Why I Quit Coffee After 13 Years (Caffeine Withdrawal, Benefits & What's Next?)

LeahsEssence
8 Jun 202221:56

Summary

TLDRIn this video, Leah shares her personal journey of overcoming a 13-year caffeine addiction. She discusses how caffeine was integrated into her daily life since high school, its emotional and physical effects, and her decision to quit. Leah describes her withdrawal symptoms, including depression and anxiety, and how she eventually adjusted to a caffeine-free lifestyle, experiencing improved sleep, productivity, and emotional well-being. She concludes by encouraging viewers to reflect on their own dependencies and the importance of not letting substances control their lives.

Takeaways

  • 🌱 Leah shares her personal journey of overcoming a caffeine addiction.
  • 🏫 She started consuming caffeine in high school, which gradually became a daily habit.
  • ☕ Leah's caffeine consumption included coffee, matcha, and caffeinated teas.
  • 🚫 She decided to quit caffeine due to its negative impact on her mental health and spiritual well-being.
  • 🤯 Leah experienced physical symptoms like migraines and emotional symptoms like depression during withdrawal.
  • 🔄 It took her about two weeks to start feeling better after quitting caffeine.
  • 🌟 She noticed improvements in her sleep, productivity, and emotional stability after giving up caffeine.
  • 🍵 Leah tried to reintroduce caffeine after 30 days but realized she no longer desired it.
  • 💪 She encourages others to evaluate their relationship with caffeine and consider the benefits of reducing or eliminating it.
  • 🥤 Leah now prefers healthier, caffeine-free alternatives like water and fresh squeezed juice.

Q & A

  • What was the initial reason Leah started drinking caffeine?

    -Leah started drinking caffeine in high school when her best friend's dad would make her a cup of coffee every morning, which she didn't drink, so Leah would have it.

  • How did Leah's caffeine consumption evolve over time?

    -Leah's caffeine consumption evolved from drinking it occasionally in high school to making it a regular part of her life in college and beyond, eventually owning an espresso machine to make lattes at home.

  • Why did Leah decide to stop consuming caffeine?

    -Leah decided to stop consuming caffeine because she didn't like the strong hold it had on her and she wanted to break free from the addiction and emotional dependency.

  • What was Leah's experience during the first few days of caffeine withdrawal?

    -During the first few days of caffeine withdrawal, Leah experienced migraines and felt depressed, questioning her identity without caffeine.

  • What physical and mental benefits did Leah notice after giving up caffeine?

    -After giving up caffeine, Leah noticed improved productivity, better sleep, more energy, and less reliance on a substance to feel better emotionally.

  • How long did Leah commit to being caffeine-free before allowing herself to have it occasionally?

    -Leah committed to being caffeine-free for 30 days before allowing herself to have it once or twice a week.

  • What was Leah's reaction when she tried caffeine again after completing her 30-day break?

    -After completing her 30-day break, Leah tried caffeine again but found that she no longer desired it and even felt that it left an unpleasant taste in her mouth.

  • How did Leah's relationship with food change after quitting caffeine?

    -Leah's relationship with food changed as she began eating more and gaining weight after quitting caffeine, which made her reevaluate her priorities regarding nourishment and health.

  • What spiritual perspective does Leah share regarding her caffeine addiction?

    -Leah shares a spiritual perspective that nothing, including caffeine, should be an idol or have a strong grip on her life, which was a motivating factor in her decision to quit.

  • What advice does Leah give to those who might be struggling with a similar addiction?

    -Leah advises those struggling with addiction to take inventory of their lives, challenge themselves to understand their desires, and push against their cravings to break free.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Caffeine Addiction Realization

Leah shares her personal journey of realizing she no longer desires caffeine after being addicted for 13 years. She started consuming caffeine in high school and continued through college and into her adult life. Leah discusses how caffeine became a part of her daily routine and identity, and how she noticed her behaviors were becoming obsessive, even dangerous, in pursuit of caffeine.

05:01

🚫 Quitting Caffeine Cold Turkey

Leah decides to quit caffeine cold turkey, despite advice to wean off gradually. She experiences migraines and emotional struggles such as depression and anxiety during withdrawal. Leah grapples with the identity she formed around caffeine and the realization that it had become an idol in her life. She also touches on the physical and emotional benefits she noticed after quitting, such as improved sleep and productivity.

