix it with a 5 minute nap - because I am no longer tolerant towards it, caffeine makes other drugs such as acetaminophen (aka par…
> - because I am no longer tolerant towards it, caffeine makes other drugs such as acetaminophen (aka paracetamol aka Tylenol) and acetyl salicylic acid (aka aspirin) much more effective. Do you mean combinations of paracetamol + caffeine are now more effective for you? Or is pure paracetamol also more effective?
About 10 years ago I kicked my caffeine addiction. Now: - the number and intensity of my headaches has reduced substantially - I fall asleep in about 5 minutes rather than 120. - I wake up without an alarm clock - my energy levels throughout the day are regular - and if they aren't, I can fix it with a 5 minute nap - because I am no longer tolerant towards it, caffeine makes other drugs such as acetaminophen (aka par…
How much coffee were you drinking a day? I'm curious, because I kicked the habit about a month ago [0], and didn't suffer any ill effects. In fact, I actually felt really good the first few weeks. My habit, though, was relatively mild--I would, at most, have 3 cups of coffee a day. [0] I am not 100% caffeine-free. I still drink decaf coffee, and will occasionally have a cup of green tea during the day.
I had a lot of problems with headaches. That's why I quit caffeine, as an experiment to see if that was the cause.
The worst headaches were on the final week, when I was transitioning from very little caffeine to no caffeine.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
How much coffee were you drinking a day? I'm curious, because I kicked the habit about a month ago [0], and didn't suffer any ill effects. In fact, I actually felt really good the first few weeks. My habit, though, was relatively mild--I would, at most, have 3 cups of coffee a day. [0] I am not 100% caffeine-free. I still drink decaf coffee, and will occasionally have a cup of green tea during the day.
I didn't drink a lot more caffeine than you. It's hard to say, since I my sources and timing varied a lot, which may have been part of my problem. I had a lot of problems with headaches. That's why I quit caffeine, as an experiment to see if that was the cause. The worst headaches were on the final week, when I was transitioning from very little caffeine to no caffeine.
I stopped because I suspected the caffeine was contributed to my border-line hypertension. While there isn't necessarily a hard link between caffeine consumption and high blood pressure, I figured it certainly couldn't hurt to stop drinking so much caffeine each day.
Worth reading to the end. It's not just about coffee, but really about dependence on things which distract us from uncomfortable moments, and why it might be worth trying to reduce dependence on these things.
There's a nice movie that touches the topics of addiction, dependence and dreams: The Congress (2013): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821641/
That said, I think that this is just moral grandstanding. The author purports that alcohol and coffee (can't he just call them out rather than get cute about it?) are a means of escape and that escaping is a reflection of one's dissatisfaction with their current state. This is flawed logic. Why does the fact that I drink only mean that I am unhappy with my life in an unaltered state? There are so many other reasons that one might open a beer or brew a cup, there's no evidence at all (or at least none is presented) that it is simply a result of believing "there is something seriously wrong with what you would otherwise feel like?".
Substance abuse is serious and can happen very quickly, often as a result of personal issues. There's no doubt that you should always be wary of the reasons why you're drinking but you shouldn't feel guilty about escapism. Sports, music, art, literature, these are parts of our culture that many see as the great triumphs of our society and they are all forms of escape in themselves. I grant you that they do not have the same health effects and addictive properties that alcohol and caffeine do but that is not really a point that the author wanted to make in the first place. There's nothing wrong with wanting to step outside of yourself to enjoy the faculties that being human and alive allow us to enjoy. Go ahead man, this buds on me.