Okay, I have backed off the booze and cigarettes for the most part as I try to make some progress in my therapy and in my life. If I give up caffeine, though, I worry that I may not be able to get through a day at work.

Do you use caffeine? Do you abuse it? Do you avoid it? Has it been an issue?

I am curious.

Daily.
But I also take calcium and vit D tabs daily too.
Caffeine leeches out the calcium in your bones.

I rely on caffeine to get me out of bed and from task to task. Without it I don't have much energy at all these days. I wish that I didn't need it but that's life.

Shoshun,
I can take it or leave it referring to caffine. Winter times, I drink more to warm up. I quit smoking and heavy drinking about 8 years ago. Good for you, your on the right track.
sunnydaze

A couple years ago, I actually almost quit caffeine completely; decaf coffee only, green tea in the morning and no soda. I lasted for about a year and then last year my stress level increased, daily schedule was constantly changing and I found myself drinking coffee again in the morning. I've now found I can't "function" properly in the day with out a cup or two in the morning. So I'm deciding on an action plan to detox my body of the caffeine and reduce it from my diet again.

A good thing to have in the morning that will give you more of a boost in the morning than coffee is actually apple. If you have pure apple juice or eat an apple, instead of a coffee; you'll feel rejuvenated.

I know excessive caffeine intake is contra-indicated for anxiety. Working nights, I have always ingested too much coffee. Honestly, I don't think it has any effect on my anxiety. Energy drinks on the other hand can make me edgy and restless. I try to limit those.

For the sake of good, long-term health, I would benefit from moderating my caffeine intake. I don't want to be the epitome of perfect health- it's too much work that I don't find enjoyable. I enjoy drinking coffee and smoking, so I allow myself those pleasures. Just as long as that's not all I do, I am okay with it.

The only issue I have with my coffee intake is the number of empty calories. Winter is over and it's time to look good in my favorite jeans and short-shorts again! Yes, it's not about how I feel, but how I look!

I have not had caffeine for 5 years! I read how the effects of it can exacerbate the onset of anxiety attacks and I figure that by cancelling this out enables my body to at least to function in a more natural state! I feel that my anxiety os more managable without caffeine. Sometimes I would get the shakes after consuming it - I felt too wired and I do not enjoy that heightened state of feeling.

Caffeine is a psychoacitve substance; there have been so many trials on the effects of caffeine and the psychostimulant actions that result from digesting it. It is all about indvidual differences again. Some people are more perceptive to the negative effects than others'.

However, I guess as with most substances that are used in a dysfunctional manner it is the learned behaviour surrounding how it is used and why it is used that reinforces the need for it. Operant conditioning - every time you have a situation that requires you to step up a gear and stay alert you consume caffeine - to enforce that feeling - you have just trained your mind to believe that it helps when actually the physical negatives could outweight the positves of consuming it. As I always say, clever old mind eh?

More dialy caffeine intake can cause nervousness, sweating, tenseness, upset stomach, stomach ulcers, anxiety and insomnia. It can also prevent clear thinking and increase the side effects of certain medications.

It does seem that from many of the trials that there is little evidence that supports the use of caffeine to benefit mood or perfromance.

How about natural alternatives that actually achieve the physical and mental state you are looking for? Ginko biloba and ginseng come to mind! But, in my opinion the most helpfull in reducing stress, allowing one to stay more alert and function at a higer level would be good old fashioned exercise.

Spirit x

I am not a soda drinker, but I do love coffee and have to have two cups in the morning in order for me to function. I will also brew a pot in the afternoon sometimes. I smoke cigarettes still and I really enjoy a nice cup of coffee with a cigarette. I know both are unhealthy and will eventually stop smoking and will cut back on my coffee intake.

Pretty well every culture on the planet uses stimulants of some sort, so I don't believe there is anything inherently wrong with caffeine.

In the past I used to get through the days at work with the help of multiple cups of coffee. But at some point I noticed that I was very speedy a lot of the time, so I stopped doing that. I run on overdrive most of the time as it is!

Now I usually only drink one cup of strong coffee in the morning. It wakes me up, as it is supposed to, physically and mentally. If I am very drowsy in the afternoon and can't take a nap, I will have a cup of coffee, or sometimes strong tea, although I found the former more effective. I very seldom drink caffeinated soft drinks. This pattern works for me.

I would like to challenge you on that 'dlross' ........Just because it is considered a social norm to use natural stimulants does not necessarily make it Okay?

Smoking, drinking alcohol, Prescription drugs etc etc...these are all considered social norms in terms of use. And, yes while there is more education over the harmful effects of some of these. It is still considered a norm within society to use them.

I guess I am always MORE interested in WHY people use them rather than that they do - especially in relation to PTSD.

I am aware that we can get wrapped up in this PTSD game, and defining our lives by it is something we need to be aware of. My thinking is that if my body is so disorganised and disrupted in the way that it operates due to PTSD than I should at least help alleviate that whilst I am dealing with the effects of it.

Caffeine is such a major trigger for anxiety sufferers, so why continue to use something that may make you feel alert and more awake that down the road could exacerbate your symptoms. We have to help oursleves eh?

This post is very much related to 'Cognitive Dissonance' - we hold shcemas that are influenced by many aspects of life, and social norms is one of these. Schemas are like individual computer programmes and we have many of these all running at the same time. So where one programme supports our use of caffeine because it is considered socially acceptable another of our progammes (let's say healthy attitudes programme), may conflict with this and cause us to make a choice. Us humans do not like conflict so the mind/schemas/computer programmes will find a way to legitimise our behaviour in order to restore internal balance. So the mind will create a new schema in order to continue on practising something that may not be too good for us. 'Caffeine keeps me alert schema' - you get me?

I have to be careful as my deep analysis over such things can be seen as a bit anal......I guess I like to try to be accurate over the things I do and don't do! So yes while caffeine may make you feel alert it also allows you to create invalid schemas that could hinder your progress.

I guess the bigger picture in all of this is that PTSD creates so many unwanted and debiltating schemas that perhaps we should be aware of this? Perhaps we should be honset with ourselves about why we actually do some things. Caffeine is being used as a crutch! We functioned without it at some point!

Only I could turn the consumption of caffeine into a soul searching exercise - LOLl!!! However, a little reflection is not harmful?

Spirit x