10:02

🔄 Overcoming Caffeine Cravings

Leah talks about her process of overcoming caffeine cravings and the psychological aspects of addiction. She initially planned to reintroduce caffeine into her life after 30 days but found that her desires had changed. She noticed improvements in her energy levels, sleep quality, and emotional well-being without caffeine. Leah also discusses the role of caffeine as an appetite suppressant and her changing relationship with food.

15:04

💪 Finalizing the Break from Caffeine

Leah shares her decision to permanently break away from caffeine after reaching her 30-day goal. She tried caffeine again but realized she no longer needed it and chose to continue living without it. She reflects on the time and money saved by not frequenting coffee shops and the freedom she feels from not being addicted to caffeine. Leah concludes by encouraging viewers to examine their own habits and addictions.

20:05

📚 Reflecting on Caffeine's Impact

In the final paragraph, Leah reflects on what she learned about caffeine's impact on her life and the importance of not letting substances or food become idols. She recalls a college class on substance abuse where caffeine was discussed and how she was resistant to the idea of it being addictive at the time. Leah emphasizes the reality of addiction and the need for self-inventory to understand and overcome personal dependencies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Caffeine Addiction

Caffeine addiction refers to a physical or psychological dependence on caffeine, a stimulant commonly found in coffee, tea, and energy drinks. In the video, the creator discusses her personal journey of overcoming caffeine addiction, which she had developed over 13 years. The creator's story illustrates the impact of caffeine on her daily life and how she recognized the need to break free from its influence.

💡Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal symptoms are physical or mental reactions experienced when discontinuing a substance to which one has developed dependence. The video mentions headaches, depression, and anxiety as examples of caffeine withdrawal symptoms the creator experienced. These symptoms highlight the challenges of breaking an addiction and the physical impact of caffeine on the body.

💡Caffeine Cravings

Caffeine cravings are strong desires for caffeine, often due to addiction or habitual use. The script describes how the creator used to crave caffeine, especially in social or celebratory contexts, indicating the deep integration of caffeine in her lifestyle. Overcoming these cravings was a significant part of her journey to becoming caffeine-free.

💡Emotional Dependency

Emotional dependency implies reliance on a substance or activity for emotional support or to cope with feelings. The video script reveals the creator's emotional dependency on caffeine, as she associated it with comfort and routine. This dependency was a key factor she had to address in her recovery process.

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of producing desired results. In the video, the creator notes an increase in productivity after quitting caffeine, as she no longer procrastinated while waiting for the effects of caffeine to kick in. This change illustrates a positive outcome of overcoming addiction and adjusting one's lifestyle.

💡Cortisol

Cortisol is a hormone associated with stress. The script mentions that caffeine can negatively affect cortisol levels, contributing to a state of constant stress. This biological aspect underscores the health implications of long-term caffeine consumption that the creator wanted to avoid.

💡Spiritual Standpoint

The spiritual standpoint refers to a perspective based on one's religious or spiritual beliefs. The creator discusses her decision to quit caffeine from a spiritual viewpoint, expressing a desire to not let any substance become an 'idol' or something above her faith. This aspect adds a personal and philosophical dimension to her journey.

💡Physical Health

Physical health pertains to the overall well-being and functioning of the body. The video highlights improved sleep and reduced stress as benefits to the creator's physical health after quitting caffeine. These examples emphasize the broader impact of lifestyle changes on one's well-being.

💡Idolization

Idolization is the act of placing something on a pedestal or treating it as extremely important or valuable. In the context of the video, the creator reflects on how she idolized caffeine, making it a central part of her daily routine and emotional well-being. Recognizing and addressing this idolization was crucial for her recovery.

💡Substance Abuse

Substance abuse is the harmful or hazardous use of drugs, including alcohol and caffeine. The script references a college class on substance abuse where caffeine was discussed, indicating that it can be addictive and misused. This keyword ties into the broader themes of addiction and recovery presented in the video.

💡Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is the capacity for introspection and understanding one's own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The creator emphasizes her self-awareness in recognizing her addiction and making a conscious decision to change. This trait is portrayed as instrumental in overcoming her dependence on caffeine.

Highlights

Leah shares her personal journey of overcoming caffeine addiction.

Caffeine was a part of Leah's life since high school, starting with instant coffee.

In college, Leah continued the habit, often drinking coffee in mugs and lattes during internships.

Leah acknowledges caffeine as a socially acceptable drug that she consumed for 13 years.

The decision to quit caffeine was driven by a desire for better health and spiritual reasons.

Leah experienced physical symptoms like migraines and emotional symptoms like depression during withdrawal.

Caffeine withdrawal led to a period of questioning personal identity without the substance.

Leah found that caffeine was intertwined with her life events and daily routines.

After a month of abstinence, Leah noticed improved productivity and better sleep.

Leah's emotional dependency on caffeine was stronger than she initially realized.

The process of breaking free from caffeine involved challenging her emotional attachment.

Leah set a goal to be caffeine-free for 30 days and gradually lost her desire for it.

After completing the 30-day challenge, Leah tried caffeine again but found she no longer craved it.

Leah's new perspective on caffeine led her to see it as unnecessary and even detrimental to her health.

The journey to overcome caffeine addiction has reshaped Leah's relationship with food and drink.

Leah's story serves as an inspiration for others struggling with addiction and the desire for change.

Leah reflects on the importance of not making substances or food an idol in one's life.

The video concludes with Leah's realization that addiction is real and can be overcome.

Transcripts

play00:00

and in that moment i really noticed i

play00:03

don't need this my desire for it is gone

play00:05

like it was like i'm trying to fit a

play00:06

square into a circle hole

play00:09

[Music]

play00:17

hey guys welcome back to my channel if

play00:19

you're new here welcome to my channel my

play00:21

name is leah thank you for clicking on

play00:24

today's video today i'm just coming to

play00:26

y'all with a quick story of how i've

play00:29

been able to move past

play00:32

a caffeine addiction and i'm gonna just

play00:35

share with y'all kind of like how i

play00:36

started with caffeine

play00:38

you know what my process looked like

play00:40

getting past it and you know where i'm

play00:43

at now so yeah i just wanted to share

play00:45

this with y'all because it's been a

play00:46

really big adjustment to my life if

play00:49

y'all follow me for any amount of time

play00:50

you know like coffee is my thing or was

play00:53

my thing

play00:54

matcha all the caffeine give me all the

play00:56

caffeine so to be completely caffeine

play00:59

free now has been crazy so since i've

play01:01

made it a little ways i wanted to share

play01:03

with y'all where i'm at so i started

play01:05

drinking caffeine when i was in high

play01:06

school at the time my best friend

play01:09

every morning her her dad would make her

play01:11

a cup of coffee so it was kind of like

play01:13

instant coffee with a lot of like cream

play01:16

and sugar and she didn't drink it and he

play01:18

would make it for her every morning so

play01:20

she would just give it to me in the

play01:21

hallway it all started one day she's

play01:23

like leah do you want this coffee and

play01:25

i'm like

play01:26

sure

play01:28

and that's where the love for caffeine

play01:31

started and i will say this i've never

play01:33

been one to drink coffee black but

play01:36

yeah for me to get started with like

play01:38

caffeine with cream and sugar and all

play01:41

the additives it was a quick

play01:43

thing that i started to like so in high

play01:45

school i never went out of my way for

play01:47

coffee but she would bring it to me

play01:49

pretty regularly and it might have just

play01:51

been like my last year in high school it

play01:53

wasn't like since my freshman year but

play01:55

at a certain point that's when i was

play01:56

introduced to it and then when i was in

play01:58

college i remember drinking coffee as

play02:01

well

play02:01

like taking it with me in a mug kind of

play02:04

the same approach like instant coffee

play02:05

with cream um and then when i started

play02:08

interning in the summers i started doing

play02:11

duncan and that's something that i would

play02:12

go get on my lunch break and yeah it

play02:14

just became a part of my life so i was

play02:16

introduced to coffee as a teenager in

play02:18

high school and continued to drink it

play02:20

all throughout college and then also

play02:22

past college so i'm 28 and

play02:26

yeah that's a long time so i probably

play02:27

started drinking coffee when i was 15

play02:29

and i stopped drinking it at 28. so that

play02:31

is 13 years of consistent caffeine

play02:35

consumption

play02:36

and the crazy thing about coffee is that

play02:38

it is something that i feel like a lot

play02:40

of people don't really think twice about

play02:42

um in caffeine in general you know it's

play02:44

one of those it's actually a drug

play02:47

but it's very socially acceptable it's

play02:49

something that people

play02:51

you know build their their days around

play02:53

like i can't do this until i get my

play02:56

coffee i can't

play02:57

don't talk to me until i get my coffee

play02:59

you know like just very

play03:00

built-in and if it was with any other

