Believe it or not, your trusted Spiritual River author is experimenting with controlled using.
Now before you get all bent out of shape, I’m talking about caffeine.
Just coffee and Mountain Dew. Maybe a few Starbucks Lattes or whatever. Or even those ridiculously delicious Carmel or Mocha Frappes that you can get at McDonald’s.
Photo by kubina
Now if you think that caffeine falls into the same category as other drugs of abuse, you are mistaken. Caffeine and nicotine are both addictive drugs, but they do not produce the phenomenon of craving that leads people back to their drug of choice. In other words, caffeine does not “set off” an alcoholic to go out and suddenly drink more beer. Nor does it “set off” an opiate addict, or a crack addict, or any other kind of addict.
This is not a rationalization but a hard fact. Just look at your typical 12 step meeting: it is like a coffee tasting extravaganza. Nearly every single person at a 12 step meeting has some form of caffeine in front of them. So caffeine addiction–or even just caffeine use–is really common among recovering drug addicts and alcoholics, and does not seem to affect their recovery in any way.
And while it is possible to abuse caffeine, it does not lead people back into active addiction. It remains separate from other drugs of abuse.
But before we get into this too far, let me give you the back story.
My history with caffeine addiction
I have been using caffeine ever since I was a kid. About 7 years ago I took a full time position working the over night shift at a job, and I used caffeine in order to help me get through the long nights. I only worked 3rd shift 3 nights each week, then I would switch back to a “normal” schedule. So I was using caffeine pretty heavily, but I never exceeded toxic levels or anything.
Somewhere around April of 2008 I decided to try and get off of caffeine completely, simply because I was spending a chunk of change on it every day and I was also working a normal, first shift schedule. I figured I no longer needed the boost and could probably get by without any caffeine at all.
In addition to this, the doctor that I work under at our drug rehab is an addictionologist and he is very much opposed to caffeine. He does not allow it in the rehab for the clients and he also encourages staff to cut down or cut it out entirely. I have not spoke with him at length about this but I can assure you that he is getting his opinions based on medical journals and studies that he has read.
So anyway, in April of 2008 I quit caffeine cold turkey. I had a headache for maybe 2 days and then I was fine. It was the easiest drug I ever put down.
Caffeine relapse
Within the last week or two I have slowly started experimenting with using caffeine again. This started due to an emergency at my place of work when they needed me to cover a 3rd shift without any notice given. So I drank 2 Mountain Dews that night and since then I have dabbled with a small coffee drink here and there. I definitely feel a difference when I drink the stuff and there is no getting around the fact that caffeine gives me a noticeable boost.
So now I am at a crossroads and I think I might just allow myself to start using caffeine without restriction. I am not sure if I will become heavily dependent on it again or even if that would be a bad thing, because it seems like the research out there is supporting the idea that there are long term benefits to caffeine use.
Benefits to drinking caffeine? This sounds like rationalization!
So I hit up Google and tried to find both the good and the bad about using caffeine. To be honest it was a bit harder to find the negatives at this point. The biggest negative seems to be from abuse, when people are consuming ridiculously high levels of caffeine all at once.
So what kind of sources are we looking at here? Web MD, the U.S. government, and Harvard Health all say that the benefits of long term caffeine use outweigh the negatives. The government websites in particular seem to emphasize problems only when people abuse it, and thus stress the importance of moderation.
So the question is, can this recovering addict moderate his caffeine consumption?
Tell you what: I will let you know. I will try to give you an update on this in about 3 months to see where I am at with everything. I would like to use caffeine casually without turning into a caffeine junkie who has to spend 5 dollars plus every single day on it.
Perhaps I am being foolish, but this is a fairly low risk experiment because it is only caffeine. I would never, ever, ever do anything like this regarding any other drugs, including both alcohol and/or cigarettes. Caffeine is the only drug that is “innocent” enough for me to experiment with, period. The only reason I am doing so is because the medical research seems to be recommending it now for the long term health benefits.
So what does everyone think? Is caffeine an innocent drug with real health benefits? Or is there potential for harm here? Let me know in the comments what you think….
Recommended Reading
- Overcoming Addiction
- Caffeine Addiction Update and Some Helpful Tips for Experimenting Yourself
- Holistic Addiction Treatment Center
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{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Dude I say don’t do it , because it’s all about the money . I agree there are no long term effects, except to the pocketbook
That is a viable point, Javier. They are recommending 2 cups of coffee per day to get the long term health benefits, and that amount of caffeine could cost anywhere from around 1 dollar right on up to about 6 bucks, depending on what you buy.
6 bucks per day is over 2 grand a year. And I must admit I am partial to the really fancy stuff that runs a bit more than a dollar a cup….
But it is still pretty easy to justify if:
a) You enjoy drinking it, and
b) There really are health benefits that outweigh the negatives.
At this point, research seems to be leaning towards confirmation of point B, but it is not a slam dunk just yet by any means. More research and long term studies are needed to really turn coffee into a known “health food.”
Hi Patrick,
You may not like my answer…. those so called experts also say that there are health benefits to drinking wine in moderation.
I say it sounds like a fun experiment but it also sounds risky. You used to have an addictive personality so don’t you think that this might raise some old temptations within you?
On a personal note, I too have given up coffee because I was using it to give me a little buzz and feel all kind of wired up. I stopped because that was the reason I was drinking it. If I am out for dinner, I may have one at the end but that is it.
I don’t think messing with controlling addictions is a good thing, and your friend has even banned it from his place of work, so that should give you your answer.
I say no, don’t do it.
