Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/04/15/watch-these-two-popular-scienc.html
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The choice of “habit” here instead of “addiction” is interesting.
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I tried at some point 2 years ago to give up coffee, i really tried for about 2 months and would instead have the occasional cup of tea if i really had to have something and honestly the whole experience was misery. You’d figure that after 2 months i would’ve adjusted to not having coffee but it just never happened, i was constantly in a tired braindead fog for the entire morning and would have migraines pretty regularly. For my quality of life and productivity i decided it wasn’t worth it and i’m back to my one cup of coffee in the morning.
The big difference between me and the people in the video for the post is that they drank way more coffee. I do drink a relatively large mug of coffee but i make it a point for it to be the only source of caffeine i get throughout the whole day, the rare exception being if i expect to be out late and i’m already tired i might have an afternoon cup but its not something i normally do.
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Possibly also that they look to be young-un’s and probably have only been drinking coffee for a couple years or so. It’s easier to kick a short term addiction than a long term one.
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“A mathematician is a device for turning coffee into theorems”
― Paul Erdos
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I’ve gone on and off it several times over the last few decades. First time I did it I tapered off, no drama. Second time I went cold turkey, I have no idea why I did that, but it was… not a smart thing to do. It was, in some ways, worse than chemotherapy. I’m currently tapering off again, because why the hell not? Not in any hurry to work it down to 0% though, I’ll probably go 100-to-zero in maybe two months.
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I quit caffeine about 2-1/2 years ago as part of a strategy for minimizing anxiety. I never measured my intake but had kept a cup going from about 8 AM to 3 PM every day for around twenty years.
It took months before I wasn’t dragging in the morning. I feel stabilized now but I still miss the feeling of invincibility I could get from a big afternoon jolt.
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I’m assuming this was inspired by Michael Pollan’s latest project—the interview in Fresh Air was really interesting FYI.
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In Erdos’ case stronger stimulants than coffee were involved.
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I gave up trying to go cold turkey. The migraine was horrible. Then I weaned off by dropping a cup every 3 to 4 days.
It does take some time for the body to readjust though.
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Why go through that though? What’s the matter with just drinking a shitload of coffee? I’ve spent the last 25 years doing 6-8 cups a day, BLACK!. I got other worse habits a-plenty, so I figure coffee isn’t that one that’s gonna get me.
Relax (if it’s possible. I have no idea of your coffee habit) and drink up!
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Are high blood pressure and heart palpitations good enough for you?
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Cant type right now. Clutching…chest.
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You don’t know my the extent of my habits…
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I was extraordinarily bad with caffeine during college, 10+ Jolt Colas, plus a few cups of coffee per day.
When I couldn’t get Jolt over winter break, I basically became a raging bastard. Headaches, horrible mood, sleeping all the time. Ended up cutting down drastically due to lack of that precious precious Jolt.
Granted, that was 25 years ago. Nowadays, 4 cups of coffee + 1 soda per day. Jolt is for the most special of occasions (I found, and hoarded, around 20 bottles. Including some Red Eye and Electric Blue!)
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You sound like me - a one in a million super sensitive addict. For me, I hate the idea of being addicted but quitting caffeine (or even going 6 hours too long without my “dose”) causes severe symptoms / not just the flu like stuff and headache - I’m talking nausea, debilitating migraine etc. and when you go to the doctor for help they don’t understand and just say gradually decrease
Here she mentions gradual over 6weeks / haven’t tried that but will do so next time. I’m tempted to get caffeine powder and then literally take 1 mg less per day using graduated cylinders etx
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Thankfully at the moment i don’t have a need to quit at the moment, although my strategy for when i need to do so might be to slowly mix some decaf coffee and change the ratio over time until i can just do entirely without it. For the most part i like to drink coffee because its a comfort, i like how it tastes and its a routine i enjoy but hopefully if i need to do without i hope i can pull it off with less side effects.
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At least it’s a socially acceptable addiction. They even serve the stuff at AA meetings.
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The lethargy from caffeine withdrawal is real! Right up there with the lethargy from nicotine withdrawal in my experience.
One often underestimates the stimulant effect from these drugs until one goes without. Trying to read the morning paper was my realization!
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