How This Self Proclaimed Coffee Addict Accidentally Gave Up Coffee

Hi, My name is Alison, and I am a self proclaimed coffee addict- or at least I was until about 3 weeks ago.

Now just so you understand how deep my love of coffee runs: I have a coffee bar in my house. I own a pour over, french press, Turkish coffee set, a Nespresso, and too many mugs. I was the friend who was Always up for coffee, and I never turned a cup down. My childhood favorite ice cream was Coffee flavored, and I drank my coffee black. I LOVE coffee.

So how on earth would this self proclaimed Coffee Addict Accidentally give up coffee?

Let me Share with you my Story.

In addition to being a long time coffee lover, I am also a lifetime long anxiety struggler.

My anxiety has always been a struggle, but up until 3 weeks ago, I didn’t realize (or didn’t want to admit) that my coffee habit had anything to do with it.

Now let’s be clear, I’m not saying that Coffee was the *cause of my anxiety, but that it contributed to it.

For a while now, I had been noticing a trend: my anxiety seemed to be worse after drinking coffee. At first, I thought perhaps I didn’t have enough food in me, so I began eating with my coffee. Nothing changed.

So I tried giving up coffee for a day.

And I noticed something.

Though my anxiety was still there, I didn’t have the racing thoughts, tight chested, heart thumping out of my chest anxiety that I was used to fighting.

I wanted it to be a fluke, so I tried again.

Same Result. My anxiety was there, but it was more subtle and easier to manage.

So on Day 3, I had my usual morning cup. This time, I was a jittery, anxious mess. So I went 2 more days without drinking any.

My next cup, gave me a raging headache so quickly I couldn’t even finish it.

That had never happened to me before. It was like my body was saying “Don’t you dare go back, I like it so much better this way.”

And so here we are, 3 weeks later, and I’ve accidentally given up coffee.

I have had it once since the raging headache, hoping desperately something had changed. It hadn’t. My body is still anti-coffee. But it’s been easier than I thought it would be. I have re-discovered my love for hot tea and found a way to replace the energy I desperately sought from the caffeine.

Don’t get me wrong, I still miss my coffee. It was like a warm blanket on a chilly Autumn afternoon. And yes, I’ve tried Decaf, but it’s just not the same.

So while I hope that someday, I can return to enjoying my hot morning cup, I can’t deny that life is much more peaceful when I don’t have my mind and body running a hundred miles a minute. And that I don’t miss a bit.

Here's the Full Story: