7 Causes of Anxiety | Everyday Health

Everyone gets anxious, restless, and frazzled — but if you constantly feel worried, tense, or on edge, you may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time.

Doctors make a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) when patients have anxiety symptoms (such as intense and overwhelming worry and three out of six of the following: irritability, sleep disturbance, fatigue, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, and restlessness) for more than six months.

Examples of other anxiety disorders include:

According to the Mayo Clinic, you can have more than one anxiety disorder.

Research shows that a combination of environmental and genetic factors likely increase a person’s risk for developing an anxiety disorder, notes the National Institute of Mental Health. Like so many health conditions, anxiety appears to run in families.

In addition to underlying disorders, anxiety may be caused by stress, whether from a major life event or the accumulated effect of small everyday stressors. Anxiety can also come with a medical condition such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or thyroid disorders that need treatment. There’s a clear link between caffeine and anxiety and alcohol and anxiety. And certain medications may cause anxiety. In this case, avoiding caffeine and alcohol or changing medications may reduce the anxiety. It’s important to note that while all these things (medications, substances, and stress) can cause anxious feelings, this type of anxiety is distinct from a psychiatric diagnosis of an anxiety disorder.

Some anxiety is normal, but if you suffer from severe anxiety or are worrying too much, it’s important to talk with a mental health specialist about your symptoms. Psychologists focus more on psychotherapy and are not medical doctors. Psychiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in mental health treatment. Both psychologists and psychiatrists can diagnose and treat anxiety disorders with psychotherapy, and psychiatrists can also prescribe medications. Psychologists in a few states may have the ability to prescribe, but this is not common or widespread.

Additionally, if you have anxiety with suicidal thoughts, seek emergency medical treatment immediately.

Could any of the following be causing your anxiety?

How To Get Rid Of Coffee Jitters And Anxiety – New West Physicians : New West Physicians

Do you find that you get a little… irritable, with your morning coffee lately?  Have you enjoyed it for a while but now find that it sets you off?  Are you having trouble sleeping lately? If this sounds like you, this article may help. 

It’s no news that coffee (otherwise known as the nectar of the gods) has caffeine. This is what gives us that jolt we seek each morning. But there’s more to coffee than just caffeine. 

Try taking a caffeine pill and you will be able to tell the difference.

Coffee is a stimulant but it is also acidic and a diuretic.

This means that while coffee gives you energy, it will also deplete some of your body’s essential resources.

The nervousness you might be feeling with your coffee will probably have more to do with the deficiencies caused by prolonged coffee intake than the coffee itself.

Here’s a way to combat the deficiencies so that you can enjoy your coffee stress-free.

The first and obvious choice, drink less coffee! In fact, if you eat well and get great sleep, you won’t need coffee for energy. However, if you enjoy the drink, there are some great ways to help reduce the downsides of drinking regularly.

Coffee Quality

Most coffee that you drink tastes bitter. And why is that? Because it has gone rancid. Coffee goes rancid a week after it has been roasted. A good cup of coffee should not taste very bitter or heavy with tannins (those particles that float in the cup and rest on your tongue) and should be brewed within a week of roasting. You should easily be able to enjoy the taste without any cream or sugar. If you need cream or sugar, you know you have a bad cup.

To ensure a good cup of coffee that’s fresh, buy it from a shop that roasts its own coffee or begin buying fresh coffee beans and roasting them yourself. It’s surprisingly easy, and if you love your coffee, totally worth it.

Mineral Deficiencies

Coffee is acidic. This mean it lowers your body’s natural Ph level (your level of alkalinity). Your body is always striving to maintain balance, so when your blood becomes acidic, your body responds by releasing basic molecules to balance out your Ph. Our body does this by leaching calcium and magnesium from our bones and muscles. Calcium and magnesium are important minerals that regulate muscle contraction in your body. If you’re feeling tight and jittery, it’s likely because you are calcium or magnesium deficient (or you simply had too many cups at once).

If you’re a regular coffee drinker you should be supplementing with calcium and magnesium to correct the deficiency and be eating an alkaline diet high in fruits and vegetables.

Sleep

The less sleep you get, the more coffee you need. The more coffee you drink the less sleep you get. It can become a vicious cycle.

The stimulant effect you get from caffeine comes from the release of noradrenaline from your adrenal glands, which lie just above your kidneys. When these glands tire from over-stimulation and lack of rest, you’ll begin to get adrenal fatigue. And when your adrenals are burnt out, so are you.

Make sure you get enough rest so your adrenals can recover and you will enjoy  lasting energy from your coffee without a nasty crash.

Stress Management

This ties right in with sleep. Physical and psychological stress also tax your adrenals.

Meditating for 10 minutes in the morning is a great way to become centered before fully waking up. When you are nice and calm before you have coffee you are going to be more focused and grounded.

Hydrate

Drink water slowly throughout the day. If you drink a bunch of water in the morning with your coffee you can bet that you’re going to need to go to the bathroom often. This will actually cause you to expel more water than you take in, causing you to become more dehydrated.

Timing

Have your coffee with some food and wait to have it at least an hour after waking. This will slow the absorption of the coffee so that there is less of a spike in the energy you get from the caffeine, creating a slower come up and a better lasting buzz.

Avoid having coffee within 8 hours of sleeping to ensure it is no longer in your system when you want to sleep. As mentioned before, the key to enjoying a good cup of coffee is to make sure you are well rested.

If you follow the steps listed above, your coffee-related anxieties and jitters should disappear, and you’ll be able to enjoy your morning pick-me-up without any of the negative side effects.

Tags: behavioralhealth, coffee, denver, health, healthyeating, newwestphysicians

Is Caffeine Fueling Your Anxieties?

By Robert Preidt
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) — If you struggle with anxiety, you might want to skip that second cup of coffee, new research suggests.

For some people, caffeine may help with concentration and provide an energy boost, but it can cause problems for those with general anxiety disorder, said Dr. Julie Radico, a clinical psychologist with Penn State Health.

“Caffeine is not the enemy,” she said in a university news release. “But I encourage people to know healthy limits and consume it strategically because it is activating and can mimic or exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety. “

Low doses of caffeine are in the range of 50 to 200 milligrams (mg). Consuming more than 400 mg at once may lead to feeling overstimulated and anxious, and bring on symptoms such as racing heart, nausea or abdominal pain.

Anxiety is a common problem, but many patients and their doctors don’t think about caffeine as a potential contributing factor, said Dr. Matthew Silvis, vice chair of clinical operations in the division of family medicine at Penn State Health.

Continued

“We want people to consider whether there may be a connection between their caffeine consumption and anxiety,” he said.

As well as being a potential problem for people with anxiety, caffeine can interact negatively with medications for seizure disorders, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, certain heart conditions or thyroid disease, Silvis noted.

“Medical disorders that a patient may already have can become more difficult to control,” he said.

In terms of amounts of caffeine, an average cup of home-brewed coffee has about 100 mg, compared with 250 mg in a tall Starbucks coffee and as much as 400 mg in energy drinks. A can of Mountain Dew has 55 mg while a can of Coca-Cola has 35 mg.

Many vitamin and sports or nutritional supplements also contain caffeine, but many people don’t think to check the labels of those products, Silvis added.

Brewing Trouble

–>When patients have trouble with panic attacks and come to psychologist Norman B. Schmidt, PhD, he asks if they drink coffee and whether the anxiety strikes shortly afterward, say, in the morning on the way to work.

If their answer is “yes,” he has a surprising treatment: More coffee. But now these patients carefully sip their java while noting their physical reactions. That way, Schmidt hopes, they’ll learn to recognize their pounding hearts and quickened pulses for what those symptoms really represent: a caffeine-induced buzz.

With coffeehouses springing up on every street corner, researchers like Schmidt are increasingly concerned about caffeine’s role in panic and other anxiety disorders. Indeed, caffeine’s power has become so well recognized that the American Psychiatric Association has added three related disorders to its list of official diagnoses: caffeine intoxication, caffeine-related anxiety, and caffeine-related sleep disorders.

“Caffeine is the most widely used mood-altering drug in the world,” says Roland Griffiths, PhD, a professor in the departments of psychiatry and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “People often see coffee, tea, and soft drinks simply as beverages rather than vehicles for a psychoactive drug. But caffeine can exacerbate anxiety and panic disorders.”

