Is there any way to actually quit drinking coffee once and for all?

[gunn]

Is there any way to actually quit drinking coffee once and for all?

I've been addicted for 10 years and would like to finally stop. I've tried to quit many times, but whenever I do the depression and cognitive decline get so devastating that I always start using coffee again.

The main reason I want to quit is that I have to drink all day in order to "be normal", without coffee I can't think effectively or stay awake. Having to drink just to be able to work or talk about work is pretty wrong in my opinion. Note, I deal with a lot of computer code everyday.

It really is bad that the coffee always wears off right after I eat food too.

Is there any way to quit and make a FULL recovery when in such a horrid situation as this?

Oh, and I use instant coffee, so my troubles are really magnified because I find it WAYYY more powerful than drip.

 

[ensoluna]

perhaps I can help.
1. quit drinking instant coffee !!!! that is the worst kind of coffee there is.

2. Drink fresh drip coffee (not from starbucks or other chain coffee shops). Either you can buy fresh roasted coffee from local roasters and make it yourself or find a specialty coffee store nearby your home or work.

3. Drink one or two cups to get about 200 mg of caffeine in the morning. (assuming that one cup is 8 oz)

4. have a light & healthy lunch and then, probably another cup, 12 oz, 130 mg caffeine. (not before lunch)

5. your body can absorb 400 mg caffeine at once (8oz drip coffee has about 100 mg) and your body will lose 20% of caffeine every hour.

So, try this first and let us know your progress.
thanks
PS: STOP DRINKING INSTANT COFFEE !!!!
PPS: kind of funny that your first posting in coffee forum is about "quit drinking coffee". Hope that this is not your first and last posting because this coffee forum could be a wonderful place to be in.

 

[peterjschmidt]

I you feel you should quit altogether, I'd wait until you have either a very long weekend or a vacation when you can stop and deal with the withdrawal aspects without having to function on a very high level. I think that once you have the caffeine out of your system, you'll adjust and be fine at work.

But, I do like Alex' idea; if you do in fact enjoy coffee, drink real coffee and then only twice a day.

 

[gunn]

I drank home made drip coffee for 10 years, mainly Starbucks, and got sick of having to always brew more coffee, so I switched to instant and found that it was awesome. The taste, smell, and powerful Robusta grounds really do it for me. I recommend instant to anyone, as long as its Coffee Robusta and not Coffee Arabica. Obviously this is just my personal opinion though.

Now, lit me add that I have tried almost every possible technique for weening off coffee and quitting that I could think of or find and nothing has allowed me to successfully stay off the stuff once I finally quit. My problem is staying off, not quitting. Quitting is pretty easy, I just slowly ween off until I'm done. Its the staying off part that is a living nightmare. When I quit it is the worst feeling in the world. And it doesn't go away either. Absolutely wretched.

One time I quit and stayed off for about 6 weeks and it was awful. The worst feeling ever.

Has anyone ever quit and gone through hell for more than 6 weeks and then finally returned to a normal state, or does the torture never end? Could there be an invisible line that you cross from which there is no return?

 

[ensoluna]

well.... coffee is a personal choice. if you choose to drink instant robusta coffee and you like them much more than Starbucks, that is just fine.
however, Starbucks brewed coffee is probably the worst brewed coffee in the world. So, if you want to try out brewed coffee, i recommend to try something else than Starbucks.

secondly, many many years back, I also had quit drinking coffee for few years, drinking tea instead. I vaguely remember about the "torture" now, but it ended. Like everything else in life. Eventually it will end. however, for me, I can not think of single reason that I should quit drinking coffee now.

you said that the main reason that you want to quit is that you have to drink all day to be NORMAL and can not think of effective way of staying awake.
so, as I mentioned before, try what I suggested to you.

about 400 mg of caffeine per day. two cups (8oz) in the morning and one or two cups in the afternoon after light lunch. (BUT NOT INSTANT, REGULAR GOOD BREWED COFFEE)
you never know. perhaps this will work like a charm.

BTW, instant coffee has half of caffeine as brewed coffee. about 40 mg for 6 oz (180 gram of instant coffee), so caffeine wise, it should not as bad as normal coffee.

 

[PinkRose]

I you feel you should quit altogether, I'd wait until you have either a very long weekend or a vacation when you can stop and deal with the withdrawal aspects without having to function on a very high level. I think that once you have the caffeine out of your system, you'll adjust and be fine at work.

But, I do like Alex' idea; if you do in fact enjoy coffee, drink real coffee and then only twice a day.

Great suggestion to wait until a long weekend or a vacation to stop drinking coffee. It's no fun having to go to work and try to concentrate when your head is hurting and you feel shaky all over.

By the way, Excedrin works like a charm for the headaches that go along with caffeine withdrawal. There is a small amount of caffeine in Excedrin, and it's enough to help you get through the day. The headaches and other symptoms will gradually be less and less as the days go by.

Rose

 

[vietnambeststore]

try chewing gum ! Whenever your body has a thirst of cafein, try do sth else like jogging for example. Hoping that you will success

 

[stephan]

Like ensoluna said. You can just decrease your consumption to managable amonts or you can stop drinking it completely. Either way I think it is the best for you to gradually decrease your coffee consumption, first by getting to better kinds of coffee.

