Do I really have SA, or do I just drink too much caffeine?

Flax

I have been drinking high amounts of caffeine for as long as I can remember. I have had a few times where I stopped drinking it for a few weeks, but I always go back to it. I guess it is somewhat of an addiction. I get caffeine through Diet Mountain Dew. Each serving has about 55mg of caffeine and I go through an enitre two liter a day, and many times more than that. It makes my stomach feel like acid is churning inside, I feel nauseous and I'm so jittery and nervous that it overwhelms me. Two times I even saw rainbow specks floating in circles mid-air, not sure if it was because of the caffeine, but it was very odd to hallucinate something like that.
What I am wondering is could all this social anxiety I experience be induced from the high amount of caffeine I have each day? I stopped drinking caffeine last thursday and the day after I had a splitting headache from withdrawal. I made it through the day without drinking anymore. And I haven't drank any since and I get to sleep on time and wake up on time and I even have stuck to my daily routine that I always promise I'll do but never do. I feel like I'm all of a sudden anxiety free. I know I must have some sort of social anxiety without caffeine, but now I wonder if it's as bad as I thought.

spacecadetglowuk · Posted: Thu May 27, 2004 8:56 am Post subject: I gave up caffeine

I gave it up three years ago and my god has it helped my nerves, I highly recomend giving it up, it also helped get rid of my indegestion and heartburn.

you do get withdrawl symptoms the first couple of days and bad headaches

William44 · Posted: Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:33 pm Post subject:

I am able to cope a lot better socially if I limit my caffeine intake. I have gone from full strength coffee to 1/2 and now to 1/3 strength.

I am drinking more water which I find gives me energy.

I think you are on the right path. Smile

symbiosis · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2004 12:37 am Post subject:

Yeah, I reckon caffeine should be treated with caution by anyone with anxiety issues. I virtually can't touch the stuff! I don't know if it's because I'm not used to caffeine or not, but 1 tea/coffee seems to mimic anxiety symptoms, especially in public.....weird stuff I reckon!

Flax · Posted: Tue Jun 08, 2004 8:09 pm Post subject:

I drink caffeine again, but only 240mL and in the morning right after waking up. I get it from Diet Mountain Dew which only has 55mg per 240mL. So I don't really drink enough to get nervous, but it satisfies my thirst for soda. I drink water throughout the day and I'm suprised by the amount of energy I have when I'm not on caffeine. I workout every other day and go to work. My workout routine usually involves me lifting weights with my upper body then running on a treadmill for 30 minutes. I warm up for ten minutes on 4mph then ten on 5mph then ten on 6mph... it's become easier since I've limited my caffeine intake to 55mg a day. I somehow have more energy even though I expend a lot in my workouts and diet and go to work every day.
I haven't been nearly as nervous as I usually am either. I feel it somewhat, but it's like a tap on the shoulder rather than a my head being shoved into my worries. Everything seems better since giving up caffeine even my poker game. I've turned eleven dollars into over seventy dollars (this is in small change poker). Before that I didn't win so well at poker, but I did alright.