Continued

It’s no surprise that caffeine gets so much attention from scientists these days. After all, 80% of Americans drink it. In fact, occasional coffee consumption rose 6% in the last year alone, according to the National Coffee Association. At the same time, panic and other anxiety disorders have become the most common mental illnesses in the United States. When caffeine overlaps with these disorders, the result can be trouble.

“If you tend to be a high-strung, anxious person,” says Schmidt, “using a lot of caffeine can be risky.”

Runaway Anxiety

Technically, caffeine works by blocking the depressant function of a chemical called adenosine, says Griffiths. For most of us, the result is a pleasurable sense of energy and focus. Indeed, a British study published in the October 1999 issue of Human Psychopharmacology confirmed what most latte-lovers already know: Caffeine enhances alertness, concentration, and memory.

Continued

Drink more coffee than you’re accustomed to, however, and that same stimulant can cause the jitters. And in people predisposed to anxiety disorders, caffeine can trigger a spiral of sensations — sweaty palms, a pounding heart, ringing in the ears — that leads to a full-blown panic attack.

What makes some of us feel panic while others feel pleasantly alert? Susceptible people experience caffeine’s effects as signs of impending doom. Once that happens, anxiety can take on a life of its own. While many give up coffee, others give up whatever they were doing when struck by caffeine’s disturbing side effects. Someone who downs coffee at breakfast and then hops on the freeway to work, for example, may attribute feelings of panic to rush-hour traffic rather than to caffeine.

No-Doz Cocktails

To help people with panic and related anxiety disorders, psychologists typically ask patients to taper their caffeine use while they learn how to respond appropriately to their own physiological reactions. At the Center for Stress and Anxiety Disorders in Albany, N.Y., psychologist John Forsyth, PhD, uses an approach known as cognitive-behavioral therapy. Gradually, patients learn to interpret their symptoms. A fast-beating heart, they discover, is the body’s normal reaction to a stimulant like caffeine — not a sign of an impending heart attack.

But not all psychologists think that avoiding caffeine is a long-term cure. Norman Schmidt, an associate professor of psychology at Ohio State University, is one who actually prescribes coffee as part of treatment. The goal? To help patients confront their fears head-on and learn to distinguish unfounded panic from a real threat.

After teaching patients to recognize caffeine’s effects, Schmidt has them desensitize themselves by gradually increasing their consumption of caffeine over the course of a month or two. Patients start with sips of soda, then work up to a cup of coffee.

The final exam? A strong cup of coffee spiked with No-Doz. “They don’t feel great, but they learn they can have these feelings and nothing terrible happens,” says Schmidt. “We could tell them that over and over again, but they’ve got to know it in their gut.”

Continued

If patients ending treatment announce they still don’t intend to drink coffee, Schmidt knows they haven’t overcome their unfounded fear. So there’s one more test they must pass. He tells them to down a triple espresso without triggering a panic attack.

Says Schmidt: “We call it the ‘Starbucks challenge.’ “

Rebecca A. Clay is a writer based in Washington, D.C., whose articles have also appeared in Psychology Today, Modern Maturity, and The Washington Post.

I Quit Coffee to Cure My Anxiety

At times, my anxiety spikes so much that I’m motivated to do whatever it takes to lessen it—if that means giving up coffee. And did I mention that I really, really love coffee? Like, everything about coffee: the smell, the taste, the ritual, the warmth of the cup in my hands, the feeling of joy in my heart when I take that first sip. Some might even say that I have a coffee addiction.

I’ve been able to quit coffee a few times, but it’s never lasted very long. My most successful break from coffee happened eight years ago. I was acting and waiting tables at the time. Leading up to my coffee detox, I remember asking another waitress who was in graduate school to be a social worker if she thought I had Generalized Anxiety Disorder because I was so anxious. All. The. Time. Or maybe I just drank too much coffee?

I quit caffeine and soon after, went on a weeklong yoga retreat in Mexico that involved daily intense three-hour yoga classes, eating tons of fresh fruits and vegetables, and sipping smoothies on the beach. Without coffee on this trip, I slept soundly, woke up on my own before 7 am, and was bursting with energy. I’ve often thought if I were ever going to quit coffee again, I’d have to live in Mexico and do three hours of yoga a day.

Then there was the time five years ago when I quit coffee as my New Year’s Resolution. On New Year’s Day (yes, that would be the same day I made my resolution), I was going to brunch with a friend and on the way there she wanted to stop at a neighborhood coffee shop known for its strongly brewed beverages; one whiff of the coffee-filled air and my resolve dissolved.

But about a month ago, I was so consumed with anxiety that I got a glimpse of just how much it was affecting the quality of my life. I didn’t want to spend every day tormented by a constant stream of worried thoughts and incessantly accompanied by the tightness of anxiety wrapping itself around my chest and twisting my stomach into knots. I reached a point where I had to do something. So I gave up coffee and switched to iced green tea; even though it’s caffeinated, it doesn’t make my mind and heart race like coffee does.

Going off coffee, what I’d hoped for is that I’d never be anxious, ever again. That didn’t happen. Initially, the results were amazing: I felt calm and more focused, and my mind was uncharacteristically quiet. But then, I got anxious. And the anxiety was as bad as it’s been when I was drinking coffee. What I realized is, off coffee, I still get anxious. And when I’m anxious, I’m anxious. But the difference is, I’m not anxious all the time, or for no reason. So the payoff has been good enough to keep me on the wagon.

And what’s helped me not cheat is having a coffee detox support group on Twitter. The same weekend I was thinking about giving up coffee, one of my Twitter friends who I tweet with about how much we love coffee also decided to give up coffee. So now a few of us tweet about our #coffeedetox and how long we’ve been off coffee, instead of how delicious the latte we just had was or when we’re planning to get our next coffee fix.

I’ve been off coffee for one month and counting. Some days it’s easy and I have no desire to indulge, especially thinking about how jittery it would make me. Other days as I stand at the bar at Starbucks waiting for my iced green tea, I tilt my head back and stare longingly at the picture alongside the drink menu of a luscious iced coffee, its cascading swirls of milk and glass glistening with condensation. And on those days I feel like a life without coffee, a life without warm Italian bread and melted butter, or a life without ice cream, is bleak and barren.

I’m not completely cured of anxiety, abiding in a permanent state of blissful tranquility. Without coffee, though, I notice small improvements and more moments of calm. But I miss (need?) coffee. For now, I’m enjoying getting some relief from anxiety, thinking that an occasional decaf wouldn’t be so bad, and taking my coffee detox one day at a time.

Let’s Talk About Caffeine Induced Anxiety Disorder

Caffeine, it’s what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

For most of us we drink a cup of coffee, tea or soda. We drink them to give us energy. We make jokes about needing our caffeine to get us going each day. We blame our grumpy moods on not being able to have caffeine. Just thinking about it makes us feel a little more energetic and hopeful that we can make it through the day without feeling sluggish. What is our fascination with this drug? Why does something so good have to be so bad?

Before you act on that craving, take the time to learn a little bit more about caffeine and the effects it can have on your central nervous system.

There are four major diagnoses surrounding caffeine to include caffeine intoxication, caffeine addiction, caffeine induced anxiety and caffeine induced insomnia. Who knew? And to think something like this is everywhere we go and marketed to us by large companies as if it were a health product.

It’s time we start learning more about what we consume and how it will affect us psychology.

Quick Rundown on Caffeine

Caffeine can be produced naturally or artificially. Naturally, it is derived from the seeds of several different plants. From there it is mixed into teas, coffees, sodas, and even foods. It gives people a burst of energy that is short-term. It is listed as a drug in all medical and psychiatric literature because it works on the central nervous system and can have dangerous side effects if used in high quantities. In its purest form, caffeine can be compared to cocaine.

If you abuse cocaine and decide to quit using cocaine, you will go through withdrawal and experience symptoms of anxiety, headache, sometimes upset stomach, bowel problems and body aches. Similar withdrawal effects happen when a person quits caffeine. These symptoms are part of the reason people do not quit using caffeine. The thought of having withdrawals can make people feel anxious and even have panic attacks. You can go one day but then you start to feel like crap and you know that one cup of coffee will help you feel better. So you end up giving in to the craving and take a drink of caffeine to avoid anxiety and any other discomfort. This is all too normal among caffeine users. Maybe if we knew more about the dangers of caffeine you would drink it less.