But hey, Starbucks Italian Roast ground is really good if you go for it! Ha Ha
Hi Madison
I definitely appreciate your input, and you are spot on when you say that I have an “addictive personality.” So I will think about your advice for sure. I do not believe that caffeine can lead me back to other drugs, though. Of course there is always the money aspect of it.
We shall see…..
I think you should drink as much as you can Patrick.If your worried about money, get a second job, you won’t need to sleep if you stay good and high on the caffeine. While your at it, get a third job, just drink energy drinks and coffee. You will have plenty of time to sleep when you retire. If you want to get ahead in this life, WORK, all the time!!
Very funny Rev! It is just like you to bring a little sarcasm into the mix. I am not sure yet what I’m gonna do but right now I am leaning towards just going back to total caffeine abstinence.
Seems like it is a smoother energy level throughout the whole day if you just avoid it altogether…..
i’ve always admired your holistic and balanced approach to recovery.
i;m surprised that you would mention relapse, when referring to coffee. caffeine is an ergogenic aid in the sports world. it is not an addiction, merely a habit. it has been shown to increase mental acuity.
my dad is 87 and still consumes up to 5 cups a day.
Hi there John
Thanks for your support! I appreciate it. My dad still drinks coffee too, though probably closer to 3 cups a day rather than 5. Still a healthy dose of caffeine though!
By the way, my little “experiment” seems to be going pretty well and I have also noticed a huge boost to my running performance. I did close to 8 minute miles on my regular 10K course yesterday and I did not even feel lousy afterwords, which is huge progress for me.
I will note, however, that I wanted to keep it around 2 cups per day and it is turning out to be more like 4. But I am sticking to my 2PM cut off time, and having no issues with sleep.
12 step groups like NA and AA are plagued by chronic relapse, 95% – 97%). They write in the big books that use of any drug will break sobriety and trigger relapse. Caffeine is a potent drug as is nicotine so NA and AA members (worshipers of Bill Wilson) are never completely sober in AA/NA. The coffee and the cigarettes are definitely doing something to that person’s physiology and overall health, good or bad. What then does this tell us about the dreaded triggers of 12 step lore? This idea tells me then if they are real then are present in the form of “any drug” and would then qualify coffee and cigs as potential triggers leading some 95%+ members to break “sobriety” in their first year. These are AA’s own estimates, look it up, 95% to 97% do NOT remain sober for one year. The general population’s rate of “spontaneous sobriety” aka someone just getting tired of the lifestyle and making a change in their life, the rate of spontaneous sobriety is 5%. SO either AA/NA are neutral, no effect positive or negative OR they have a negative success rate of -2% AKA a failure rate, they actually may be doing more harm than good, but that is only speaking statistically…not that it would matter to the mindless 12 stepper. If triggers are not real then rational use is possible. Rational use may also be possible if triggers are real then by breaking the constant trigger of coffee/nicotine and subsidizing or flattening the response to these stimuli by providing a remedy to such a response through occasional marijuna use, a beer or two from time to time etc.
Bill Wilson wrote in the Big Book “rarely have we seen someone who follows the steps fail”….HE WROTE THAT …..what do I mean? How could he have seen someone fail if he was still WRITING THE BOOK…no one had even tried the steps, convenient.
Well hello there mister AntiAA/NA. You sound like you are pretty worked up there over the 12 step program. I have learned over the last year or so to let it be, and not be so riled up one way or the other. AA works for some and that is great, but the majority do not stay to find out. AA census data covering several decades shows that almost 80 percent of people who go to an AA meeting will leave the program within one year and never return.
That is nothing against AA, the program is great and believe it or not there are some incredibly deep thinkers in AA and NA. I know because I went to meetings for a year and I also have several friends in the fellowships. I just don’t “work the program,” instead I work my own program of holistic recovery and personal growth. Whatever.
I know all about the bad statistics and how AA could even be construed to have an overall negative affect and so on. I have read all the websites, spent hours over on the Orange papers and he is a deep thinker as well. But I am not so sharply for or against AA anymore. It just is. And it is OK and it does help people. I have one friend in particular who is like an absolute personal growth machine who constantly helps others…and he is hard core AA. So whatever. Let go of your judgments and your anger for a moment. Do what works for you. If you want to help others in recovery, then reach out to them and preach what works for you. That is what I do and what I preach is not AA. But I have seen that it is not an either/or thing. Your anger is blocking you from being on a calm and rational and helpful path.
The statistics are….difficult to deal with. Yes they are probably more true than false but I have seen the real stats because I have worked in a drug rehab for 4 years plus. I see the people go out and come back, over and over again. 90 percent relapse? Yeah you could say that. It is grim.
But there is hope. Why are you not focusing on the hope?
Amen brotha! I want to focus on the hope. I don’t always; but our trials develop our strength of character, which bring out endurance and hope in us. I am a recovering addict; I use caffiene on a daily basis (in very small amounts). I’m not yet sure my ‘prognosis’ on my own personal use. I suppose it won’t be a black or white thing *hard for me to grasp*…I’m sure it will grow and change and evolve for us, just as we are. Everlovin gray! Have a blessed and precious day. May you continue walking your path.
Well thanks for the kind words there, Lauren
I am going to do an update on the caffeine addiction thing very soon, but I am holding off because it is….evolving on me. I recently made a HUGE change to my diet and I have stopped eating processed foods, taking my sodium intake down to about 1,000mg per day. (I have high blood pressure). For some reason this has reduced my caffeine intake considerably, and I might just quit it again altogether.
Was not expecting this “twist” in things and I’m not sure what to do at this point. Will keep everyone posted though!
(Now I see what my real addiction was all along….eating junk like Twinkies and Ho Ho’s!)