play03:03

substance like

play03:05

don't talk to me until i get my alcohol

play03:06

in the morning or whatever the case may

play03:08

be

play03:08

you know people will probably be raising

play03:10

eyebrows but caffeine is something that

play03:13

is just accepted in our culture

play03:16

there's coffee shops everywhere it's

play03:17

just a part of the life so i fell into

play03:19

that that pattern that habit that group

play03:22

of people

play03:23

who had coffee regularly i never did

play03:26

like more than one to two cups a day

play03:29

but you know i know there's people who

play03:30

do five six seven plus cups and i wasn't

play03:33

on that end of the caffeine spectrum um

play03:36

but yeah your girl was having it as much

play03:39

as i wanted it so fast forward to like

play03:41

my current age 28 i

play03:44

would have coffee

play03:46

pretty regularly at a certain point i

play03:48

bought a espresso machine so i was

play03:50

making lattes at home

play03:51

and um just it was a part of my life

play03:54

prior to that i would always go to

play03:55

duncan or go out and get coffee or try

play03:57

to make it at home or make coffee

play03:59

protein smoothies or whatever i could

play04:01

really think of i also did a lot of

play04:03

matcha as well it's been a part of my

play04:05

life and i was at a point where i was

play04:06

having it maybe once or twice a day but

play04:09

not often skipping days if you would ask

play04:12

me like two months ago why i drank

play04:14

coffee i would say it's because of the

play04:16

taste i don't need the caffeine it's

play04:18

just because of the taste so that's how

play04:20

i felt about it and i just enjoyed it so

play04:22

i would do much and i would do coffee

play04:25

and i would do lattes and all that stuff

play04:27

i would say over the past several months

play04:29

i

play04:30

noticed that my behaviors were becoming

play04:32

a little too much like so for example

play04:34

there was like a snow storm you know

play04:36

everyone's saying don't go on the roads

play04:38

don't do this and i'm like eh i want to

play04:40

go to duncan call them to see if they're

play04:42

open and i'm going so it's like my

play04:43

behaviors were becoming that of like

play04:45

someone who's addicted to something like

play04:48

why even though it's not safe for me to

play04:50

drive in this blizzard right now am i

play04:52

going to get an iced coffee so i have a

play04:54

lot of questions for myself but you know

play04:56

yeah so that's where i was at so the

play04:58

reason why i wanted to stop drinking

play05:00

caffeine and stop drinking coffee

play05:02

regularly and matcha and caffeinated

play05:05

teas

play05:05

is because i don't like

play05:08

a substance or anything really having a

play05:10

strong hold on me if you're a follower

play05:12

of mine you know i'm a christian so from

play05:15

a spiritual standpoint you know why

play05:18

why does this substance have such a grip

play05:20

on me if we're gonna be honest it's not

play05:22

that good you know so why am i feeling

play05:24

this way so i wanted to stop drinking

play05:26

coffee and initially i was like i'm

play05:29

gonna cut it out forever um and then

play05:30

also like i know that it's not good for

play05:32

your hormones and it can be bad for

play05:34

cortisol and all that so i had enough

play05:36

reason to be like you know what i don't

play05:38

want to drink it anymore so i decided i

play05:40

was going to stop oh and i forgot to

play05:41

mention like in the past i would maybe

play05:43

stop drinking coffee here and there but

play05:45

never for very long never more than a

play05:47

few weeks

play05:48

and i might have stopped drinking coffee

play05:50

at a certain point but i would drink

play05:52

teas like i would never just be like

play05:54

fully no caffeine you know and when i

play05:56

was in college i stopped drinking it for

play05:58

a little bit

play05:59

and i was getting migraine so i was

play06:01

taking excedrin and then i realized

play06:03

excedrin has caffeine in it so yeah i

play06:05

don't i've never just stopped and never

play06:07

looked back so anyways i decided to make

play06:09

the change i decided i'm gonna go cold

play06:11

turkey

play06:12

and um

play06:14

there's so much stuff online that's like

play06:15

don't go cold turkey wean yourself off

play06:18

but for somebody like me like

play06:20

i could finesse the situation like yeah

play06:22

i'ma weave myself off for the next month

play06:24

and then just never stop you know so i

play06:26

was like no i need to go cold turkey it

play06:28

is possible and i'm about to do it so

play06:30

the first day i have migraines um and it

play06:33

wasn't unbearable like i still was able

play06:35

to go about my day

play06:37

just kind of like not feeling the best

play06:39

in the head

play06:40

second day i also had a migraine

play06:42

um the third day

play06:44

