Over the decades, I keep switching between caffeine times and caffeine-free times.

It’s like this:

  • need an extra boost for morning or afternoon, and it is really important
  • it becomes a regular thing again, at least 1xmorning, 1xafternoon
  • ups and downs are too strong, switching to guarana
  • it works, even boost now
  • It turns into madness, e. g. not enough sleep, and it prevents me from napping, or even night sleep is not good anymore. Also, completely dysfunctional in the morning.
  • optionally increase up to double dose
  • unpleasant withdrawal
  • back to start after a month, year or two years

Right now, I’m on day 3 or 4 of a very unpleasant withdrawal again. Headaches, poor sleep quality, muscle and joint pain. Also, the Elvanse boost is really diminished, a lot. Tragically, in terms of productivity and mood, it worked really well with caffeine, just too much madness.

Do you think just staying off for good is the way to go?

  • Jo Miran@lemmy.mlEnglish
    4·
    2 months ago

    I’m in that group where caffeine is calming (often makes me sleepy) and I never have physical withdrawl if I skip a couple of days. My cousin on the other hand is physically addicted to the caffeine. I have seen how it affects him if he doesn’t get any.

    Personally, if caffeine affected me that way, I’d never touch the stuff ever again and I’d look for other solutions and coping mechanisms.

  • acockworkorange@mander.xyzEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    I’ve let it go. Sometimes you just have to admit it’s not for you and cut your losses. Nowadays I stick to prescribed stimulants, which currently is none. There will be some bad days, but that’s life. Just get through it, the good days will be on the other side.

  • TʜᴇʀᴀᴘʏGⒶʀʏ⁽ᵗʰᵉʸ‘ᵗʰᵉᵐ⁾@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
    3·
    2 months ago

    I’ve used caffeine “medicinally” for over a year now. I start with a microdose until it’s not effective, then increase the dosage weekly until I’m at more than 1.5 cups of coffee daily, then I drop down to a microdose again to wean myself off while still having a little something for the withdrawals, then stay off it until I “need it” again.

    I’m also bipolar, so that does change things for me, but I think it also motivates me to be really intentional about my caffeine intake so I don’t end up in the ‘madness’ stage you described.

    I’m also self-employed and only work 20hrs per week, so I have the privilege of taking the recovery time I need because I can just put a pause on the “extra stuff”, which I realize most people don’t have the option of doing.

    I think if you can be intentional about it, it can be worth it, especially if you can be so intentional about it as to not need a recovery period

  • Jerkface (any/all)@lemmy.caEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Caffeine give me super powers but the disruption to my desperately needed sleep inevitably causes something fucking terrible and life-changing to happen.

    But there’s more to it than just “caffeine”. I can drink matcha pretty much as desired with little difficulty. But instant coffee will fuck up my life before the end of the jar, which arrives rapidly.

  • THE_GR8_MIKE@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    I work in the office 4 days a week and drink coffee on those days only. Turns out when I’m home, I can make myself not so bored I fall asleep lol

  • Dearth@lemmy.worldEnglish
    2·
    2 months ago

    Everytime i need to quit caffeine i buy a case of orange Gatorade. The red 40 symptoms and extra hydration offset the caffeine withdrawal. Got to start the caffeine cut off on a Friday so by Monday’s return to work the symptoms are mostly gone.