Yes, we all know that coffee is bad for health. Here are some scare factors about caffeine consumption: coffee is dehydrating, causes anxiety and insomnia, and it also disrupts the detoxification process in the liver. After being endlessly tagged in videos and articles about said health problems (my friends are really giving me an intervention), not to mention spending a good sum of money on coffee every week, I made a solemn decision to kickstart my caffeine withdrawal process. On a daily basis, I usually take at least two cups of coffee without sugar, and cutting down to zero sure sounded like an impossible challenge. Here’s how my experimental week-long coffee break went:
I had my last good cup of coffee on a Sunday afternoon before going cold turkey. It was like bidding farewell to a beloved friend of many years, I was agonised. My friends thought that I was overreacting and my mother even called me crazy; but hey, I’m trying to quit here! Only fellow coffee addicts would understand how I feel.
Monday mornings are already bad enough, but this particular Monday sure felt like hell. I usually get a cup of coffee before I start getting ready for work, but then it hit me – I couldn’t. It was a real painful experience when I walked past the usual coffee shop on the way to work, but not that I was that awake to feel any actual pain. The next few days without coffee were hazy moments, but it’s finally the end of my week-long ban and I’m summarising its benefits and ill effects.
The good
1. Though I was still suffering from bad caffeine withdrawal symptoms, I tried to load up on more water than usual, which definitely made me a healthier person.
2. I had great sleep every night, and I actually felt a lot more refreshed on subsequent mornings. Reducing my caffeine intake also meant having more appetite to have fruits for breakfast, which is always a plus.
3. Not getting coffee also meant spending less money!
The bad
1. Noticeably, my thought process slowed down and I found myself taking longer than usual to respond in physical and virtual conversations.
2. I couldn’t concentrate or sit for long, there was always an urge to get moving!
3. My mood was terrible and I was really grumpy; which is why I had little to no social interaction outside of work. Come on, I was exhausted!
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4. Extreme headaches throughout the day that made me regret this brave experiment in the first place.
5. I had to eat more food to fill the coffee-sized hole in my heart and stomach, which meant being bloated and feeling fat, upset and chubby.
6. Basically, I was depressed.
My conclusions
Needless to say, I wouldn’t be putting myself through such agony ever again. This week-long hiatus has allowed me to fully realise what a daily cuppa joe does to my sanity. Before you call me a weakling or a slave to coffee… well honestly, I won’t deny your accusations. It’s safe to say that coffee has completely taken over my life and it’s hard to function without it. Now, that’s love.
This wasn’t intended to discourage you from starting your brave escape from the evil clutches of caffeine; you should definitely do it, considering the said health problems it will cause in the long run. But as for me…
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BRB, sipping on a cup of coffee right now.