probably was like why did i choose to do

play06:46

this

play06:47

what is the reason why why did i decide

play06:49

to do this it's not making sense the

play06:51

math ain't math and why am i doing this

play06:53

it's not that big of a deal like the

play06:54

rationalizing set in and i would say

play06:58

at a certain point within that first

play07:00

week i started to feel depressed i

play07:03

literally was like who am i without

play07:05

caffeine who am i without this like

play07:08

it's was so ingrained to who i was as a

play07:11

person especially since i started in my

play07:13

like formative teen years it was a part

play07:15

of my identity like

play07:17

so much of my life revolved around like

play07:20

i'm going to the mall let me go get a

play07:21

coffee or i'm going here let me stop and

play07:23

do this it was weaved in and intertwined

play07:26

with my life so to take it out i felt

play07:29

odd i felt like bizarre like what is

play07:32

life and that's when i started looking

play07:34

up online

play07:35

like what are the symptoms of caffeine

play07:36

withdrawal and one of them can be

play07:39

anxiety depression i've experienced

play07:41

depression in the past but i really

play07:44

don't deal with it currently like i

play07:46

might have days where i'm sad or

play07:47

whatever but like not like that like i

play07:48

was like what is the point of my life if

play07:51

i don't have these things and then it's

play07:53

just like wow like this is really it

play07:55

really has a grip on me i was so down

play07:57

like i can't even put into words i

play07:59

couldn't think of anything else i

play08:01

couldn't think of

play08:02

like i went out to get breakfast with my

play08:04

husband that day and i'm eating my

play08:06

favorite meal you know pancake sausage

play08:08

and i'm like

play08:09

this is great

play08:11

but what is life this is awesome

play08:14

but it ain't hidden for me like or i

play08:16

would think like this is a point in my

play08:18

day where i would go get starbucks or i

play08:20

would go do this like what do i have to

play08:22

look forward to like that's where my

play08:23

mind went and it's a really scary place

play08:26

because i thought of myself as the sort

play08:28

of person who didn't need caffeine i

play08:31

just liked the taste i just liked the

play08:32

experience so i think it was a

play08:34

withdrawal from the actual substance

play08:36

itself but then the emotional attachment

play08:39

like if i was having a bad day i would

play08:40

get a drink having a good day oh go

play08:42

celebrate get a drink like

play08:45

i remember getting a job offer fresh out

play08:47

of college and like

play08:48

celebrating by going to starbucks or be

play08:50

like oh i deserve it yeah like it was

play08:52

intertwined with my life so

play08:55

that was very hard

play08:56

i would say it took me

play08:59

until the end of the second week to

play09:00

really get past that like

play09:02

god bless my husband because i was just

play09:05

talking about all day like you know

play09:06

let's say we're watching the show and

play09:08

i'm just like

play09:09

this is really great but i just can't

play09:11

believe how sad i feel or did it like i

play09:14

was just really going through it but at

play09:16

a certain point it did break

play09:18

and um i essentially told myself i

play09:20

wasn't gonna drink it for like 30 days

play09:22

so like four weeks i wasn't gonna have

play09:24

it um halfway through i started making

play09:27

up all these different

play09:29

uh ideas of other things i can do like

play09:31

okay maybe i'll just

play09:32

make it two weeks and then i can have it

play09:34

once a week or maybe after three weeks i

play09:37

was just really trying to rationalize

play09:39

with myself and make it fit like

play09:41

anything i could do to get back to it

play09:43

and you know that was very hard for me

play09:45

so it was very very very much an

play09:47

addiction and emotional dependency so i

play09:50

continued going to the gym in the

play09:51

mornings continued trying to eat healthy

play09:53

and

play09:54

at a certain point i was able to really

play09:57

break free from it like i was having

play09:59

like maybe some i had a tea that has

play10:01

like zero caffeine in it and it's like

play10:03

decaf sometimes i would have that i used

play10:04

to have like herbal teas

play10:06

and um what was it like passion fruit

play10:09

iced tea like things with no caffeine

play10:11

and like at a certain point i really

play10:13

stopped having the interest for coffee

play10:16

but there was a time during my process

play10:19

that i said okay at 30 days i'm going to

play10:21

go back

play10:22

and i'm gonna have a drink once a week

play10:24

and that's that was my thing and that

play10:25

helped me to not feel so depressed at a

play10:27

certain point when i was like i can have

play10:29

it once a week when i'm done with all of

