How to give up caffeine
How I did it: I should preface this by saying it wasn't really a kicking-the-habit thing for me.
One morning, after many cups of black tea and a crying spell, I decided to see what would happen if I kicked the caffeine. Turns out, it made a HUGE difference in my ability to cope with stress.
It's not so much that caffeine gives me the jitters. A small amount of "up" is fine, helps me get a lot done, so on and so forth. But ... I wind up feeling depressed, and very, very tired -- the opposite of what it supposedly does to you. And headaches. I think my body must get kind of overwhelmed by the stimulation and sort of shut down protectively. Anyway, I quit and felt wonderful and more or less haven't looked back.
Once in a great while I'll have a cup of coffee or regular tea (so tasty!), and I ALWAYS regret it later. Even decaf coffee is trouble. I drink lots of herbal tea, and allow myself decaffeinated black/green tea in moderation.
And chocolate. Must have chocolate.
Lessons & tips: Find something really wonderful and tasty to drink that's not caffeinated.
Resources: herbal tea
