I think I hit rock bottom on Saturday. I was about to finish coffee cup number 26 when I realized my hands were shaking a little too much. “What is this?” was all I could say as I tried to steady my hand.
On Sunday I woke up super early to go to the city. Mandatory voting is a thing here, and because I'm about to sell my car, I kind of need to not lose my rights (a topic for another day), so I went. Getting out of bed without a cup of joe felt strange, but I thought I was going to give it a good go.
Around noon I started feeling really bad. There was a shortness of breath and my head was explody, if that's even a word. The truth is I knew I’d feel withdrawal, so I wasn't surprised, but the intensity was more than I expected.
I got home that night feeling exhausted, even though I had walked back. Obviously not the case, but even so, I tried to finish a few things I had in the “pending” list and went to bed. Maybe tomorrow would begin to be better.
Today, however, has been worse. Writing this blog entry is the challenge of the day, as my head feels inept. I keep having a hard time remembering words, but that's fine. It’s not like wordsmithing is my thing anyway.
I consulted with the ChatGPTs of the world and described my symptoms to our new software overlords. Seems like “it’s normal” is the banner that covers it all. My dear wife thinks I should be able to overcome this with willpower, but there’s actual chemical fuckery happening in my noggin and it’s not that simple.
Now, a question might be penetrating your mind at the moment. Is @meno done with coffee? The answer is no, I’m not. I don’t want to quit coffee forever. That sounds horrible, a life of very little joy if I’m honest. I just want to have a normal dose of the elixir and feel like it works. A cup, maybe two, and that’s it.
The moment you need ten just to get your morning started, you know the needle needs to be reset.
Hopefully tomorrow I’ll be writing about how good I feel, and maybe I’ll start complementing my coffee with some teas. Or maybe I should do the most horrible thing a man can do, especially one who refuses to act his age. Maybe I should buy decaf. Imagine the dishonor. The horror.
At any rate, I’ll be ok… I hope.
MenO
No!!!!
I don't know how you got into that coffee fix, so many cups a day, but I think it would kill me. It also matters how you take it, I think: brewed or instant.
Be careful. Ease back into it. Couple of cups a day should be enough...just spread it out.
I am an addict, but I can't drink more than 3 instant without feeling weird. I also can't go without for more than 24 hours without getting a headache.
Good luck!!!
That sounds horrible. Stay strong, you can do it.
I'm down to 3 cups a day. Try a cup of Guayusa, it works smoother and longer than coffee does.
I tried guayusa once.. don't remember it being pleasant, but if it works... it will have to do.
It still contains caffeine but it reduces that habit of drinking coffee all day. I like the taste, maybe with a little sugar or honey.
We sold a lemonade made from it for a while but Europe isn't ready for such treasures...
Trying to quit coffee and realizing it is more than just a drink; it is a daily ritual, a comfortinh pause and sometimes even a spark of motivation. The best advice is to cut back slowly instead of going cold-hearted that way, your body does not revolt with headaches and brain fog. And let us be honest, coffee itself is not the villain. In moderation, it is a source of energy, focus and even joy.
By the way, you have scared me with a 26 cup in a day thing. But, I am happy that you have realized the harm.
Wish you luck on finding your balance, whether it is one cup less, or a well deserved brew to brighten your day.
It got out of control... As with other things I've been able to "catch on time" i think I got it... I think i do..
Cheers mate
Used to drink 4-5 cups a day, and I'm down to 1, sometimes 2. It's a big win for me, and I'm sure I'll never go back to more than this. I also choose better coffee now instead of the cheap one I used to drink at work.
I keep on sleeping... so im resetting... but the plan is to do 2 cups in the morning and that's it! be normal hahahah
Nothing works like coffee. Well, cocaine, but please don't got there. Just drink a cup less each day, until you're at around 1-3 cups a day. Real cups I mean, 350ml, not those fancy bs cups that they serve at self-declared en-vogue coffee shops. Then you'll be fine. I went down to that level again after easily having 6 cups a day, and it did help a lot. I don't have those withdrawal symptoms anymore.
The other thing that is great and helps is exercise. It does the same, getting the blood pumping quicker and easier, so it helps with the withdrawal symptoms. Besides the other billion positive side effects ;-D
I really hope that “26” is just a metaphor for “too much” and not the actual number of cups, Menoo.
I have also noticed that sometimes I react badly to larger amounts of coffee myself, buut some days I have one cup, sometimes two or three, maybe four at most, but that's pretty rare.
Your wife is so right. You could cut it off completely and deal with it all at once... but realistically, you don't have to be that strict with yourself. Then again, you could do it if you really wanted to… we all could.
In any case, good luck with whatever you decide. A low-dose caffeinated greeting with lots of support! ☕
Cutting down on coffee is really tough, and the withdrawal feels real. But finding a healthy balance sounds like a good plan.