Caffeine addiction?

Of course caffeine is addictive. It’s just as hard to kick as cigarettes or whatever else you're hooked on.

And since Nescafé has caffeine in it, the same rules apply.

I used to work with someone who would get these brutal headaches every single weekend—she couldn't even function until noon, just totally groggy.

She didn't want to believe it was because she'd down nearly two full cups of black coffee—the strong stuff, no milk—before 5 AM 😲 but she'd skip it all weekend. So, yeah, she was basically dealing with withdrawal juice every Saturday.😉

urbanseal6 said:Ah, I see! So maybe you've just gotten hooked—Nescafé can definitely be habit-forming. But why quit? Having one cup a day is standard, though if you're crushing about five, I don't think it's dangerous either—so I don't really see why you'd need to detox. Just enjoy it, girl!☕

I actually tried to kick the habit once and totally failed after a month—mostly because my coworkers at the office were constantly swapping out my 😠 with the exact same spoon—but I finally managed to quit successfully while I was pregnant. You aren't supposed to have caffeine then, anyway.

People say green tea is a solid substitute for Starbucks; it worked wonders for me.

I’ve been drinking coffee since I was four years old. Well, half a cup at a time, anyway. It sounds bizarre, I know—I don't think I've ever met anyone else who started that early. But back then, it was actually medical advice to help stop my vomiting. Whether that was the right call? Who knows. All I know is that it worked. So, here I am, still drinking it today. I usually stick to Turkish coffee; if there isn't any, I'll settle for an espresso, but anything else is just 🙂, and frankly, I can't stand the rest of it 🙂 🙂 . Am I addicted? Sure. But given how long this has been part of my life, it’s hardly a crisis, and I have zero desire to quit.
Regarding caffeine during pregnancy, I recently came across some info suggesting that drinking more than five cups a day is harmful. Personally, I don't even come close to that much. Though, to be fair, they didn't specify what constitutes a "cup" or which types of coffee they were talking about.

I’m obsessed with Starbucks and totally hooked on caffeine. Seriously, the second I wake up, my brain just goes straight to coffee.😁
There is zero chance I’m ever quitting, unless maybe if I’m pregnant or something.
It’s not even just about the caffeine hit, though—it's just this ritual. I can’t sit at my computer without my favorite mug right there next to me.

I've been drinking coffee since I was four years old.

Wait, coffee actually stops vomiting?

People told me the same thing about diarrhea and coffee—though I never actually tried it because I couldn't stand the thought of skipping the ritual of a sugary soda. It’s almost unavoidable, really. 😁

But seriously—did your parents actually let you drink Turkish coffee once you hit four (after things settled down health-wise)? 😕

They kept giving me Starbucks. They never actually figured out what was causing the vomiting, but—if people's stories are to be believed, since my own memory is a bit fuzzy on the details—it was absolutely terrifying. I couldn't keep a single thing down without immediately losing it. One doctor, a close family friend, suggested they try giving me some Starbucks, and strangely enough, it worked.
I’m not claiming this is some universal cure for vomiting, but for me, it did the trick.
My old doctor, an OBGYN, was also a bit skeptical about the whole thing, but even he was at a loss. The tests were all there, yet despite every diagnostic tool in the book, the exact cause remained a complete mystery.

placidjackal97 said:Of course caffeine is addictive—it’s just as hard to kick as cigarettes or pretty much anything else.

Well, I have to disagree there! Honestly, I managed to quit my Starbucks habit in just three days flat. Now, I just sip on some tea in the morning—mostly just to have something in my hand while I'm still shaking off the sleepiness—but that's it. Compared to when I tried quitting smoking, which took way, way longer, this was a breeze!

nimbledriver81 said:That’s not quite right. I managed to quit drinking Starbucks in just three days.

Only three days? That's impressive. A friend of mine had to quit his Starbucks habit 😁. He mentioned it took him about a month (to be fair, he used to drink Starbucks like I used to drink beer)
. I haven't quite found the courage yet...

So here I am, sitting in front of the computer, knocking back a massive cup of Starbucks.
I started feeling jittery last night... thinking to myself, okay, tomorrow when I get to work, I’m going to skip the caffeine...
Then the anxiety kicked in... wondering what would happen if I didn't have my fix by noon... and just spent the whole morning on edge. Total nonsense.

So, naturally, the very first thing I did when I walked through the door... was boil the water and make myself a cup.

And yeah... if I have to stand up and say it...

I'm Hannah Ward11, and I'm a total caffeine addict.😁

Hannah Ward11 said:Turkey is 🙂

😕
Good grief... I really couldn't care less about anything related to Turkey 😁 😁

☕

boldeagle3 said:😕
Man, I'm just not feeling that Turkish style... 😁 😁

☕

It's way too bitter for me. I can only handle it if there's at least 40% milk in there.

nimbledriver81 said:Not really. I actually quit Starbucks in just three days. Now it's just tea—just enough to take the edge off while I wake up. It took me way longer to kick the cigarettes.

