YEP...ME

Caffiene and anxiety ARE TOTES not a good mix. If you got anxiety cut down ur consumption to a max two cups a day and avoid tea too because as we all know that has caffiene in it. As a sufferer of anxiety you body will be getting blasted by adrenalin which speeds you up anyway, you add an overdose of caffiene to that and you are in for trouble believe me i have been there and it is a fast track ticket to panic attacks.
If you want a tea alternative try chamomile tea, its nice, tasty and dont have caffiene and as a bonus chamomile is proven to reduce anxiety and make users more relaxed and it really does work

steve

I drink caffiene in many forms a few times a week. I don't feel that caffiene affects my anxiety :)

Caffeine blocks GABA - GABA controls anxiety, It has this blocking effect for up to 36 hours after ingestion

Caffeine has a half life of 6 hours and it takes 6 half lives for the liver to eliminate it so what you drink in the morning is still have an effect on your nervous system 36 hours later or about a day and a half.

It has no place in an anxiety diet

Caffeine is a crystalline xanthine alkaloid that readily crosses the blood brain barrier. Its stimulant effect is based mainly on it being it being an antagonist of andenosine receptors. It would take roughly 30-40 times as much caffeine to significantly block GABA, and by that time you would be in what is known as 'caffeine intoxication', and it would not be because of GABA blockage. It has a very high bioavailability, up to 90% or more, higher than most medications. It is metabolized rather quickly by the CYP pathway and its half life is roughly 4-5 hours with a mean time of about 4.9, excreted in the urine. If you have a sensitivity to it, avoid it. In actuality, in small doses, studies showed it could reduce anxiety, but after a certain dose was reached these effects were eliminated, and what the average person consumes, they would not see theses benefits. It is not a great thing to have if your anxiety level is high, but I enjoy an occasional cup of Joe, with no problems. Take care, good health.

Please excuse the typos, working on something in Photoshop, lol.

I keep caffeine in my diet. I do, however, keep the amounts lower.

For someone who is sensitive to food intake with chemical increase of anxiety, it is not so much the caffeine as it is the trigger for the chemical release that can cause reactions.

When I asked someone the location, who was with them, and got a few specific details, I was able to show them how the caffeine actually helped them through the situation in a safe way. Sure, the feelings were weird, and if the thought process stopped at the caffeine, they might not have tried a different idea the next time they were in the same situation.

With anxiety, it is a natural process, and it is important to check ALL the triggers instead of trying to focus on just one specific item. By doing this, often the origin of the trigger turns out to be something completely unexpected.

Best wishes!

Mid

Your statement about things unexpected caused me to recall that people drinking protein drinks or using any product that protein is isolated from vegetables contains free glutimates and these can be powerful nervous system activators

Safe protein suppliments are those made from egg whites

MysticSoul, it was through a neighbor's BBQ that I discovered that for me, a certain combination would throw my balance out of whack, and you're right, it's the unusual things that are usually the culprit.
There were about six people affected by the ingredient in the dish that was changed and it was interesting because all six went up quietly on their own so as not to upset anyone else.
It was after the event was over, the neighbor had the six over, and worked through what was common.
Heartbrok, please check the entire menu to help you find your natural balance.

I think if you are suffering from anxiety one of the first things you should do is get rid of caffeine. I did and I think it helped quite a bit. Once I was feeling much better I slowly re-introduced coffee maybe one cup a day - and still sometimes, like today, I really felt jittery after. So I think I'm better without. I know everyone is different but it certainly doesn't hurt to cut it out and see if it helps.

I had to go to the ER back at the beginning of January because I had drank to much iced tea too many days in a row. It caused me to become dehydrated and brought on an abnormal heartbeat and angina. And I had blood pressure that was reading around 170/125.

It was from ingesting too much caffeine. So yes, I know I do not tolerate caffeine well.

I had to be put on Wellbutrin (which is a glorified caffeine pill) for my depression and noticed that my energy level shot through the roof. Unfortunately, so did my anxiety. I think it varies from person to person but overall, I think caffeine and anxiety DO NOT mix. I've had to switch to caffeine-free soda, stop taking Excedrin when I'm experiencing menstrual cramps (most period meds have caffeine in them) and had to find something to do with the excess energy from the Wellbutrin. Due to chronic pain I can't exercise but I stay up late and sit on the computer talking to you fabulous people! :)

Thanks so much for all the responses. It is very helpful to learn from others experiences and knowledge. :) I have anxiety as well as depression and I have chosen to cut back on the amount of caffeine that I am used to. I usually drink caffeine free soda now and it seems to help a bit with my anxiety. My biggest concern is that I use Excedrin Migraine for my headaches and I know it contains caffeine. After I take it, I can feel the boost and feel much more energetic than usual. If I take it at night, I can't sleep... but if I have a migraine headache, I can't sleep either. I just try to be cautious, especially with the other medication that I take. I use 1/2 mg Klonapin, 5 mg Buspar, and 30 mg of Cymbalta each day. Anymore info or opinions would be very helpful and thanks again. :)

Thing is we are all indivduals and such have different metabolisms and make up even tho we are the same speicies. It varies from person to person but i know from personal experience me and too much caffiene dont mix so i dont do it........mmmm this coffee is nice

LOL

(oops getting side eyes again, dang sorry boss!)

yeah nothing beats a good cup of java! but i too pay for it. it doesnt mix well with my anxiety. it cuz's problems and i get real hyper and make bad decisions! but we are all different, thats my experience with it, but i do love at least that first cup of java when i get up! i really should cut down though, really enjoyed reading this post.