play10:30

this and i won't be addicted to it and i

play10:32

won't go through this and won't go

play10:34

through that and that kind of helped me

play10:36

to make it through

play10:38

but over time my desires really did

play10:40

change i saw positive qualities coming

play10:43

about myself from not being on caffeine

play10:45

like for example let's say it's the

play10:47

beginning of the day i go to the gym

play10:49

come home get ready i would feel like i

play10:51

need my coffee and then i can get

play10:53

started when you take that out the way

play10:55

you really have no other option but to

play10:56

just get started with the day like my

play10:58

productivity was so much

play11:00

better i wasn't procrastinating waiting

play11:03

to have this moment with this drink

play11:06

ain't no drink

play11:08

get to work you know like do what you

play11:09

have to do and that's kind of was

play11:11

something that i noticed it made me more

play11:13

productive i was sleeping so much better

play11:16

whereas in the past i might wake up more

play11:18

during the night but now i'm like going

play11:20

to sleep staying asleep and i'm waking

play11:22

up rested waking up ready to hit the

play11:24

ground running because we wake up around

play11:26

like six so i wake up rested and ready

play11:28

to go my dreams were crazy they were

play11:31

like so vivid so you know you can do

play11:34

your own research about caffeine and the

play11:36

way it actually impacts the body but it

play11:38

really does impact the mind it can wreak

play11:41

havoc on your cortisol and it can cause

play11:44

you to be stressed

play11:46

in a perpetual state of stress because

play11:48

it's hard for your body to process it

play11:50

it's a drug at the end of the day

play11:52

and getting off of it yielded a lot of

play11:54

benefits like do i want to get back on

play11:57

the substance and then have compromised

play11:59

sleep i didn't stop drinking caffeine

play12:02

because i wanted to have better sleep

play12:03

having better sleep was a byproduct of

play12:05

cutting out caffeine having more energy

play12:08

you know not looking to

play12:10

something to give me a boost in the

play12:12

middle of the day but rather getting

play12:14

enough sleep eating more adequately and

play12:17

having more energy that's actually

play12:18

sustained and not relying on anything to

play12:21

have to give me that so that was one of

play12:23

the biggest pros and then also like if

play12:26

i'm struggling emotionally you know just

play12:28

dealing with it and not and not having

play12:30

something to fall back on um and not

play12:32

having that crutch so that was a huge

play12:35

benefit i feel like it's also helped me

play12:36

emotionally as well because

play12:38

i'm not chasing after something to make

play12:40

me feel better and i'm just able to just

play12:43

kind of process and everything as well

play12:45

so i would definitely recommend like

play12:46

doing some research on the impact that

play12:48

caffeine has on your brain because

play12:51

getting off of it was was very hard and

play12:54

like i said from a spiritual perspective

play12:56

like nothing needs to be an idol nothing

play12:58

needs to be above god and it was getting

play13:02

to the point where it's like i can't

play13:03

pretend like this is okay even though

play13:06

the world around us

play13:07

makes it seem as though

play13:09

this is okay feeding for something early

play13:12

in the morning to get your day started

play13:14

that's not what the type of life i

play13:16

wanted to live even though i lived it

play13:17

for so long so ultimately i made it to

play13:20

my 30 days and i was like at that point

play13:23

where i'm like okay i want to have it on

play13:25

occasion so i went to starbucks and i

play13:28

told myself i could have it once to two

play13:30

times a week but not back to back

play13:32

because i didn't want to get addicted so

play13:33

not friday and saturday maybe like

play13:35

wednesday or friday or whatever like

play13:36

that's what i had came to in my mind so

play13:38

i finished the 30 days and i'm like

play13:40

woohoo

play13:41

and i went to starbucks and um i got a

play13:44

matcha and i took some sips and it just

play13:47

like left a film on my tongue of like

play13:49

sugar

play13:50

i didn't like it so i probably had like

play13:53

a couple zips and i threw it in the

play13:54

trash i was like okay whatever i'll try

play13:56

another day i didn't count that because

play13:58

i didn't drink the whole drink i had

play13:59

like two sips so then the next day my

play14:01

husband and i went to philly and we went

play14:03

to a boba shop we were just standing

play14:05

there and the smell of all like the

play14:07

sugars and stuff was like it made me

play14:09

feel like nauseous so i was like okay no

play14:11

i'm not doing it so then i think it was

play14:13

sunday the next day because i never had