Caffeine basically raises everything in your system, from energy to blood sugar levels to blood pressure. Caffeine can also create anxiety, dry mouth, ketones in your urine, and even nausea and diarrhea in some. Other effects include confusion, rapid heartbeat, and muscle aches. When a person starts to feel the effects, the brain is triggered to either fight or flight. This causes a lot of anxiety in some people because they are feeling the effects of caffeine but they don’t know what is causing them. They don’t associate their anxiety to the caffeine they drink. So they freak out and allow anxiety to take over. Caffeine increases stress hormones, it can interact with medications you may already be taking for anxiety, is linked to several mental disorders, and robs your brain of nutrients which makes it hard to fight anxiety attacks.

Many of these symptoms are similar to a hangover. Speaking of hangovers, people think a cup or two of coffee can sober you up. This is so not true. The only thing coffee can do for you or your hangover is to help you take the time necessary to sober up. Water is more of a friend to you than coffee when you have been out on the town drinking with your buddies. Caffeine dehydrates you and so does alcohol. With double the dehydration effects, you are more likely to feel a pounding headache and be queasy on your stomach the morning after. Most people pop some aspirin with their soda or coffee. This can help but what your body is truly asking for is water. The best thing you can do to avoid a hangover is to drink water before going to bed and have a glass of water next to your bed so you can continue to rehydrate yourself throughout the night.

Caffeine is a stimulant and is quickly, within minutes, absorbed from the stomach to the blood stream. Get this, caffeine is so powerful it can block the neurotransmitters that tell the brain to relax and calm down. That is just crazy. But it makes perfect sense that if your brain is not able to tell your body to relax and calm down, you are going to have to deal with anxiety. Before you know it you can be in full panic mode because you drank too much caffeine.

It sounds like items containing caffeine should have a warning label on them. Not that a warning label would stop us from drinking caffeine or anything but it may slow us down and help us drink it moderately and not like the energy seeking beasts we truly are. It should read: Warning, too much caffeine has been known to cause severe anxiety.

The daily recommendation of caffeine intake is 400 miligrams (mg) or less. But for those suffering from anxiety disorders, the recommendation is 200 mg or less. Let’s put this into perspective, one of those tiny five-hour energy shots has 200 grams. Even the five-hour energy shot that claims to be decaffeinated has 6 mg. Sodas have around 30 mg, similar to teas with caffeine.  If you are a person who already has a diagnosis of generalized anxiety or severe anxiety or panic disorder, it is in your best interest to avoid caffeinated products. And don’t try to make yourself happy by eating chocolate. Chocolate also has caffeine. Not fair, right?

Caffeine’s Role in Our Society

Caffeine is being offered to us in a variety of ways. There is a coffee shop on every corner and a convenience store on the other corner. They are selling us what we need, energy. We put less gas in or cars so we can buy two monster drinks loaded with triple shots of caffeine. We get the double espresso for our drive to work and the ginseng green tea with extra zest to sip on throughout the day. We spend between five and ten dollars a day on our caffeine cravings. Could we make our own at home and take it with us in a thermos? Sure. But only a few do this and come on let’s face it, they are kind of nerdy. Why? Because people in our society like to be seen holding the Starbucks coffee cup, not the bobo cup we got from our cabinet. And it is even cooler to have the refillable cup, making the statement that we are there so often we earned ourselves a refill cup. Guess what? We all fall into this trap. Just this year American independent coffee shops equaled 12 billion in sales.

Local coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi and we feel cool sitting with our computers and our refillable cups completing hard work projects, or at least checking our emails. Oh look, they have bagels on sale and a Christmas CD by Michael Buble. I should get those. Oh look, I should go ahead and buy a bag of their coffee so maybe I will spend less time in here. Um, why would you want to do that? You are like the “Norm” of the coffee shop. Everyone knows your name, your brand of coffee and the upsells you prefer. No one is buying rounds, though. But they will let you bum a smoke because coffee seems to compliment the cigarette smoker. Just attend an AA meeting during break. You will see what I mean. This leads me back to caffeine being a drug and the caffeine crash. One thing missing in our society about caffeine is the recognition that it can be dangerous.

The Higher You Go the Harder the Crash

Yes, caffeine can help us by giving us a small jolt of energy. But in the long term, caffeine may actually be contributing to our lack of energy. The body needs water, which can give us just as much if not more energy. And I don’t mean the caffeinated water sold in some stores. The effects of dehydration can lead to severe anxiety.

The more caffeine you drink, the less water you intake. Depending on how your body metabolizes caffeine, it could even make you feel drowsy and more tired than before you drank it. Whoa. Slow down. Caffeine can make me tired? Yes. And that’s not all it can do for you.

Believe it or not, you can become intoxicated on caffeine. It’s true. You can even receive a DUI (Driving under influence) traffic violation if your caffeine intoxication is causing you to be a danger to society while you are driving. I promise you do not want to go to jail for being jacked up on caffeine.

Beyond this, caffeine has been shown to induce severe anxiety in people, causing them to require medical attention. This is why it is highly recommended that people with anxiety disorder types stay away from caffeine. If you drink caffeine all day, most days, do not be surprised by the occasional fluttering of the heart or you have heart palpitations. Similar to other drugs that give you energy, caffeine can also cause you to have nervousness, sweats, and dehydration. People don’t smoke crystal meth thinking they will be able to sleep for eight hours straight. And just like a drug addict can overdose, so can someone who uses too much caffeine. Caffeine overdoses happen when someone has consumed much more caffeine than their body can handle. Overdose symptoms include seizures, heart problems, confusion, vomiting and more. It’s just not worth it. And even if you are not overdosing on caffeine, it can still be proven to be harmful at certain levels, like when you are experiencing insomnia.

I Can’t Get No Satisfaction or Sleep

If you are drinking caffeine late into the night it will be hard for you to get a good night’s sleep. Caffeine can delay the release of melatonin in your brain, making you feel awake when you should be feeling tired. Research has shown that drinking too much caffeine can reduce the amount of sleep a person gets by two hours. Many say to stop drinking caffeine at least three hours before bed time but in some research it has shown to effect people up to six hours after drinking it.

If you drink caffeine all day to have energy, then can’t go to bed because of all the caffeine you ingested, and then spend the next day being tired and sleepy, so you then have to drink even more caffeine, which then makes it hard for you to fall asleep again. It is a vicious cycle. Even though people seem to know this information, they don’t stop drinking too much caffeine. Some researchers suggest abiding by a 2pm caffeine cutoff time each day. This way you do not have to calculate when to stop drinking coffee, tea or soda.

It’s Not All Bad

No one is suggesting you do away with caffeine as a part of your daily routine. However, they are suggesting you limit your intake to between 200 and 400 mg per day. This amount seems to provide positive side effects with little damage to the body or mind. The key to ingesting caffeine is to do so in moderation. One or two drinks with caffeine a day is not going to hurt you like drinking 20 or 30 caffeinated drinks. This is true for everything in life.

Some claim coffee can make you smarter. They say it improves mood, reaction times, memory and general cognitive functions. They also claim that caffeine has helped people suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Coffee, in particular, gives you a good percentage of fiber, aiding in good digestion. Many people claim they need a cup of coffee each morning to get things moving in all parts of their body. Caffeine can fight headaches. It is proven. Look at the ingredients in Excedrin Migraine. Caffeine is one of those ingredients.  Some doctors claim drinking coffee is actually good for you in preventing heart disease and other illnesses. Obviously, anything we consume or do in moderation is best, including caffeine. So before you make your next run to Starbucks for coffee or the gas station for the 42 ounce fountain drink, try something that will truly benefit your mind and body. It will help you in the long run.

Are Coffee And Caffeine Making Your Anxiety Worse?

For many, coffee is one of life’s simple pleasures. Just thinking about that hot cup of joe or that iced latte is enough to get some people out of bed in the morning. But for the 40 million Americans who live with an anxiety disorder, a daily caffeine habit could be taking a toll on their mental health.

That’s because the stimulant effects of caffeine, especially when consumed in higher amounts, can mimic or exacerbate anxiety symptoms. Think rapid heartbeat, restlessness, gastrointestinal upset and difficulty sleeping, said Mary Margaret Sweeney, an assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

In fact, research studies have used a moderate to high dose of caffeine “as a reliable way for experimenters to generate panic among persons with panic disorder, so that their symptoms can be studied in a safe and controlled setting,” Sweeney told HuffPost.

