The aroma of fresh coffee, is known to be one of the favorite fragrances in the world. I don't know if that's actually scientifically proven, but let's just say I wish coffee didn't smell so good. That would make it easier not to drink it.
Yesterday, I was feeling pretty crappy. It was my first day without coffee in months and it could become the first time in my life, that I actually won't get back to two or three (strong) coffees a day.
I am exaggerating a little bit here, but let's just say that I have drunk coffee for about 22 years ( my favorite number ), which makes it my longest addiction ever.
Looking back on it, I probably started drinking coffee not too long before I started drinking alcohol. The difference between those two, is that coffee has been a daily habit ever since. Alcohol eventually turned into an occasional thing ( besides some extreme bouts during - and around - my University years ).
My Coffee Story
I don't know the exact moment when I started drinking coffee. It must have been in my early high school days. In fact, I vividly remember visiting a school play of the primary school where one of my best friends was performing. It was the kind of school play that we - in the Netherlands - tend to perform at the end of primary school.
Being two years older than this friend, I was already in my second year of highschool, so I must have been 14 years young.
I entered that place, all by myself and was feeling like a big guy (mentally), watching these younger kids performing. I remember there being drinks for the visitors and pouring myself a plastic cup of coffee at least twice, feeling like an adult. I probably added sugar to the coffee too. I don't remember a thing of the play itself.
Although I might have started drinking coffee at home, this is the first moment that entered my mind, going back in time to my early coffee days.
Flash Forward to the Present
It's now 22 years later and I'm in my mid thirties. I hardly drink any alcohol anymore and can do without it pretty easily. I can't say the same about coffee though.
Although, some months ago, I tried to not drink coffee, I barely managed to quit a week. When I picked up the habit again, soon afterwards, I got back to two or three espressos a day.
I really enjoy the coffee here in Portugal, its smell and its taste. Which makes it tougher to quit. I also got into the habit to visit the same coffee plays almost every day of the week.
This is How I Quit - Cold Coffee
I didn't quit by drinking cold coffee. I actually really like ice coffee. This is what I did:
- Last Thursday, 3 days ago, I drank two morning coffees.
- On Friday, I drank one morning coffee and then I fought off the feeling of drinking a second one. Instead, I ordered a freshly squeezed orange juice, which I tried to enjoy as much as I could.
- Yesterday, I decided not to go to the coffee place at all an I more or less locked myself in. No coffee, no orange juice. I only drank water with lemon juice and honey.
- Today, I didn't go out either. No coffee, only water.
A Couple of Reasons why I want to break the coffee drinking habit
I do not really like the effect coffee has on me. Does it really energize me? I don't think so. What I like even less, is the feeling I have before I've had my first coffee of the day. I wake up feeling pretty low every morning and I wonder if cof my caffeine addiction is to blame for that. Furthermore, I would definitely not miss the nights that coffee messes up my sleep ( when I occasionally drink an evening coffee ).
And now I witness how crappy I feel without coffee, I start to like it less and less.
To make things clear, I'm not necessarily planning on never drinking coffee anymore. I just want to be able to drink it occasionally, just because I feel like it. Not because I need it.
As @somethingrandom mentioned in our be awesome / deepshit chat channel, when we discussed the topic:
yes! I also didnt like how i feel when i dont have coffee. The first month was the hardest, had withdrawals and everything. But now i could enjoy a cup when i feel like it. It's so satisfying that my energy level doesnt depend on the amount of caffeine i have.
I must say that I hope this feeling doesn't last a month. But, then again, I have fought harder fights and if there's one thing I have, it's willpower. So let's go for it!
I hope to one day reach the stage of just using electronic devices and the Internet, when I actually feel like it and not just checking them frantically, for no reason whatsoever besides FOMO ( you can Google this word mom ) and media addiction.
So, what about you? Are you a coffee addict? Do you consider breaking the habit? Have you done so before? As always, I invite you to share your story in the comment
P.S. It was a post by @brightstar - on the effects of coffee - that made me decide to take the plunge. I will thank her later, when I start to feel better ;>)
I'm thoroughly a coffee addict. Though I only get cantankerous if someone tries to make me do something when I'm on withdrawals (doesn't happen often but every now and again when I run out of milk, and normally I just go to bed with a headache and people trying to make me function are not appreciated XD).
What are you checking franticly? I don't even check steem franticly and I use this a hell of a lot more than any other social media site ever XD (I just feel bad about missing posts but it's either feel bad or burn out, autovotes aren't an option as I set and forget and you'd never hear from me again XD)
I stopped drinking coffee with milk a while ago. I run out of coffee every now and then and yes, the headaches... One thing that made it easier for me to stop, was there being no percolator ( or coffee machine ) in the bungalow where I'm staying.
Mainly whatsapp ( on my phone ) - and cryptocurrency prices, as well as Steemit, discord and steemworld.org for comments, mentions, upvotes.
I don't put people on autovote either for more or less the same reasons.
Ahh I went back to instant crap because it was easier. We do have a sadly neglected dripolator.
Do you trade do you? It sounds stressful XD
Good for you, conquering the addiction! I also drink multiple cups of coffee a day, generally. Sometimes, I'll drink it in the evening at work for a little boost. I'll pay for it someday, for now it works.
Good luck with continuing forward on this, nice post dood :)
there's loads of research that says that it's healthy for several reasons. But it's clearly addictive, otherwise people wouldn't feel as crappy when they didn't take their daily injection.
I made it to day 6 now and must say I start to feel like enjoying a single cup of coffee again :>)
I happen to not be a coffee drinker, I have of course drink coffee in the past, I have never drink it on a daily basis.
Mostly because I noticed family members weren't able to function properly throughout their days if they didn't drink coffee and I don't want to have any addictions.
Sometimes I would like to boost my energy and I know coffee would help, but I still decide not to go that way :)
Good for you!
I grew up in a coffee and tea drinking family. My parents drink ( at least ) 3 cups of coffee a day. Two in the morning, one in the evening. I stopped drinking evening coffee a while ago, but quitting the morning coffee was the hardest.
There's definitely better ways to boost your energy than coffee. Coffee is an easy one though.
hey well, the maximum I've been without coffee has been two weeks and it really was difficult since I drink at least 3 cups of coffee a day. I hope to continue seeing how your new goal is going
I apologize that maybe it looks like spam, but I'm new to the community and I'm still understanding how this works, I invite you to go through my blog and contribute a grain of sand to help create good content
Hola Elvis,
I am at day 6 now and I already feel like drinking coffee again. I don't need three cups though.
I might write an update on my days without coffee one of these days.
Saludos desde Portugal!
P.S. I saw you've only written an introduction post so far. Feel free to reach out to me, if you've written some more :>)
Nice that your brain doesn't support addiction algorithm.
Mine doesn't support habits and routine either but I love to challenge myself.
Good to know about the lunch thing :>)
Ha ha congrats!
Cheers. Day 6 and counting. Not sure how long I can keep it up.
I might try a single coffee every couple of days.
I'm addicted to coffee. As much as I try to quit, I fall back into his arms.