play14:15

a drink i had a couple sips of a matcha

play14:18

on friday threw it out didn't count

play14:20

saturday didn't get anything sunday i'm

play14:22

like okay i'm gonna try a coffee so i

play14:23

went to dunkin got my typical order of

play14:26

what i used to get and i will say this

play14:28

it tasted good i had a couple sips but i

play14:32

decided

play14:34

i don't want to have to deal

play14:36

with the mental

play14:38

process of getting back on a substance i

play14:41

don't want to feel like loopy or odd

play14:44

from having coffee when i haven't had it

play14:46

for so long and in that moment i really

play14:49

noticed i don't need this my desire for

play14:52

it is gone like it was like i'm trying

play14:54

to fit a square into a circle hole

play14:56

because during my time away from the

play14:58

drinks i was like looking forward to

play15:01

getting back to it but by the time i was

play15:03

able to get back to it i realized that

play15:05

my desires have changed so i had to make

play15:08

the choice keep trying to make this fit

play15:10

and ultimately wake up that desire and

play15:13

that addiction again

play15:15

um or go with the natural inclination of

play15:17

my body to not want it

play15:20

so i took like i said a few steps of the

play15:22

coffee i'm like this tastes good but the

play15:24

mental choice to not want to go down

play15:26

that route so i threw it in the trash

play15:28

and y'all i have not had anything since

play15:30

and that was probably like a week and a

play15:32

half ago so i'm past the 30 day mark

play15:34

that i set

play15:36

and i'm right now in the second month

play15:38

but at this point i'm not really

play15:39

counting anymore

play15:40

i'm really honoring the new desires and

play15:43

i'm grateful that god has given me new

play15:45

desires to just not want it like and

play15:47

another thing about caffeine is like

play15:49

it's an appetite suppressant so

play15:51

when i stopped drinking it i was eating

play15:53

more and my weight started going up and

play15:55

you know in the past whenever i wanted

play15:57

to stop drinking it that would always

play15:58

make me be like nope i'm getting back on

play16:00

coffee because i can keep my weight

play16:02

lower and all this different stuff this

play16:04

whole process has made me really

play16:06

challenge my relationship with food

play16:09

with you know drinks and

play16:11

kind of reshape my life

play16:13

so

play16:14

at this point i eat more food but it's

play16:16

important to eat food and nourish your

play16:19

body so it's like

play16:21

it just had to go so ultimately i'm done

play16:23

with it and that's where i'm at my

play16:25

desires for caffeine are gone like i had

play16:27

a drink and it tasted so good but it was

play16:29

like four what like what is the purpose

play16:32

like if you really aren't depending on

play16:34

the substance what is the purpose of the

play16:36

drink you can easily get something else

play16:38

that doesn't have it in there so it's

play16:40

like if you're having coffee and matchas

play16:42

and bobas or whatever every day or so

play16:45

often

play16:46

and you think kind of like how i thought

play16:48

like

play16:49

it's not i don't have an issue with

play16:50

caffeine like i just like the taste

play16:52

then

play16:54

why do you want it so bad when there's

play16:55

options that don't

play16:57

have caffeine

play16:59

like other drinks other things you can

play17:00

do you know so i just want to kind of

play17:02

share my experience because i've made it

play17:05

beyond where i thought i could

play17:08

like in those moments where i was so

play17:09

depressed and so down and like so dismal

play17:12

i never would have thought i could get

play17:14

to this point where i really

play17:16

passed starbucks past duncan i'm like

play17:18

i'm good like if i want it i could have

play17:21

it but i don't want it so i'm not going

play17:23

to have it i'm not forcing myself to

play17:25

have it like that that pattern that

play17:27

stronghold that addiction is broken so

play17:29

why would i invite that back into my

play17:32

life i'm not telling y'all what to do

play17:34

obviously i'm just sharing my story with

play17:36

you and um it's been very interesting

play17:40

very interesting

play17:41

um and now like the other day we were

play17:44

out and about and that's when i would

play17:46

thrive and i'm like ooh let's do this

play17:48

let's do that now i'm like i am thirsty

play17:51

can we pull over and i can get some

play17:53

water like how many times was i thirsty

play17:55

but i was reaching for the dehydrating

play17:56

coffee like your girl was probably super

play17:58

parched so now i'm really past it and

play18:01

i'm very grateful so like if i want to

play18:03

treat i might go get like a fresh

play18:05

squeezed juice and that's actually

play18:07

refreshing and it actually does