Reactions to caffeine vary widely from person to person. Some people can down a triple shot of espresso and lie down for a nap, while others would be on edge all day after doing the same. Generally, people with preexisting anxiety disorders tend to be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine.

“Some individuals may experience anxiety, nervousness and jitteriness at much lower doses than others,” said Laura Juliano, an American University psychology professor and caffeine researcher. “Some of this variability may be due to anxiety sensitivity, genetic differences, other drugs or medications — like oral contraceptives — as well as how much caffeine someone is used to having, causing tolerance.”

“Some people may be consuming much more caffeine than they realize.”

– Laura Juliano, an American University psychology professor and caffeine researcher

So why does coffee give you that jolt? In short, the caffeine binds to the receptors in your brain intended for adenosine. The latter is a chemical messenger that plays a role in a number of bodily processes, including sleep.

“Adenosine builds up in our brains during waking hours and causes us to feel sleepy and less alert,” Juliano said. “When caffeine blocks the receptors intended for adenosine, it causes us to feel more awake and alert.”

Caffeine is also thought to trigger the release of adrenaline — the fight-or-flight hormone — which could be contributing to those feelings of anxiousness.

How much caffeine is too much?

Guidance from the Food and Drug Administration says that up to 400 milligrams per day — equivalent to about four 8-ounce cups of home-brewed coffee — is unlikely to have dangerous negative effects on healthy adults. (The recommendation for pregnant individuals is lower.) But even consuming half that amount — 200 mg or more — has been shown to increase anxiety among those with anxiety disorders and others sensitive to caffeine, Juliano said.

“Low doses of caffeine do not typically cause anxiety and extremely high doses will likely cause any individual to feel anxious,” she said. “It generally takes a higher dose of caffeine to produce anxiety in someone who is not normally anxious compared to someone who is anxiety-prone.”

Jamie Grill via Getty Images

A single serving of coffee can contain anywhere from 50 mg to 500 mg of caffeine.

Unfortunately, many people don’t have an accurate sense of their daily caffeine intake.

“A serving of coffee can contain anywhere from 50 mg to 500 mg of caffeine, depending on the type of coffee beans, serving size, and brewing method,” Juliano said. A Starbucks venti Pike Place Roast coffee, for example, contains a whopping 410 mg of caffeine.

And, of course, coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine. Consider sodas, energy drinks, tea, chocolate and certain medications, like Excedrin Migraine. (You can find the caffeine content of some popular foods and beverages on the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s website).

“Some people may be consuming much more caffeine than they realize,” said Juliano.

How to tell if caffeine is increasing your anxiety

Not sure if your coffee habit is affecting your anxiety levels? Keep a diary to track your caffeine consumption and your anxiety symptoms, Sweeney suggested. Then see if any patterns emerge.

“For example, on a day when they felt particularly anxious or had more trouble sleeping, was that the same day they had an extra cup of coffee?” she said. “[You] could also tell whether the pattern of caffeine consumption relates to anxiety symptoms, such as whether having two cups one right after the other results in greater anxiety than two cups spread across the morning, or whether consuming caffeine later in the day coincides with greater trouble sleeping.”

How to cut back on caffeine

Holly Falconer via Getty Images

If you want to minimize caffeine withdrawal symptoms, reduce your intake gradually. 

Experts recommend reducing your intake slowly over the course of two to three weeks. If you go cold turkey, you’re more likely to deal with unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue and mood disturbances.

“Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable but usually go away within the first week of stopping,” Juliano noted.

It may also be useful to track your anxiety levels in a journal throughout the weaning process, Sweeney said.

Change up your coffee order.

Some may be surprised to learn that one shot of espresso actually contains less caffeine than one cup of drip coffee.

“A 1.5-ounce shot of espresso only contains about 75 to 90 mg of caffeine compared to a 12-ounce drip coffee that may contain 200 to 300 mg of caffeine,” Juliano said.

If you like tea, you’ll be glad to know that even caffeinated varieties — such as green tea or black tea — tend to have less caffeine per serving than brewed coffee. In an 8-ounce cup, green tea has about 25 mg of caffeine and black tea has about 50 mg, according to the Mayo Clinic. But again, caffeine content can vary based on the brewing time, temperature and other factors.

Supposing, however, you consumed the same amount of caffeine from coffee as you did from black tea, would the beverages have different effects on your anxiety levels? According to Juliano, there isn’t sufficient data to say.

“I am not aware of any research that has kept caffeine constant and compared reactions to coffee vs. tea,” she said. “Theoretically a dose of caffeine should have similar effects across different vehicles, but it is possible that other factors could interact with the effects of caffeine — including expectancy and other components of the beverage. It hasn’t been directly tested as far as I know.”

Switch to decaffeinated coffee or herbal tea.

Decaf still contains some caffeine but much less than its caffeinated counterparts — usually less than 15 mg in an 8-ounce cup. By going the decaf route, you can enjoy your morning ritual without stoking your anxiety.

“Someone could also mix caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee to reduce caffeine exposure,” Juliano said.

And herbal teas — such as chamomile, peppermint and ginger — are naturally free of caffeine.

90,000 What happens to the body if you stop drinking coffee?

For many people, coffee is one way to invigorate during a busy day.

Researchers have shown that drinking coffee in small doses can provide a variety of health benefits. For example, the drink contains antioxidants that remove free radicals from the body that lead to aging. Also, these antioxidants help fight cancer. However, caffeine is also highly addictive.

If someone decided to give up this drink, then you should know what will happen to the body if you stop drinking coffee, writes the Eat This portal.

You will become calmer

If you often feel anxious and anxious after drinking coffee, caffeine may be the culprit. Research by the US Center for Occupational and Medical Psychology has shown that as little as 150 milligrams of caffeine (a small cup of coffee) is enough to cause anxiety in some people.

Meanwhile, experts from the US National Center for Biotechnology Information noted that caffeine can cause anxiety-related symptoms: heart palpitations, rapid breathing, and panic. If you are prone to panic and anxiety, you may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of caffeine. After giving up coffee, the emotional background stabilizes.

You will have more energy

Research has shown that energy and performance levels will only increase after you quit coffee.

Although caffeine is known to provide energy immediately after drinking it, drinking coffee regularly can lead to severe fatigue.

This is mainly because coffee makes the body produce adrenaline, and each time you drink more of this drink, the body needs to respond to it with equal efficiency.

In addition, coffee is known to interfere with our natural sleep patterns, which in turn makes us feel more tired during the day.Hence the next point follows.

Your sleep will improve and become better

You may have noticed that after drinking coffee quite late during the day, you could not fall asleep later at night. There is an obvious reason for this.

“Caffeine warns the body to pump adrenaline and cortisol, keeping it normal and activating the sympathetic nervous system. Not only that, it takes a long time to flush caffeine out of the body, and it interferes with the body’s rest.It can also affect your circadian rhythm, disrupting your sleep cycle, ”explained nutritionist Jade Dinsdale.

Avoiding coffee will make you sleep better.

A mild withdrawal syndrome will occur

If you stop drinking coffee, a person may feel symptoms associated with the fact that caffeine has ceased to enter the body. On average, this lasts from one to three days.

Common symptoms after stopping coffee are headaches, irritability, fatigue and sometimes anxiety.Headaches and fatigue are the most common. True, the good news is that they appear in a small number of people who have given up coffee.

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You can lose weight

Those who stop drinking coffee may notice that they have lost weight. True, everything will depend on what kind of drink you drank. Black coffee drinkers are unlikely to notice the difference in weight before and after quitting caffeine.But those who drink latte or moccacino, which are high in sugar, calories and carbohydrates, may notice that their weight has decreased after giving up these drinks.

The body will better absorb vitamins

Caffeine “destroys” vitamin B, reduces the content of iron, potassium, zinc, calcium in the body. What’s more, one cup (about 150 ml) slows calcium absorption by three hours. Also, caffeine flushes calcium from the body, the bones become more fragile.

Improves immunity

Excessive caffeine consumption limits the performance of the thyroid gland.Because of this, immunity is weakened, diseases begin. In this regard, during a period of poor health, coffee should be excluded from the diet.