So you're basically a rare breed, huh? 🙂

And a man of principle—I'm being serious here. Most people can't pull off a detox that fast.

Karen Brooks, thanks, but I doubt four-year-olds should be sipping Starbucks constantly (assuming things balance out later)—though honestly, I shouldn't really weigh in on your business.

You don't put milk in Turkish coffee. 😁

Hannah Ward11 said:God, that is just way too bitter for me... I could maybe stomach it if it were at least 40% milk.

Well—you could always just toss a little sugar in there, couldn't you? 😁
By the way, personally, I find espresso a hundred times more disgusting and bitter; I can't stand the stuff.

And I don't drink it with milk either—truth be told, I can't even stand milk. 😁

boldeagle3 said:Well, you just throw some sugar in there, right? 😁
By the way, espresso is a hundred times more disgusting to me. Way too bitter. I can't stand it.

And I don't drink it with milk either. Can't stand milk. 😁

I'll sweeten it... if there's too much sugar... 🙂 or if there's too little, it's the same.
To me, espresso is pure poison.
Nescafé is just right... 👍
Today I picked up one of those big 250g tins. So I'm set for 125 days. It says 125 servings on the label.

You don't put milk in Turkish coffee.

It's all about taste. 🙂

Sure, you could add milk, but then it isn't really Turkish coffee anymore. Just saying.

placidjackal97 said:It’s certainly not easy for everyone to just quit cold turkey like that.

Well, you don't truly know until you try it yourself—honestly! There was a time when I was consuming coffee by the gallon. Specifically, Turkish style. No milk. 😉 And let me tell you, it was incredibly strong—the kind where you have a ring of foam on top (and an equal amount of sludge at the bottom). I’d have one or two large mugs in the morning—we're talking those big 8-ounce mugs—then another after lunch, and then another right before evening...
Eventually, I transitioned over to drip coffee—mostly because I simply didn't have the patience to wait thirty minutes for a pour-over to cool down (plus, finding a decent specialty roast around here is a struggle, and frankly, they all taste the same to me)... But oh my goodness, drip coffee is bitter as hell! 👎 (I honestly cannot wrap my head around Germans who drink it without any sugar or cream). With milk and sweetener, though, I could manage it. Then, one Thursday evening, my son casually mentions that I completely forgot to buy more coffee! 😲 Now, normally, I won't even step foot out of the house in the morning until I've had my fix—not even to the corner store—and to make matters worse, the organic market is all the way on the other side of town. So, naturally, I ended up drinking black tea on Friday. Saturday was absolutely miserable weather-wise, so I stayed indoors—which meant, again, more tea. Since everything is closed on Sunday, I spent both Sunday and Monday sipping tea. By Tuesday, I finally realized that the specific drink doesn't actually matter as much as the ritual itself—just sitting there for fifteen to thirty minutes while I slowly wake up. Besides, a warm beverage serves a dual purpose since I rarely drink enough fluids throughout the day, so the tea 👍 is quite helpful.
😠And now, it just hit me—I forgot to pick up black tea this morning! 😁 Tomorrow morning is going to be a disaster...

You won't know until you try.

Well... if you actually read my post earlier in this thread, you'd see I did try. Twice, actually. 😁 The second time worked—had much better motivation.

So yeah, not everyone can kick the habit that quickly.

*****...(I just don't get Germans who drink it black without sugar or milk.

Me neither—it’s honestly pretty gross.

It just hit me—I forgot to pick up black tea this morning!

😂 👍

Maybe someone currently struggling to quit might find your way of doing it helpful.

placidjackal97 said:Well... if you actually take a moment to look back at my previous post in this thread, you'll see—believe it or not—that I really did give it a shot.

That was just, you know, a bit too vague.

The whole tea thing makes perfect sense, given that both green and black varieties pack a caffeine punch. Personally, I’m a huge fan of black tea—green isn't quite my speed, and I can't stand the rest. I always have a cup before hitting the hay, and I sleep like a baby. Honestly, I could probably down a cup of coffee right before bed and still feel nothing, but there's this ritualistic need for tea; if I don't have it, something feels missing when I finally lie down.

As for drip coffee, that is hands down one of the most revolting things I've ever had to swallow. Usually, whenever I was forced to drink it—mostly because there wasn't any Turkish coffee available—I ended up just mixing milk into it to make it tolerable. It’s no substitute for a real Turkish brew, much like espresso or a Nescafé isn't.

Karen Brooks said:That whole thing about tea actually makes total sense—since both green and black varieties pack a caffeine punch. I’m a massive fan of black tea, though I’ll admit green tea isn't quite my favorite, and I usually skip the rest.

See, tea has theine, which is essentially just a different way of looking at it, but it definitely has WAY less caffeine than a cup of Starbucks. Personally, I find green tea a bit bitter—kind of an acquired taste!—but since it's so good for you, I make sure to drink it. 😁 Usually, I’ll mix it with something else to mellow out that edge.