I would start off with two cups a day. Gradually increase the consumption to three, then settle at four cups a day. A couple of weeks later, I would add one more, then another and stay there for the next few weeks. Occasionally, I would try to take control and knock it back down to two. But two weeks later, one extra cup wouldn’t hurt, and a few days after that two more wouldn’t hurt too much either.
So when I was asked to restrict caffeine, I knew I had to cut it out of my life completely. I missed my coffee, I really did. A mug of warm water was of no comfort at all when I was struggling with a deadline. I missed the process of having the coffee percolate down my filter.Would I never again be able to spend hours at my favourite coffee shop with nothing but a laptop and a mug of steaming hot café latte for company? Wasn’t 38 too young an age to have to give up something I truly liked? Maybe just the occasional cup?
All or none, I insisted. And the day I was able to resist the aroma of freshly brewed coffee emanating from my colleague’s mug, I knew I had done it. I had gotten over my addiction.
Four weeks after I gave it up, I no longer miss my coffee. It may take me awhile to find surrogates for all the associations I have with the drink, but the caffeine kick I no longer crave.
The caption on my favourite t-shirt now takes on a new meaning, “Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed. Chocolate makes it worthwhile.”
7 comments:
I'm 38, too! :) And I was also told to cut back on caffeine (heart fluttering thing.) I cut back to 1 cup a day. During my recent deadline crisis, I'm afraid I inched that back up to 1.5 cups. Sigh. I need to cut back again. Congratulations to you for doing it!
Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Well, great job. It’s tough to change habits…very tough. I was gonna suggest caffeine free things, but, at this point, that might do more harm than good. You did it cold turkey. Nicely done.
I was 38 300 years ago.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
@ Elizabeth - if you inch up to only 1.5 cups despite deadlines, you deserve to have a hat raised to you!
@ Galen - if you were 38 300 years back, can I interview you, do you think?
Do you know I smile at night thinking about that first cup in the morning? I really do. And when we vacation, I need to bring MY coffee pot so that we can brew it in the room in case breakfast is served later than we get up (usually stay in B&Bs). Obviously, I'm addicted :-). However, I do stay to the one cup.
Rayna, I applaud your success! And to not even miss it now! THAT will keep you off it.
@ Lisa - You seem to be a coffee connoisseur. Luckily, I was only an addict, which made it a lot easier for me to give it up. And to be able to restrict yourself to just that one cup is truly incredible.
Well done you. I only drink two cups of coffee a day... three if I want to spoil myself. Otherwise, it's water all day long!
I lived in China for three years and never drank coffee at all...
@ Fiona - funny how you stereotype entire nations.
Till just a few years back, I seriously believed that people in from England drank only tea (Earl Grey from bone china cups). My boss is Brit and is addicted to coffee, my running partners is English and hates tea, and now you!
Makes for a blog post or two, methinks.
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