The color of the teeth will improve

Many people probably know that coffee is a strong colorant. It affects the color of the teeth, they turn yellow. If you give up coffee and visit your dentist regularly, your oral health will be restored.

Those who decided to give up coffee can replace this drink with chicory, cocoa, green tea, in which there is much less caffeine, ginger tea, freshly squeezed juice.

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Can coffee trigger an alarm? | Advice from a psychotherapist

Anxiety is a serious problem. It is essentially long-term stress, and stress is a disturbance in the body and mind. Stress causes DNA damage – it literally damages every one of your cells, and anxiety can potentially put you at risk of cancer, organ failure, memory loss, and more.

In the short term, anxiety also causes damage. Regular, persistent worry causes fatigue and negative thinking that eliminates any joys in life. It can also cause physical symptoms such as nausea, indigestion, and muscle acne, which can make it difficult to stay active.

In general, when you experience anxiety on a regular basis, it needs to be treated. The only way to deal with this is to make sure you are not causing it, and one common item that people consider to be a cause for concern is coffee.

Coffee can cause nervous tension and an increase in heart rate. This in itself is not a cause for concern, but if you already have anxiety it can make your symptoms worse. Take a free 7-minute anxiety test to assess your anxiety symptoms, compare it to others, and see if there are ways to control it.

Start anxiety test .

Diet – as a cause of anxiety

Diet can also lead to anxiety.Certain foods can actually help fight anxiety by providing you with nutrients that act as sedatives. Other foods can aggravate anxiety – causing many of its symptoms.

Ask most expert psychotherapists and they will tell you that one of the foods that consistently promotes anxiety is coffee. At the time of this writing, there are nearly 300,000 Google Search results for Food of Anxiety and Coffee.These experts recommend that those with anxiety abstain from coffee in order to control the symptoms of anxiety.

The origin of this is not so clear.

People seem to think coffee is anxiety because many people think it causes nervous behavior. Of course, excess caffeine (more than the recommended daily limit of 300 mg of caffeine per day) can cause some problems like indigestion, muscle tremors, and some other problems that people associate with caffeine.

But in moderation, caffeine is quite mild, and healthy people often have few symptoms.

Potential benefits of coffee on alarm

It is important to note that we are talking about one to four cups of coffee or tea a day, without the addition of ingredients such as sugar, cream, etc.

Given these parameters, there is reason to believe that caffeine has no negative effect on anxiety and may be beneficial for those with mild to moderate generalized anxiety.

Research shows that drinking coffee in moderation does not contribute to anxiety in healthy people, on the contrary, in some cases it can help you get rid of mild anxiety.

An interesting study on the possible benefits of consuming caffeine was published in the New York Times. They showed several factors of caffeine, including:

• Effects on mood. Those who consumed caffeine tended to have an “improved sense of well-being.”It seems that caffeine itself has a natural uplifting ability. Studies have shown that caffeine can reduce mild depression and calm the mind. Many people also feel better, with higher levels of happiness, which in theory reduces the anxiety they experience.
• Increased energy. Mental and physical energy is an important part of living with anxiety. While anxiety can be described as a pent-up energy, the reality is that anxiety tends to cause fatigue and a general indifference to life’s events.Maintaining an active social life and completing tasks requires energy, and for many, caffeine provides that energy.
• Cognitive Benefits. Research has also shown that caffeine has beneficial effects on memory and cognition. Intelligent decision making and comfort with your own memory are valuable tools for dealing with life’s stresses, and as such, caffeine may possibly provide some level of additional support to work through the day.
• Routine.Routine is part of the daily routine that can benefit from caffeine. Your own daily routine is a natural form of comfort. The more familiar your day goes, the more comfortable you feel with yourself and your surroundings. Those who drink coffee often start to need it as a way to avoid withdrawal (and just as a nice drink to start the day). It induces a routine, and can help you start your day more comfortably.

Each is a potential reason why caffeine may benefit those living with anxiety.But even if you don’t believe these benefits, the reality is that there is very little, if any, evidence that caffeine is adversely affecting people living with anxiety.

Whether or not to drink coffee in case of anxiety

Those who live with anxiety face significant stress on a daily basis. This stress can have a profound effect on daily life, and those who suffer from this level of anxiety should consider everything to improve their quality of life.

If you want to try cutting caffeine from your diet, you must cut it.The potential side effects of caffeine are mild at best and people respond differently to different dietary changes, so you can quit caffeine and see how it has impacted your life and if it has lessened your anxiety.

However, research does not yet show a strong link between coffee and anxiety, and some studies do show the opposite effect: not only does caffeine not affect anxiety, it can also provide benefits. As long as you limit your caffeine intake to your daily intake and do not suffer from panic attacks, there is no reason to believe that you need to stop drinking coffee.

How coffee can make you hysterical: personal experience of the editor of Vogue

Emotional disorders and panic attacks are now talked about openly and without shame: girlfriends honestly tell when they last went to a therapist and what antidepressants they were prescribed. All networks write about how important it is to monitor your emotional state in the first place, because if not everything is in order with him, then often health problems are added to this. I have never been one of the depressed people – I always quickly switched after some setbacks and did not concentrate on failures.Of course, there have been sadder times and happier times, but overall my life has always been stable – as has my mood. But in the last couple of months, everything has changed.

Emotional slides

Nervous shortness of breath in the office was not soothed even by eating valerian and afobazole in one gulp – before, they always helped out at the most critical moments. The emotional background has turned into a roller coaster: one hour I am very active, the other – I don’t want to do anything and mindlessly wander through links on the Internet.The closer to the end of the day, the faster these slides change the amplitude of rise and fall and in the end they line up in a straight line – an extremely unpleasant nervous state when you want to cry over everything. Someone unsuccessfully put a shopping cart in front of you, blocking the path to the refrigerator – hysterics. The taxi driver went by not the most favorite route – a tragedy. There are notifications in the phone again – information trash. For almost a month, I got home, went to bed and did not get up: my brain was torn from the number of plans that I wanted to implement, but in the end I could not choose one thing and waited for my nervous strain to release me.At the same time, it cannot be said that more tasks appeared at work or there was a stressful period – in general, nothing changed. But, leaving the walls of the office, I almost always wanted to cry. Just like that and for no reason. As a moderately experienced beauty editor who had read and written thousands of texts about self-care – including taking care of the emotional state – I began to look for a problem in my lifestyle. And I found it – in a cup of coffee.

Perhaps you will be surprised and think that this is just my fantasy: everyone drinks coffee all the time, and if the reason was really in it, my emotional problems would begin much earlier.But the fact is, before this summer, I had never drunk more than one cup a month. It was not customary in our family to start the morning with coffee – more often than not, it was simply not available in the house. When I was an adult, I learned that many people sit tightly on this drink. Craving to repeat after others did not appear then – I never particularly liked the taste of strong coffee. Anyway, I was more often nauseated than invigorated by him. However, office work from nine to six made its own adjustments. I resisted for a very long time, but by the end of May I noticed that thanks to a cup of coffee in the afternoon it is much easier to give up snacks and the “birthday” pizza that appears on our editorial table with enviable consistency.Thanks to coffee, the body dried up: the fat partly disappeared, which I did not really like. So a cup of drink in the afternoon turned into a ritual – it gave me vigor and helped me to survive until dinner without an afternoon snack. Smoothly, I got hooked on coffee – the morning also began with it. On especially bad days, I drank three cups. Baby talk, you say. But it turned out that such a dose for my 153 centimeters in height is quite enough to fly off the coils a little.

Why did I start looking for the problem in caffeine

I guessed that the problem lies in coffee – there have been no other strong changes in my life lately.But to try not just to reduce the dose, but to completely abandon this drink, I was prompted by the result of a genetic test, which I passed in Atlas during the preparation of one of our materials. It was clearly stated: my body slowly removes caffeine. This means that several cups drunk on the same day work with double power. For those who like theoretical descriptions, I will clarify that I have the CYP1A2 gene, which reduces the activity of cytochrome, as a result of which caffeine stays in the body longer and provokes unwanted side effects.Moreover, the problem lurked precisely in coffee – such emotional states did not arise from tea. This is because tea contains tannins, due to which caffeine is less absorbed and softer.

