So caffeine is probably the most widely consumed and accepted drug in society today. How many of you "need" coffee to wake up in the morning? Or throughout the day? It's not just coffee either. I don't like coffee, but I tend to drink a lot of pop to get my caffeine. The good news for me is that pop tends not to have as much caffeine as coffee, but the bad news is that it's even less healthy for you.
Using caffeine is like any other drug: the more you use it, the more you need to get the same effect. It's self-perpetuating too. You use caffeine to wake up, then you crash, so you need more caffeine to stay active. In my case, caffeine also makes it easier for me to stay up late wasting time on the internet instead of getting to sleep at a reasonable time, getting a good night's sleep, and being ready for the next day. If I'm not being careful about it, I can easily drink 24-48oz of pop a day.
Well I recently decided to give up caffeine and, by extension, pop. Thankfully, I don't really get withdrawal symptoms, but the compulsion is definitely there. When I start feeling tired, I want pop. I have a bit of an oral fixation too, so I'm often drinking, and the fizz from pop is a great feeling. I can't stand the taste of diet or caffeine-free pop, which is good since even without the caffeine that stuff is bad for you.
I've given up caffeine in the past, typically for a week or two. One time about 5 years ago, I managed to give it up for 3 months, but I haven't managed to stay caffeine free for that long since. I want to see how long I can make it this time. My goal for now is to make it to Jan 31, 2010 which would beat my previous record of being caffeine free.
I'm finishing up day 4 of being caffeine free now, and
Baraka_Guru is on day 2. Will you join us?
How much do you rely on caffeinated drinks throughout the day? Have you ever tried giving up caffeine? What is your favorite source of caffeine? Coffee? Pop? Tea? Something else?