Coffee - Addiction yes or no?

[solene]

Hey everyone!

I love coffee but I do try not to drink it every day. Even though I can go 2-3 days or even a week or two without coffee I still get this craving sensation. 

Since I usually dont drink more than 1 or max 2 cups per day it seems strange that I'm addicted. But since I start craving it regularly, I guess thats exactly the case. 

Do you recommend to stop altoghther with coffee? Or should I switch to nocaf, since I really really like the taste of coffee? Or do you think coffee consumption isn't that big of an issue.

I dont think that the coffeine is that much of a problem, I also drink regularly black tea but for some reason I never craved tea. 

Cheers, 

Solène

[Enlightenment]

52 minutes ago, solene said:

coffee consumption isn't that big of an issue.

I dont think that the coffeine is that much of a problem

+

[Tim R]

@solene You could stop drinking it altogether, of course. Since you only drink 1 or 2 cups a day, even if you were to immediately cut it out of your life, the withdrawal symptoms wouldn't be a big deal. Maybe some craving, slight irritation, a bit of a headache but really nothing severe at all.

You don't experience craving with green or black tea because 

1. the don't contain as much caffeine

2. due to several other ingredients like certain bitter compounds in Camelia sinensis  (the tea plant, black and green tea are the same plant), the absorption of caffeine is slowed down

Whereas with coffee you don't have these compounds and you just experience a peak high after which you sort of crash. That's where the craving comes in.

You could substitute coffee with black tea and after that, substitute black tea with green tea (it contains even less caffeine).

If you don't want to miss out on coffee and just reduce (not stop) your caffeine intake, I suggest you switch to decaf and get my substitution plan going.

Edited September 9, 2020 by Tim R

[Yarco]

Depends on the person I think.

Personally I felt the same way as you. I don't need coffee every day to function, I can just get it once a week or whatever. 

But lately I've found I'm around people at work who want to go grab Starbucks every day or every couple of days, and it feels like I'm becoming more dependant on it. Mood has gone down, less energy if I don't have it.

If you have any kind of cravings I think it's probably best to cut it out entirely before it gets worse. But I'm also a very "all or nothing" kind of person.

[The0Self]

Try alternating days with creatine monohydrate — like caffeine, it has a nice metabolism effect but it’s more subtle and much warmer and relaxed. And you should not take the 2 at the same time — plenty of evidence that they’re synergistic in a very bad way but when taken on their own they’re both fine.

[Arthur]

coffee is definitely addictive.

I've been on an off coffee all the time. I'm managing my coffee intake much better these days, but it isn't easy. Coffe fills your brain with rapid beta waves. It increases your pace, makes you chaotic and hyper. It's not a high conscious drug in an of itself and has some negative side effects. When you take it too much, it builds tolerance and you don't notice any effects, and when you try to stop, it gives you headaches and lethargy.

With that being said, coffee can be used for its benefits. To use it properly, do the opposite of the mainstream. Don't drink a cut of coffee every morning and 3 more cups throughout your day. Have a cup every 2-3 days only when you need that energy boost. At those intervals, a single cup of coffee, before an exercise or a demanding project, will have x5 the effect of daily users, without side-effects and addiction potential. requires discipline tho.

Edited September 9, 2020 by Arthur

[susanyzm]

Try a little bit of substitute for perking yourself up, such as yoga, stretching before sleep, meditation, mindfulness, etc. Make it an experiment. See it as a good opportunity to diversify your energy stimulus rather than "quitting coffee."

For me, deep stretch and meditation before bedtime is a good coffee. But I also drink black coffee and puer tea from time to time. I take a moment to feel my energy everyday when I wake up. If I don't feel very energized, I'd adjust my sleep routine to make up for it. Sleep is the cornerstone for energy. 

[solene]

Thanks everyone for the insight!

I am thinking about quitting altogether, since I'm also an "all or nothing" type. 