 

[Mikho]

Is there any way to actually quit drinking coffee once and for all?

I've been addicted for 10 years and would like to finally stop. I've tried to quit many times, but whenever I do the depression and cognitive decline get so devastating that I always start using coffee again.

The main reason I want to quit is that I have to drink all day in order to "be normal", without coffee I can't think effectively or stay awake. Having to drink just to be able to work or talk about work is pretty wrong in my opinion. Note, I deal with a lot of computer code everyday.

It really is bad that the coffee always wears off right after I eat food too.

Is there any way to quit and make a FULL recovery when in such a horrid situation as this?

Oh, and I use instant coffee, so my troubles are really magnified because I find it WAYYY more powerful than drip.

My dad and I had the same issue. He wanted to quit drinking coffee and I told him I would with him ( I didn't want to, just love challenges. I still drink coffee ). The best way, what worked for him. Was. Drink you regular drip. Drink your usual amount BUT. SLOWLY trade out COFFEE for CAFFEINE PILLS. After you completely stop Coffee. SLOWLY move off of the caffeine pills and SUBSTITUE IT for another habit I.E. gum chewing, water, etc... ( You gained the habit of drinking coffee by continuously drinking coffee. Gain the habit of drinking water or chewing gum but continuously drinking water or chewing gum. ) Let me know what you think. And don't be quick to reply saying it wont work! I have helped many. I love the medical and coffee aspect side!

 

[Mikho]

ALSO, just an addition. Coffee that is poor ( some say instant ) can have worse effects on you. Healthier and more organic coffee have very subtle and less severe crashes. This is a fact.

 

[gunn]

Well, I got off the instant coffee after learning about how it is made, quite an interesting process. I found some nice dark and oily beans from Africa, they're probably the best beans I ever had. Will continue drinking this stuff until the wheels fall off.

There is no way to actually quit drinking, and considering all the chemical additives found in American food these days, I think continuing to drink for the purifying effects will be the best possible option.

 

[coffeetom]

Is it to much to say that quitting coffee is as difficult as quitting cigarettes?

I smoked for 10 years and stopped a few times until one day I said this is it!
No pills, no nicotine patches, nothing. I haven't smoked in ten years BUT whenever I smell my neighbor smoking at night, it still is seductive.

What was the biggest problem? The nicotine? I don't think so. It was the habit!
In the morning at the balcony with a coffee and a cigarette! With friends at night or when hanging out.

I see parallels in it.

So I try to imagine, that my doctor tells me to stop drinking coffee.

What would give me the most pain?

1. I cannot open the packages with roasted beans anymore and smell them.
2. No more AeroPress?
3. No more new coffee shops to search for in the city?
4. No more iced coffee on a hot afternoon outside at the patio?
5. No more coffee with my afternoon cake?

So you see these are all habits! I don't think I would have a problem with the caffeine withdrawal.
But not being able to do what i listed above would probably drive me crazy.

But to quit drinking coffee once and for all is in my opinion only a matter of breaking these habits.
Do you hang out with family or friends that drink coffee a lot? If yes it will be hard to say no.

Remove all coffee in the house. I would definitely have days where I find excuses to brew a pot.

And would it be over to feel you need coffee. Honestly I don't think so. It will get better yes, but as with other things, once addicted always addicted.

I'm btw a computer guy, too and know exactly what you are talking about.
Sitting in front of a screen, getting a cup of coffee, back to the computer, grabbing the cup....ah, what, already empty again? I just got one. Well, next one.

So good luck with breaking the habits!

 

[PinkRose]

When a doctor instructs someone to stop drinking coffee, it's usually because they've been overdoing it with the caffeine. It's easy for a doctor to just say "stop drinking coffee." Just like it's easy for them to say "stop eating sugar." People are puppets when it comes to their doctor's advise.

It's not always necessary to totally stop drinking coffee completely. Many people can just cut back on their coffee consumption and be okay, or they just switch to decaf. It takes a while to get used to, but they get to enjoy the coffee drinking ritual, and they get a very small amount of caffeine too.

If you've read any of the recent "studies" on caffeine and the benefits of drinking coffee, you will see a lot of studies that have results that range from "any caffeine is bad for you" to "drinking two cups of coffee a day is good for you." Many doctors don't always know what to do or say when it comes to people drinking coffee, and they don't always keep up with the recent studies on certain subjects.

I wouldn't fret and wonder about if (or when) a doctor will tell you to stop drinking coffee. That day may never come. And if it does, then you can decide for yourself.

Enjoy your coffee today.

Rose

 

[Mr.Peaberry]

Gunn...just a thought...don't you think coming here for advice on how to quit drinking coffee might be somewhat like going to a clown convention to learn how to be more serious?

 

[coffeetom]

Gunn...just a thought...don't you think coming here for advice on how to quit drinking coffee might be somewhat like going to a clown convention to learn how to be more serious?

I REALLY laughed out loud after reading your comment!