Coffee

[PHR]

Odd question.

As you will of seen from my recent ramblings, my anxiety has been horrendous lately, like struggling to make it through each day bad.

To try and combat it, I'm trying to do 'normal' things, that I used to like, and take for granted.

One of them things is drinking coffee, latte to be precise (I used to drink far too much), but it's something I stopped instantly once my anxiety took a turn for the worst. So my question is, would having one coffee in a morning make me much worse do you think? It's something I always did and used to enjoy.

My anxiety is manifesting as intrusive thoughts about reality and other existential questions, and derealisation at the moment, and I can't see how coffee can make them worse?

PHR x

[glassgirlw]

Caffeine in general heightens my anxiety so I have to be careful about how much I drink. I have one cup of coffee in the morning and will occasionally have one iced tea during the day. Primarily it’s water or caffeine free herbal teas for me. I personally couldn’t function without my one cup of coffee in the morning though and that doesn’t seem to affect my anxiety really.

[PHR]

Caffeine in general heightens my anxiety so I have to be careful about how much I drink. I have one cup of coffee in the morning and will occasionally have one iced tea during the day. Primarily it’s water or caffeine free herbal teas for me. I personally couldn’t function without my one cup of coffee in the morning though and that doesn’t seem to affect my anxiety really.

That's what I'm thinking, just one, in the morning, perhaps even sat outside to start the day. My psychologist is encouraging me to do stuff even if it raises my anxiety, which I'm actually trying to do, and I mentioned coffee and she almost challenged me to have one, which I have been scared to do. She wants me doing the usual things, and even joked that a couple of social beers wouldn't hurt me, but I'm a long way off trusting myself with that! I think I'm going to try it tomorrow, and just see how it goes.

[NoraB]

So my question is, would having one coffee in a morning make me much worse do you think? It's something I always did and used to enjoy.

My anxiety is manifesting as intrusive thoughts about reality and other existential questions, and derealisation at the moment, and I can't see how coffee can make them worse?

PHR x

Simple answer, yes.

Caffeine has a half-life of 5 hours which means that only half of the caffeine will be eliminated in that time. Depending on how sensitised your body is - this can be extremely problematic - because the coffee will naturally raise the heart rate etc - which leads to anxiety over those sensations - which leads to stress hormones being released and those will be in your system even after the caffeine has been eliminated.

[ankietyjoe]

That's what I'm thinking, just one, in the morning, perhaps even sat outside to start the day. My psychologist is encouraging me to do stuff even if it raises my anxiety, which I'm actually trying to do, and I mentioned coffee and she almost challenged me to have one, which I have been scared to do. She wants me doing the usual things, and even joked that a couple of social beers wouldn't hurt me, but I'm a long way off trusting myself with that! I think I'm going to try it tomorrow, and just see how it goes.

There's a vast difference between forcing yourself to do something that causes anxiety (going out for a walk for example) and drinking coffee.


If you go out for a walk for 10 minutes, the walk is over after 10 minutes. Walking is a 'normal' thing, coffee is a chemical stimulant.

If you drink a coffee, it's a done deal. It's inside you. You cannot out think the effects of caffeine.

Considering your habit of over thinking and catastrophising everything, I would suggest it's a terrible, terrible idea.


Stick to decaf.

[PHR]

This is why I was thinking I might be OK, because symptoms like my heart racing don't really bother me. Reading Joe's reminder of what I do tend to do though, it probably would spill over and just pop up somewhere else.

[Dexter James]

Odd question.

As you will of seen from my recent ramblings, my anxiety has been horrendous lately, like struggling to make it through each day bad.

To try and combat it, I'm trying to do 'normal' things, that I used to like, and take for granted.

One of them things is drinking coffee, latte to be precise (I used to drink far too much), but it's something I stopped instantly once my anxiety took a turn for the worst. So my question is, would having one coffee in a morning make me much worse do you think? It's something I always did and used to enjoy.

My anxiety is manifesting as intrusive thoughts about reality and other existential questions, and derealisation at the moment, and I can't see how coffee can make them worse?

PHR x

Coffee can not make your symptoms worse unless you drink excessive amounts one coffee in the morning is fine its when you start going back to the coffee pot thats when it can elevate your anxiety of course it does depend on the individual and how much food you have in your stomach but i tested this on my self for months as i was a very big coffee drinker and it certainly did not make things better i was drinking 4 a day and my levels of anxeity where increased.
Cutting down was the best thing i ever did now i only have one in the morning and a couple of teas through the day its great and certainly does not make my anxeity worse the trick is to shut it out when you drink it and dont think its going to make things worse its one cup its nothing get on with your day

[ankietyjoe]

Coffee can not make your symptoms worse unless you drink excessive amounts one coffee in the morning is fine

This is just not a universal truth. For some people their anxiety will go haywire with just one coffee.

[BlueIris]

+1 to Joe. Different people tolerate caffeine differently.

If I have a piece of chocolate torte, for instance, I'm guaranteed a couple of hours of palpitations. I don't feel anxious, they're just not particularly pleasant.

[ankietyjoe]

+1 to Joe. Different people tolerate caffeine differently.

If I have a piece of chocolate torte, for instance, I'm guaranteed a couple of hours of palpitations. I don't feel anxious, they're just not particularly pleasant.

Same here. Even with anxiety mostly absent I still have to watch caffeine and heavy carb meals.