I will be very mindful, since I'm especially craving coffee when I'm stressed at work or exhausted from my studies. My brain has to be reprogrammed so it doesn't associate coffee with a break from my stressful environment. But it's just so tempting so have any excuse to leave my workspace and go to the kitchen or down to the cafeteria, which only takes 2-5 minutes, whereas if I were to go for a walk, it would take longer. And I can't easily leave my place every hour for 15 minutes

[Hello from Russia]

Yes, coffee is a mainstream drug and it is bad for you, I'd advice to quit it and never come back to it

[DIDego]

@solene Many people using smoking as an legit excuse at workplace to be able have a break without being questioned.

Small cups makes more walks and less coffee 

Coffee are many times at workplaces used as a legit break excuse and very much a social drink to hang out with, very good be able choose coffee if not want to grab something like a drink or maybe a beer as a social barrier when hang out with people.

[Grateful Dead]

I quit nicotine, weed and caffeine in the past and caffeine was definitely the hardest one to quit for me.

Check out this thread

 

[Michael569]

Coffee offers lots of benefits to the body but at the same time it is an addictive drug so you gotta balance it right. Don't use coffee as a means to get your hydration goals or just to escape from a boring job for half an hour. Use it strategically to boost your productivity, mood and mindfulness. 

Most of all don't have it straight away in the morning where your cortisol is naturally at the peak. You'll have much better results drinking coffee around the afternoon as the cortisol levels are on the decline. 

Best to keep it to 1-2 cups per day. If you suffer from GERD, ulcers, any sort of liver disease or sensitive digestion, I'd suggest eliminating it completely. Also if you are taking bunch of medication, I'd also be careful around time when you take them as coffee and medical drugs may be competing for some of the liver enzymes (CYP450, CYP1A1, 1A2 and many other) that help detoxify them. Same with grapefruit juice. 

Green tea or Yerba Matte are great alternatives to coffee if you are looking to cut down on your caffeine intake. 

[ElvinNelson]

I don’t think such a habit is an addiction, although I almost never drank coffee. Although, maybe this thesis can be true with the constant drinking of coffee for decades every day.

[Brian Wolfe]

Excessive consumption of coffee or caffeine could cause to dehydration, emotional weariness and exhaustion. Excess caffeine consumption could also lead to symptoms such as headache, anxiety , tremors, acidity , palpitations and lack of sleep.

[david1207]

Excessive consumption of anything is addiction whether It is tea, coffee, cigarette or whisky. If you're finding it addiction then it is very much important to lower the consumption by controlling your desire of consumption.

You have to control your cravings for it and it will get controlled.

[mandyjw]

I drink less than a cup a day (incredibly caffeine sensitive) and I'll quit it for a time and pick it back up again. It seems I get the most enjoyment out of it that way. After drinking it everyday for a long time the energy I get starts to feel disgusting and irritating but when I start after a break again it feels amazing. Might have to do with the adrenal system, who knows. 

[hamedsf]

caffeine gives you dopamine and if you don't receive after consuming it on a regular basis, you'd be operating like a grumpy old man. it's up to you 

[fridjonk]

Quitting caffeine was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

Literally everything is better from sleep, to focus, to motivation, etc.  

[mandyjw]

12 hours ago, Husseinisdoingfine said:

I love coffee and I vow to never ever give it up, but it stains my teeth and gives me anxiety, so that's why I only drink it once a week on Sundays.

Buy some metal straws, no more teeth staining. 

[allislove]

Everything is addiction. It's not about what you do it's about how you feel about what you do.

I was drinking coffee 5-6 cups per day in the office at work, just to help me to run from the problems. Then, I was not drinking coffee at all for half a year or more, demonizing it. And everything in between.

Now, I have transcended coffee drinking. How? I do it from the place of love, just for the celebration of life.
I drink one cup at lunchtime, at most two cups on rainy days. I cook coffee by myself, almost like a professional barista. It's like a ritual to me, I love this process so much. It's a meditation practice for me. I feel amazing while cooking one cup of cappuccino and drinking it. 

Of course, some things better for health than others. To eat tomato perhaps way healthier than eating potato chips, but that's not only about that. The most important thing is your relation to the thing, but not the things itself. To drink coffee or not to drink coffee dilemma should be resolved individually. Ask the question: "Do you want to do it for running from the underlying problem?" or "Do you want to do it for the celebration of life/to enjoy yourself?".