What scientific research says

If not completely with caffeine, then at least with coffee, it was decided to end it. And of course, first of all, I climbed to read various studies on the relationship between caffeine and our emotional state. The results of the hunt for information turned out to be very interesting.

In Cambridge, it was concluded back in 2005 that caffeine can aggravate nervous conditions, and its excessive use causes symptoms very similar to many serious mental disorders. At the same time, most doctors do not even specify whether you drink coffee or not when they make serious diagnoses. Of course, caffeine does not have this effect on everyone: if you have emotional problems, you may be at risk. Especially the sensitivity to this substance is increased in people with panic disorders and social phobia – in them caffeine can cause panic attacks.

“In my practice, the issue of the amount of coffee is discussed with almost every patient, since in many diseases its consumption must be reduced. This is an exacerbation of gastritis, peptic ulcer, heartburn. But still, even in such cases, we allow up to two cups a day, – says Elena Volodkina, a gastroenterologist and nutritionist at the Aging Control clinic. “Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, and if a patient is prone to irritability, tenseness and anxiety, then caffeine can negatively affect him and aggravate these symptoms.”

In order to fully understand this issue and not be unfounded, I talked with a psychiatrist at the I.M. I.M.Sechenov by Dmitry Sergeevich Petelin.

Not quite standard perception of caffeine – a disease? “On the territory of the Russian Federation, as in most countries of the world, the so-called international classification of diseases of the tenth revision is used. It lists all existing diseases and conditions that can be diagnosed as a person at the reception.This list contains a section on “Mental and Behavioral Disorders Associated with Coffee Consumption”. True, there it is not allocated separately, but is indicated along with other stimulants – drugs that invigorate or increase the level of activity. That is, in theory, such a diagnosis exists, but in practice it is rarely made. It must be emphasized that under this “rubric” there is a whole set of states that can be identified. Among them – acute intoxication with a large amount of coffee, dependence on drinking and so on. “

What is your daily caffeine intake? “There is a recommendation of 400 milligrams. That’s the equivalent of about five standard espressos, two half-liter cans of energy drink, about two and a half Starbucks coffee drinks, or ten 0.33 milliliter cans of Coca-Cola. It should be added right away that many people prefer to drink coffee, which they brew on their own, or instant coffee. In this case, it is difficult to measure how much caffeine is in each cup. “

Can the body’s elimination of caffeine be accelerated? “More likely no than yes. The fact is that caffeine is processed in the liver by a set of compounds that has no biological activity, and then excreted by the kidneys. The weakening of the effect of caffeine depends on the speed with which the liver processes it; accelerating this process is problematic. Typically, in four to five hours, the concentration of caffeine in the blood is halved. At the same time, the duration of caffeine processing depends on many factors acting on the liver.It may differ for one person on different days. For example, if a person smokes and has consumed a large amount of nicotine during the day, the liver’s ability to process caffeine increases and, accordingly, it will be excreted from the body faster, which will not be observed after a few days. But I am in no way encouraging smoking in order to speed up the processing of caffeine. ”

Is there a relationship between mental illness and caffeine consumption? “There is a link between caffeine and mental illness. For example, a well-known illness such as schizophrenia can be divided into positive and negative. Positive symptoms – psychosis, hallucinations (when a person hears something that is not there, he has delusional ideas that someone is pursuing him). Negative symptoms – emotional isolation, impaired intelligence. Caffeine, as a mild, mild stimulant, can act on both symptoms. That is, in some situations, in predisposed people, taking large amounts of caffeine can unmask positive symptoms.The person was already preparing for the onset of schizophrenia, he had such a genetic risk, everything came together, and against the background of a large amount of coffee, the nervous system was still stimulated – a response in the form of psychosis occurred. It is not correct to say that caffeine caused the disease, but it provoked it. ”

Does this mean that everyone needs to give up coffee? “In all such situations, the problem is not in coffee, not in caffeine, but primarily in the human condition. If he is experiencing emotional stress, then caffeine can exacerbate unpleasant symptoms.And indeed there are people for whom, for medical reasons, taking large quantities of coffee or drinking coffee at all may not be recommended due to the threat to health. All this is not applicable to practically healthy people. Let’s just say that severe anxiety while taking coffee may indicate the presence of an early undiagnosed anxiety disorder. But in each specific case, only a doctor can figure it out on the basis of a detailed examination. It is impossible to give general recommendations for such a person. “

Who needs to drink less coffee

After talking with doctors and studying the literature on the topic, I came to the conclusion that coffee is not the best drink for those who work in stressful areas. So if you find yourself struggling to live, try replacing the life-giving liquid from the coffee maker with something else. Fortunately, now there are many alternatives: turmeric latte, Japanese matcha, chicory, cocoa. All of them are a little invigorating and relieve hunger. And don’t expect miracles: if you sleep for four hours, no drink will fill you with energy.

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Is coffee worry real? Answers to other troubling questions

Many people drink coffee because they need to cheer up a little in the morning, while others rely on this to stay awake at any time of the day or night. This isn’t a cause for concern, but what if coffee ends up causing you anxiety, more often than not? Is there a chance coffee is causing concern, and if so, what can you do about it? Read on for answers to these questions and how you can reduce your anxiety.

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How does coffee wake you up?

Coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant. It will help you focus and focus on things after you drink it. However, it can cause other effects that can be minor or significant, depending on how much you drink per day and your caffeine tolerance. These effects include things like mood changes, upset stomach, tremors, and heart palpitations.

These symptoms are very similar to what people feel when they have anxiety. People with anxiety may not be able to distinguish the effects of drinking too much coffee from experiencing anxiety.

Is coffee worry real?

Just because coffee can cause the same symptoms of anxiety does not mean that it is anxiety. There is a limit to the amount of caffeine each person should consume per day, and you should also be aware of your tolerance. If you consume too much caffeine or coffee, it may make you more anxious, which may make you feel like your anxiety is worse than usual.

How can I drink coffee responsibly?

Whether you have anxiety and panic problems or not, there are several responsible ways to consume coffee.

• Don’t drink all the time. A lot of people love to drink coffee every day and if you don’t have a caffeine problem there is no problem as long as you enjoy your daily java coffee.However, it is considered more beneficial to take advantage of the caffeine from coffee when you need it most (for example, when you have a lot to get done on a certain day).
• Leave him alone before bed. It is best to stop drinking coffee ten hours before bed. If you continue to drink, you may not be able to rest. When you go to bed, coffee leftovers in your body can also affect your sleep patterns when you may not be able to get better sleep.
• Give yourself time to wake up.Try to wait a bit before drinking your coffee if you usually prefer to drink it in the morning. Give your body a chance to wake up before you start offering it caffeine. Save your coffee in case you feel your energy is going down a bit, such as in the middle of the morning or when you get to your office.
• Unlearn yourself from it. If you are planning to reduce your coffee intake or if you intend to completely eliminate it, do not stop drinking cold turkey. You need to slowly wean it off, given that it can cause withdrawal symptoms under certain circumstances.Since coffee is already considered a cause of induced anxiety in some people, it’s important to avoid adding withdrawal symptoms as well.
• Consider other sources of caffeine. It should be noted that there are other sources of caffeine that you can eat and drink, so coffee is not the only source of anxiety. Chocolate, tea, and some medications also contain caffeine, so be sure to read food labels.

Can I drink coffee if I have anxiety problems?

You can keep drinking coffee if you also have anxiety problems. At the same time, you will need to know how much you are drinking, as you must monitor your caffeine intake. It is recommended not to drink more than the recommended daily allowance, which is 400 milligrams. At the same time, if you suffer from anxiety, you may need to drink much below this limit. It’s also a good idea to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated from coffee, which can exacerbate the effects.

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Research shows that people with anxiety are more sensitive to caffeine than those without anxiety.This is another reason why people with anxiety should be careful when drinking coffee and pay particular attention to the amount they drink.

What is an alarm?

Worry is a common feeling; everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their lives. Anxiety is your body’s reaction when you are stressed or afraid of something, such as an upcoming test or project. This can make you anxious, upset, nervous, or in some cases panic-stricken.

If you feel this way from time to time, there is nothing to worry about. However, if this feeling happens quite often, you may have an anxiety disorder. Here are a couple of the most common types of anxiety disorders.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is an anxiety disorder characterized by someone experiencing regular anxiety for at least 6 months.This anxiety can affect all aspects of a person’s life and can lead to changes in behavior, sleep patterns, and ability to concentrate.

