Thank you for a great piece - and for making a compelling case about the need to rethink the diagnosis of substance use disorders. (Just for fun, I assessed my experience over several years with prescription NSAIDs, and was surprised to find that I would have met 9 of the 11 criteria for an NSAID-use disorder .... )
As someone who has been caffeine-free for nearly 8 years, this post struck me to my core. In my life I have habitually used, and then quit, nicotine (cigarettes, dipping, and vaping, all on separate occasions), alcohol, cannabis and caffeine. By far the hardest, and the only one that I needed to "ween" off (using Excedrine) was caffeine. Everything else I did cold turkey and felt fine after a few days/weeks. Caffeine took months before I felt normal. And now, I can feel as little as 5mg caffeine when I sample an energy drink or coffee beverage.
The "other" caffeine is CHOCOLATE. Feeling vulnerable when the package is empty. Paying too much for perfect brand. I tried to convince myself that I am entitled by being female--but does is still count even without PMS?? I have tried to tell myself it is actually the tyramine, not the caffeine. Or, even just the sugar. But after spending more money on chocolate 🍫 than on pizza 🍕. . .? It's hard to know. . .
Thank you for a great piece - and for making a compelling case about the need to rethink the diagnosis of substance use disorders. (Just for fun, I assessed my experience over several years with prescription NSAIDs, and was surprised to find that I would have met 9 of the 11 criteria for an NSAID-use disorder .... )
It IS really funny when you apply these criteria to other substances; it is pretty arbitrary which ones we stigmatize and which ones we accept.
An absolutely fantastic read! Thank you so much.
thank you
As someone who has been caffeine-free for nearly 8 years, this post struck me to my core. In my life I have habitually used, and then quit, nicotine (cigarettes, dipping, and vaping, all on separate occasions), alcohol, cannabis and caffeine. By far the hardest, and the only one that I needed to "ween" off (using Excedrine) was caffeine. Everything else I did cold turkey and felt fine after a few days/weeks. Caffeine took months before I felt normal. And now, I can feel as little as 5mg caffeine when I sample an energy drink or coffee beverage.
The "other" caffeine is CHOCOLATE. Feeling vulnerable when the package is empty. Paying too much for perfect brand. I tried to convince myself that I am entitled by being female--but does is still count even without PMS?? I have tried to tell myself it is actually the tyramine, not the caffeine. Or, even just the sugar. But after spending more money on chocolate 🍫 than on pizza 🍕. . .? It's hard to know. . .
This was excellent. A great way to frame the discussion I’m having with a friend who is a psychologist.
thank you!