I'm quitting coffee.
Philo has had enough of the coffee lifestyle and is out!
Some Context ☕️
I was always someone that took on too much. I wanted to read everything, know everything and master it on top. Too much stress without enough rest however is a recipe for disaster. Coffee and caffeine was the major culprit that enabled me to stay on that path and damage my health in the process.
The Coffee-drinking culture is so strong that it was practically impossible to stay away. Workout? Caffeine. Diet? Caffeine. Work or study? Caffeine. Out with friends? Caffeine again!
In the beginning it feels that you have uncovered the secrets of the world by consuming caffeine. There is just no way anyone will be separating you from your coffee!
Don’t believe me? Tell anyone that you are giving up and note their reactions. Feel free to let me know.
Backing Up
But just so we are on the same page. What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is used as a cognitive enhancer, increasing alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine to the adenosine A1 receptor, which enhances release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Caffeine is the world's most widely consumed psychoactive drug. Unlike most other psychoactive substances, caffeine remains largely unregulated and legal in nearly all parts of the world. Caffeine is also an outlier as its use is seen as socially acceptable in most cultures and even encouraged in others, particularly in the Western world.
Taken from the Caffeine Wikipedia article.
CNS stimulant? Psychoactive?? Drug?!?!
Yes, caffeine is all that and more. We don’t need to get too technical lest we get confused, but see below a list of the side effects caffeine use can produce:
frequent urination
dehydration
dry skin
inflammatory bowel disorders
diarrhea/constipation
dizziness and headaches
rapid heartbeat (palpitations)
restlessness and excitability
anxiety, anger and irritability
trembling hands
sleeplessness/insomnia
first feeling energetic but then having an even greater feeling of tiredness.
and much much more
I’ve tried and failed several times in giving up coffee, and through this process of trial and error I became an authority in caffeine quitting related videos on Youtube. See below the best ones:
1.
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3.
All the Alex Becker videos on Caffeine are a must watch.
4.
5.
And finally my favourite. A parody on the Coffee industry and how just about everyone is HOOKED on this substance. The fact that seemingly no one can give up this drug is another reason why I’ve decided to finally quit.1
Caffeine Blues
If you want to go deeper into how much pain, frustration and reduction in quality of life caffeine can create - you have to read the seminal book on Caffeine addiction by Stephen Chernisky, Caffeine Blues. A small excerpt:
On Caffeine
I have a PDF file of an unknown source but which has a lot of interesting feedback from people that have ventured into a life without caffeine.
Best strategy to quit (Hint: it’s not cold turkey)
I wouldn’t have known this if I did not read Caffeine Blues, but the only way to get away and stay away from caffeine is to wean out slowly, veeery slowly.
Going cold turkey is a trap. You think you will be done with your caffeine dependency quickly and reap all the benefits that you read about. Unfortunately it doesn’t work this way.
If you’ve been using this stimulant for years, your whole system is so habituated to it that you have to go through hell to get rid of it. Due to this, the best way to get off is by cutting down slow and steady. It could take you months to go to 0 but so be it.
This is the exact strategy I am using and I am at a single shot of espresso now weaning down from 2-3 coffees previously. I strategically use teas in the afternoon or a Coca Cola if I feel too slow. I am trying to make this as least painful as possible..
Benefits
I haven’t even reduced my caffeine intake to 0 and I am already reaping the rewards. Steady energy throughout the day, feeling much more focused and motivated. I feel calmer and more centered in my mind and spirit.
Withdrawal
You will experience withdrawal symptoms but if you wean off slowly and stay consistent, they will be minor and fade quickly.
I intend to write another post in a few months when I have fully detoxed from caffeine. I will outline the full set of benefits I have experienced by venturing into a life with 0 caffeine consumption.
In 2005, I found myself in the break room at my German company pumping out about my fourth cup of the day from a canister of drip coffee made with bags of coffee labeled “for institutional use only”, adding condensed milk from a crusty can, and asked myself “what am I doing?” Quit and never looked back.
Four years later, on a flight in the US whilst stretching my legs, I read similar wording on one of their bags. Q.e.d.
British comedian David Mitchell once had a delightful rant about “coffee culture” https://youtu.be/iX0TjGEBITg?si=NSdWCzLt4AcorZXR .
Switch to black tea? It will be difficult to read the same amount of caffeine content but it'll be probably be more sustainable than quitting altogether