caffeine, i can't let go of it!!

[starchild]

Hi, my name is Starchild and I'm addicted to caffeine. I can eat all raw, I even quit smoking. But I cannot give up my caffeine. I am at a loss as to what to do. I am hopelessly addicted to diet coke. It is the only unraw, unnatural thing I consume. I am it's slave. Does anyone else have a problem like this? :confused:

Any thoughts, comments, suggestions, put downs, affirmations greatly appreciated.

Starchild

[Sharon in Colorado]

I would suggest planning 3 days to get off it cold-turnip.

You can't wean off most addictions, you just have to cut them off. Take a couple of days where you won't be around the stuff and white knuckle through it - you'll probably have an intense headache for the first couple of days.

Try preparing yourself with some green juices or smoothies to have available, and lots of water.

[Spectatrix]

I have to second the cold-turkey approach -- it's what I did with regular coca-cola and nowadays I have soda once every couple of weeks at most. If it's really bad, get a trusted friend to help you out, keeping you away from diet coke for the first couple of days.

[Amberly]

It may help to gradually decrese the caffeine. If you are just dying for a diet coke, have one, but have something else first so that you wont chug down the whole diet coke.

I think if you stay raw you will eventually kick the caffeine habit, especially if you make even the smallest steps to decrese.

I used to like caffeine too, but now if I have it I feel as though I have been hit by a truck.

[rawpriestess]

I have a sure fire way to get off caffeine, I've done it all at once, took 4 days, and I would have killed myself, if I had a gun and could lift it, it was excruciating the headache, nausea, etc. I was drinking 3 triple shot esspresso a day, started drinking coffee when I was 5, it was terrible, but I did it

stayed off coffee for 7 years, then I started dating a guy who owned an esspresso place, so got back on after 1 year of dating him, and smelling it, I couldn't take it any longer.

took me another 5 years to get off entirely, now I'm off, Goddess willing and I can tell you this way is soooooo much nicer and easier

So, take your diet coke, and take diet caffeine free coke, and mix 1/2 and 1/2, and drink it normally, do not try to cut down, or anything, if you notice a headache starting up the ratio to 3/4 diet and 1/4 diet caffeine free,
then each day add more of the caffeine free, and less of the reg pop.

do this gradually, it can take a month, but usually people can do this in abut 1 to 2 weeks

you see the goal is to get you off caffeine without giving you alot of pain in the form of a headache or debilitating you in any way.

now when you get to the point of 100% diet and caffeine free, you will be off the caffeine but still addicted to the carbonation, this is how you get off of it, you are now drinking the exact same amount of pop as you used to only it is now diet and caffeine free, so you can either, start to drink less, so if you drank a 6 pack a day, only drink 5 for a few days then down to 4 then down to 3, etc, until you are at only 1 a day, at which time, you can just start to add ice, then add more ice, and more ice, and more ice, until it is almost all ice, and only about 1 ounce of soda, then you can just sub ice water,

if this won't work for you,

add ice to it, and some pop, and let the ice start to melt, until it is watered down, and then each time add less pop and more ice, and let it melt a little more, each time you allow it to melt more,and you have more water and less pop.

this works really well with coffees and I got off po this way too, but I think it easier to get off pop than coffee myself, as I just sub another drink, there are so many to choose from, all the super great smoothies, juices, etc.

[starchild]

Thanks everyone! Ya'll are a great help!

RP - you are a genius, I was in such a panic about quitting caffeine that I didn't look at it your way. A fresh set of eyes is always helpful!

I also wanted to just quickly say I really feel like ya'll are my second family, everyone is so wonderful and helpful. I love you all (or all y'all if you're southern like me) :D

Starchild

[wyjoz]

starchild: you can try http://www.teeccino.com/ it works even all of my SAD family & friends now are drinking it. and Green Smoothies help with your 'cravings'