Kicking any type of addiction, whether it is caffeine, overspending or speeding in traffic, can be a pain. But in the end, doing so can be beneficial if you are successful.
My own personal struggle for many years was caffeine, more directly, soda. I got the common headache if I went so many hours without a soda, my body would get emotionally and physically tired, I would begin to experience withdrawal symptoms (headache, nausea, vomiting, jitteriness, etc.), I would feel the need to throw up, etc. all because I was ‘needing’ soda so bad. I was beginning to not only get addicted to needing the caffeine that I was consuming through soda, but the sugar as well. I was slowly destroying my body from some ‘drug’ that was legal, and available anywhere – grocery stores, convienent stores, even vending machines at the local university. It was bad.
I tried for several years to give up my addiction, making it a day at the most and then giving in because I “couldn’t bare” the headaches or other withdrawal symptoms. I would become complete rude, short, and impatient with my family and I thought it wasn’t worth it to them. However, it wasn’t worth it to me to slowly kill my body from some stupid addiction.
The first step I took to giving up caffeine was making a list of why I was giving it up. On the last I included things such as wanting the money I was spending on soda to go to other things, not having to experience withdrawal symptoms, to lose weight, a healthier body, etc. I hung this list up on my refrigerator and looked at it every time I needed a reminder of why I was choosing to fight this addiction.
Next, I purchased a water bottle. Simple as it may seem, by having that water bottle in visible site, I was constantly reminded to drink more and more water. By drinking water I was helping my body to flush the disgusting toxins I had filled it up with, as well as helping to relieve myself of headaches and other withdrawal symptoms. Water is great when giving up caffeine, as I didn’t even experience a migraine due to my withdrawal because I was drinking so much water!
Finally, I waited. Each day in the first week felt like the longest day of my life, trying to get through with out daily rituals of going to the store and grabbing a drink, eating meals with out a soda, things that I was so accosted to (but shouldn’t have!).
By the end of 2 weeks, I decided to have a “1 day rule” where I could have soda on Saturdays. As I went to get that bottle of Dr. Pepper I had dreamed about every day and every night for what seemed like the past 2 weeks, and drank the first sip, I almost threw up. First, soda wasn’t nearly as “delicious” as I remembered it to be, but second, and fortunately, my body was in such a better state that the slightest bit of caffeine from that soda made me so jittery and sick that I didn’t even want to drink anymore.
Giving up caffeine can be a hard thing to do, especially when you’re used to your morning cup of coffee, soda with your lunch, etc. but I promise your body will be grateful, and you will feel so much more energized and healthy when you quit!