People with generalized anxiety disorder may need to limit the amount of caffeine they consume so that the effects it can cause are not amplified.

Panic Disorder

Panic Disorder occurs when a person suffers from panic attacks, which often occur without warning.Panic attacks are sometimes triggered by a specific trigger, and it is possible that it may be too much caffeine for some with panic disorder. Caffeine may be a substance that people with panic disorder may need to give up entirely, depending on the severity of their disorder.

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How can I reduce my anxiety?

There are ways to reduce anxiety when you feel it. These include things you can put into your daily routine and professional treatment options to help you manage your anxiety.

Treatment Options

Many things that can help you cope with anxiety will also benefit your overall health. Here are a few things to try at home.

• Limit alcohol
• Start an exercise plan
• Limit or eliminate caffeine
• Get adequate rest
• Eat a balanced diet
• Try relaxation techniques

whether it is coffee-induced anxiety or not, psychotherapy treatment should be considered.With psychotherapy, you can benefit from treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy, which can be effective when it comes to limiting feelings of anxiety.

This therapy can be done in person or online. Some people prefer to discuss potentially vulnerable topics like anxiety face-to-face, while others prefer the privacy that online therapy offers. Whether you decide to seek therapy online or in person, it is recommended that you confirm that your therapist has a past experience of dealing with caffeine-induced anxiety.(You can call the therapist’s office or do a quick Internet search to check his past experience.) BetterHelp is one of the online therapy services. They have consultants who can work with you by phone or computer according to your schedule.

Medication

Another method of treating anxiety is the use of medication. There are certain prescription medications your doctor can prescribe that can limit the symptoms that are causing you anxiety.This is what you should discuss with your doctor to find out what is available to you. If you think you are sensitive to caffeine, you will need to let them know when you talk to them. It can make a difference in what they prescribe for you.

Overview

Before you reach for a cup of coffee, you should know that there is a possibility of coffee-induced anxiety. The effects of coffee or too much caffeine are close to anxiety symptoms, so they can make you feel the same way.

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If you experience anxiety and panic, you may need to closely monitor your caffeine intake. However, this does not mean that you cannot enjoy it at all. There are options, including decaffeinated coffee. Decaffeinated coffee does contain caffeine, but the amount is significantly lower than in other types.

I am shy or withdrawn

If you are worried even without coffee, it is important to seek medical attention when you need it.Anxiety symptoms can be harmful and disrupt your daily routine, so they need to be dealt with immediately. You can meet with your psychiatrist or doctor to get the support you need and start managing your anxiety. Remember, help is available.

Caffeine. 9 Signs of overdose

Contents show

Drinking caffeine in moderate doses increases alertness, increases reaction speed, improves vision, boosts immunity, we become stronger and can work without sleep, and what happens to our body when we drink too much coffee?

Translated by Franziska Spritzler “9 Side Effects of Too Much Caffeine”

Coffee and tea are incredibly healthy drinks.

Most of them contain caffeine (caffeine sodium benzoate) – a substance that improves mood, improves digestion, improves mental and physical performance.

Studies have also shown that caffeine in small amounts is safe for most people. However, high doses of caffeine can have unpleasant and even dangerous side effects.

After analyzing the scientific data, we can say that our genes have a great influence on the susceptibility to it. Some of us can consume much more caffeine than others without experiencing any side effects.

Moreover, people who are not used to caffeine may experience unpleasant symptoms even after consuming a tiny amount.

9 side effects of caffeine abuse

1. Anxiety

Caffeine is known to increase blood pressure.

This comes from the fact that it blocks the actions of adenosine, a brain chemical.It is believed that it is adenosine that plays a role in stimulating sleep and suppressing wakefulness, since its concentration increases during prolonged wakefulness of the body and decreases during subsequent sleep … © wikipedia. At the same time, caffeine triggers the release of adrenaline, the hormone of anxiety and aggression associated with increased energy.

However, at higher doses, these effects may become more pronounced, leading to anxiety and nervousness.

In fact, caffeine-induced anxiety is one of four caffeine syndromes listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) , published by the American Psychiatric Association, .

It has been reported that consumption in very high daily doses of 1000 mg (10 cups of coffee) or more leads to nervousness and tremors in most people, and in sensitive people, even moderate consumption can lead to similar effects.

In addition, even moderate doses have been shown to cause rapid breathing and increase stress levels.

One study in 25 healthy men found that those who took about 300 mg of caffeine experienced more than double the stress of those who took a placebo.

Interestingly, stress levels did not differ much with regular and less frequent caffeine consumption, which suggests that the substance has the same effect on stress levels regardless of how regularly you ingest it.

Nevertheless, the results obtained are preliminary.

If you find yourself frequently feeling nervous or shivering, you may want to consider your caffeine intake and cut it down.

Although drinking caffeine in moderation increases alertness, large amounts can lead to anxiety and irritability.Monitor your health in order to determine how much is right for you.

2. Insomnia

One of the most valuable qualities of coffee is its ability to help people cheer up.

On the other hand, too much coffee can interfere with getting the sleep you need to recharge.

Studies have shown that large doses of coffee increase the time it takes to fall asleep. Total sleep time may also decrease, especially in the elderly.

In contrast, low to moderate amounts of coffee do not appear to have a significant impact on sleep in people who generally sleep well and even those with insomnia.

If you underestimate the amount of coffee you take, you may not even be aware of how much coffee is negatively affecting your sleep.

While coffee and tea are the most concentrated sources of caffeine, it is also found in soda, cocoa, energy drinks, and some medications.

For example, an energy drink can contain up to 350 mg of caffeine, but there are also those in which the level of caffeine reaches as much as 500 mg per can, that is, 3-5 times more than in a cup of coffee.

It is important that the amount of caffeine you can consume without harming your sleep will depend on your genetics and other factors.

In addition, caffeine consumed during the day can later harm your sleep because its effects last for several hours.

Studies have shown that although caffeine stays in your body for an average of five hours, this can vary from one and a half to nine hours, depending on the person.

Another study examined how timing of caffeine intake affects sleep. Twelve healthy adults were given 400 mg of caffeine six hours before bed, three hours, or just before bed.

The time it took to fall asleep increased significantly in all three groups.

These results show that it is important to pay attention not only to the amount, but also to the timing of caffeine intake before bed.

Coffee helps you stay awake throughout the day, but can negatively affect your sleep.Try to limit your caffeine intake in the evening to avoid sleep problems.

3. Digestive problems

Many people believe that a cup of coffee in the morning helps the intestines and even use caffeine for weight loss.

The laxative effect of coffee is due to the release of gastrin, a hormone produced by the stomach that accelerates activity in the colon. Studies have shown that drinking decaffeinated coffee has a similar effect.

Given this property of coffee, it is not surprising that in high doses it can lead to loose stools or even cause diarrhea in some people.

Although coffee was believed to cause stomach ulcers for many years, a large study of more than 8000 people found no link.

On the other hand, some studies show that caffeinated drinks can worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in some people.This is especially true of coffee.

In another small study, caffeinated water was given to five healthy adults, which relaxed their muscles to prevent heartburn, which is a hallmark of GERD.

Since coffee consumption can have serious consequences for the digestive function, you may want to decrease the amount or switch to tea if you are concerned about similar problems.

Some coffee can actually improve bowel motility, but large doses can lead to loose stools or GERD.For these symptoms, it is better to reduce your coffee intake or switch to tea. The caffeine in green tea is less concentrated.

4. Muscle breakdown

Rhabdomyolysis is a very serious condition in which damaged muscle fibers enter the bloodstream, leading to kidney failure and other problems.

Rare cases of rhabdomyolysis from excessive consumption of caffeine have also been reported.

In one example, a woman after consuming 32 ounces (1 liter) of coffee containing approximately 565 mg of caffeine developed the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, and dark urine.Fortunately, after the course of treatment, she recovered.

It is important to note that this is a very high dose of caffeine, especially for those who are not used to this amount or are very sensitive to the effect of the substance on the body.

not sure how much your body is used to.

5. Addiction

For all its health benefits, it cannot be denied that coffee is addictive.

A detailed report shows that caffeine induces some of the brain chemical reactions similar to cocaine and amphetamines, it does not induce the classic addiction that drugs do.