play18:09

something for me you know rather than

play18:11

like oh i'ma go get this

play18:12

coffee and cream and all this like

play18:15

from a logical standpoint it's not doing

play18:16

anything for me like obviously people

play18:18

say oh there's benefits to coffee

play18:20

there's benefits to green tea but you

play18:22

can also get those benefits from eating

play18:23

nutritious foods

play18:24

like

play18:25

i don't know the thing with an addiction

play18:27

is that you can always make an excuse

play18:30

for it and i just noticed that within

play18:32

myself and i'm just too self-aware to

play18:36

have that experience and to pretend like

play18:38

i'm not having it like

play18:40

i'm feeding i'm driving the middle of a

play18:42

snowstorm when i have no business being

play18:44

out here because this is so good that

play18:46

i'm willing to risk my life like that'll

play18:48

make no sense if you're like me and you

play18:50

watch like lifestyle content on youtube

play18:52

coffee's always so integrated into

play18:54

everything it's like morning routine

play18:57

include coffee morning routine include

play19:00

um matcha or vlog going to get this

play19:04

going to get that but you know i've had

play19:06

to make that break for myself and like

play19:08

i've said i've been sleeping better i

play19:09

just feel better in my body and also

play19:12

feels good to know that i'm not making

play19:13

anything an idol i'm extremely more

play19:16

productive because i'm not waiting

play19:18

on something to get me going like

play19:22

just get going you know that's kind of

play19:23

how i've been with myself and then also

play19:25

i have a lot more free time because i

play19:27

cannot tell you like how much time i

play19:29

used to waste driving to these places

play19:31

and get in line and it's just like why

play19:33

am i here like when i went to get that

play19:35

matcha after i was done with my 30 days

play19:37

it took me like 10 minutes to get there

play19:39

10 minutes to get back the line of

play19:41

starbucks was like 20 minutes i'm like

play19:42

this is about to be about an hour

play19:45

that i'm spending

play19:46

and for what so yeah that's where i'm at

play19:49

today and i wanted to kind of share that

play19:50

with y'all because if you're struggling

play19:53

with any sort of like addiction or

play19:55

you're really trying to break free from

play19:56

something really be empowered to push

play20:00

against your flesh because at the end of

play20:02

the day our flesh wants what it wants

play20:04

but god is ultimately in control you

play20:07

have control over what you do and what

play20:09

you don't do and there's no substance or

play20:12

no food or drink that we should really

play20:15

put at that level in our lives where our

play20:17

day is surrounded around that and our

play20:20

joy is surrounded around that like when

play20:22

i was going through the emotional

play20:24

detachment it really showed me how much

play20:26

of an idol caffeine was in my life

play20:30

and i'll leave y'all with this when i

play20:32

was in college i remember be taking a

play20:34

class about substance abuse and misuse

play20:38

and there was a chapter on caffeine and

play20:40

i remember the professor talking about

play20:43

it that day and i was so internally

play20:46

resistant to what he was saying like

play20:48

why are you mentioning this in the same

play20:50

category as as nicotine and this and

play20:53

that

play20:54

but it really is an addictive substance

play20:56

and i was resistant to it then and

play20:59

there's a reason because i was addicted

play21:01

to it then so yeah addiction is real and

play21:03

you can be addicted to anything so i

play21:06

think it's important to just continue to

play21:07

take inventory of yourself your idols

play21:10

your desires and and really um challenge

play21:14

yourself to understand why why am i

play21:16

doing this why can i not stop doing this

play21:20

and

play21:21

what is it going to take for me to be

play21:22

able to break free from it anyways i

play21:24

hope that y'all enjoyed this video let

play21:26

me know down below are you a caffeine

play21:27

drinker is it your thing honestly if i

play21:30

could go back to high school when my

play21:32

friend offered me the coffee i probably

play21:33

would have just said no thanks

play21:36

then this probably would have never

play21:37

happened okay um because my parents

play21:38

don't drink coffee anyways i hope they

play21:40

enjoyed this video give it a thumbs up

play21:42

if you did be sure to subscribe and i

play21:45

look forward to seeing you all in the

play21:46

next video bye

play21:50

[Music]

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Etiquetas Relacionadas
Caffeine AddictionHealth JourneyProductivity BoostEmotional DetachmentSugar CravingsLife ChangeSelf AwarenessFood RelationshipSpiritual GrowthHabit Break
¿Necesitas un resumen en inglés?