However, when consumed in large quantities, caffeine can lead to psychological or physical dependence.

In one study, 16 people with varying amounts of coffee took a vocabulary test but had not consumed it for 24 hours before.Only people who were accustomed to consuming large amounts of coffee gave a clear preference for words associated with coffee, and experienced a strong craving for caffeine.

Frequency of use may also play a role in addiction.

In another study, 213 coffee drinkers completed a questionnaire after abstaining from coffee for 16 hours. Those who drank coffee every day had more frequent headaches, fatigue and other unpleasant symptoms, nothing of the kind was seen in the rest.

Although the remedy does not appear to be truly addictive with regular consumption of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, the chances are increased that you will be dependent on its effects on your body.

Avoiding coffee for several hours can lead to psychological or physical withdrawal symptoms in those who consume large quantities of it daily.

6. High blood pressure

In general, coffee should not increase the risk of heart disease or stroke in most people.

However, it can raise blood pressure, as has been proven by some studies, due to its stimulating effect on the nervous system.

Therefore, it is so important to pay attention to the amount of caffeine consumed, especially with high blood pressure.

Caffeine raises blood pressure when consumed in large quantities and in people who take it infrequently. But this is a temporary effect, so it’s best to keep a close eye on how you feel.

7. Rapid heartbeat

The stimulating effect of high coffee consumption can cause your heart to beat faster.

It can also lead to a change in the rhythm of the heartbeat called atrial fibrillation. A similar effect was observed in young people who consumed energy drinks containing extremely high doses of caffeine.

In one example study, a woman who took a large dose of caffeine powder and pill in an attempted suicide had heart palpitations, kidney failure, and other serious health problems.

However, not everyone has this effect. In fact, even people with heart problems can tolerate small amounts of coffee without any adverse effects.

In another study, 51 patients with heart failure were observed to take 100 mg of caffeine per hour for five hours, while their heart rate and rhythms remained normal.

Regardless of the results of various studies, if you notice any changes in your heart rate after consuming caffeinated drinks, consider reducing this amount.

8. Fatigue

Coffee, tea and other caffeinated drinks are known for their invigorating effects.

At the same time, when caffeine is eliminated from the body, the opposite effect of fatigue can occur.

One review found that although caffeinated beverages increased alertness and improved mood for several hours, study participants often felt more tired than usual the next day.

To avoid the rebound effect, you can continue to drink coffee throughout the day. But it can negatively affect your sleep.

To maximize the energy-generating properties of coffee and avoid subsequent fatigue, consume it in moderate, small doses.

While coffee provides us with the energy we need, it can also lead to the fatigue that comes after. Try to drink coffee in moderation to avoid the so-called “rebound effect”.

9. Frequent urination

Frequent urination may become common for those who consume large quantities, due to its stimulating effect on the bladder.

You may have noticed that you go to the toilet more often when you drink a lot of coffee or tea.

Most studies investigating the effect of substance properties on urinary frequency have focused on the elderly and those with problems with overactive bladder and incontinence.

In one study, 12 middle-aged young adults with overactive bladders consumed 2 mg of caffeine per pound of their weight (4.5 mg per kilogram), which resulted in a significant increase in urinary frequency.

For people weighing 150 pounds (58 kg), this would be approximately 300 mg of caffeine per day.

In addition, increased consumption of caffeine may increase the likelihood of incontinence in healthy people.

One large study of more than 65,000 women found that high caffeine intake can cause urinary incontinence, even if it didn’t occur before.

Those who took more than 450 mg per day had a significantly higher risk of incontinence than those who consumed 150 mg daily.

If you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages and feel that your urination is increasing, try reducing your caffeine intake and see if your symptoms are improving.

High caffeine intake is directly related to urinary frequency and has been proven in several studies. Reducing the amount of caffeine you take may help alleviate this problem.

Summarizing the Line

Consuming coffee in a reasonable range undoubtedly has a number of health benefits for most people.

On the other hand, excessive consumption of drinks with a high caffeine content can lead to side effects that interfere with daily life and cause serious health problems. Caffeine overdose is just as dangerous.

While rates can vary from person to person, studies on the effects of high caffeine intake show that more is not better.

To reap the benefits of caffeine without unwanted effects, measure your sleep realistically, monitor your energy levels and other factors that may be affected, and reduce your intake if necessary.

Video: Excessive Caffeine Drinking

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What happens to the body if you stop drinking coffee?

For many people, coffee is one way to invigorate during a busy day.

Researchers have shown that drinking coffee in small doses can provide a variety of health benefits. For example, the drink contains antioxidants that remove free radicals from the body that lead to aging. Also, these antioxidants help fight cancer. However, caffeine is also highly addictive.

If someone decided to give up this drink, then you should know what will happen to the body if you stop drinking coffee, writes the Eat This portal.

You will become calmer

If you often feel anxious and anxious after drinking coffee, caffeine may be the culprit. Research by the US Center for Occupational and Medical Psychology has shown that as little as 150 milligrams of caffeine (a small cup of coffee) is enough to cause anxiety in some people.

Meanwhile, experts from the US National Center for Biotechnology Information have noted that caffeine can cause anxiety-related symptoms: heart palpitations, rapid breathing, and panic.If you are prone to panic and anxiety, you may be particularly vulnerable to the effects of caffeine. After giving up coffee, the emotional background stabilizes.

You will have more energy

Research has shown that energy levels and performance will only increase after you quit coffee.

Although caffeine is known to provide energy immediately after drinking it, drinking coffee regularly can lead to severe fatigue.

This is mainly because coffee makes the body produce adrenaline, and each time you drink more of this drink, the body needs to respond to it with equal efficiency.

In addition, coffee is known to interfere with our natural sleep patterns, which in turn makes us feel more tired during the day. Hence the next point follows.

Your sleep will improve and become better

You may have noticed that after drinking coffee quite late during the day, you could not fall asleep later at night.There is an obvious reason for this.

“Caffeine warns the body to pump adrenaline and cortisol, keeping it normal and activating the sympathetic nervous system. Not only that, it takes a long time to flush caffeine out of the body, and it interferes with the body’s rest. It can also affect your circadian rhythm, disrupting your sleep cycle, ”explained nutritionist Jade Dinsdale.

Avoiding coffee will make you sleep better.

A mild withdrawal syndrome will occur

If you stop drinking coffee, a person may feel symptoms associated with the fact that caffeine has ceased to enter the body. On average, this lasts from one to three days.

Common symptoms after stopping coffee are headaches, irritability, fatigue and sometimes anxiety. Headaches and fatigue are the most common. True, the good news is that they appear in a small number of people who have given up coffee.

You can lose weight

Those who stop drinking coffee may notice that they have lost weight. True, everything will depend on what kind of drink you drank. Black coffee drinkers are unlikely to notice the difference in weight before and after quitting caffeine. But those who drink latte or moccacino, which are high in sugar, calories and carbohydrates, may notice that their weight has decreased after giving up these drinks.

The body will better absorb vitamins

Caffeine “destroys” vitamin B, reduces the content of iron, potassium, zinc, calcium in the body.What’s more, one cup (about 150 ml) slows calcium absorption by three hours. Also, caffeine flushes calcium from the body, the bones become more fragile.

Improves immunity

Excessive caffeine consumption limits the performance of the thyroid gland. Because of this, immunity is weakened, diseases begin. In this regard, during a period of poor health, coffee should be excluded from the diet.

Teeth color will improve

Many people probably know that coffee is a strong colorant.It affects the color of the teeth, they turn yellow. If you give up coffee and visit your dentist regularly, your oral health will be restored.

Those who decided to give up coffee can replace this drink with chicory, cocoa, green tea, in which there is much less caffeine, ginger tea, freshly squeezed juice.

90,000 Foods that cause anxiety / HB

Nutritionist Ali Miller spoke about foods that can cause anxiety in a person

Most people have it so happened that after a busy day they came home and ate a lot of junk food.However, Ali Miller argues that not only emotions affect food, but food can also trigger certain emotions, writes Prevention.

The expert notes that the neurotransmitters serotonin and gamma-aminobutyric acid are responsible for reducing the stress hormone and preventing anxiety. The use of some foods contributes to the production of these neurotransmitters, while the use of others is the opposite.

The seven foods that cause excitement are:

Coffee.