How does Caffiene effect mental health and illness?

[chrisw08]

Hello I wanted to talk today about caffeine and how it effects mental function and illness. I was not brought up with modern health rules about drinking coke and things like that so as a child I drink coke like water. Like a 2 liter a day and would not even drink water. I would also like to add a have some mental issues since I was around 10 but point being I drink like a 2 liter a day. I started being a fitness freak later in life and start doing bodybuilding and it made me feel great.

I was drinking coffee since I was around 18 when I started collage but I was drinking coke with it too.

The point of this post is how caffeine effects mental abilities. I had depression as a kids and was diagnosed with manic depression but when I got older it stopped I think it was around the time I started drinking coffee but I cant remember but coffee is supposed to help with depression because correct me if im wrong it increases dopamine levels which is the feel good feeling but it also can cause anxiety because of the elevated levels and reaction time increasing how you emotional feel, im sure.

So if it has helped me with my depression that's great but the thing i want to talk about is I have been having extremely bad memory lately and have been getting really bad anxiety lately. I'm going to open and honestly say I have trust issues in relationships paranoid there cheating on me things like that but I dont know if it is because I have dated some screwed up girls and they screwed me over bad or if it really is a mental issue if so I was wondering if increasing caffeine can cause this or if my condition has got worse or something.

I have slowly increased the amount of coffee grains I use and don't know how much is normal. I have been stressed out allot lately and things like that but point being can increasing caffeine give you that anxiety feeling you get where you feel like your heart is gonna stop. I guess that would be considered a panic attack but ive never been diagnosed with it. Im going to input the amount of coffee scoops I have been using below and mabye someone could tell me if it is allot a little or something so I can know how much caffiene im actualy getting.

I drink Folgers country roast which is medium I think. I used a coffee scoop thing to measure it i think it is around 2 tablespoons a scoop.

1 and 1/3 scoop to make 4 cups approximately 24 ounces I think.

increase to 1 and half scoop which is like 3 tablespoons for 4 cups

I increased to 2 scoops which is 4 tablespoons to make 4 cups.

and at some point I think I did 2 scoops and a quarter for 4 cups.

SO how strong is this???

I used to be energetic and now im so burned out at work all the time but I don't know if its financial stress, mental issues or overload on caffeine. I think my coffee black too..

My condition is extreme anxiety racing thoughts I could just walk around all day but feel like crap.

[Nidan Melbourne]

Caffeine is dangerous in high doses. And when i say dangerous i mean it can lead to heart problems and even worse death.

That is why energy drinks say one can max daily (500 ML Cans).

But you should probably watch how much you drink.

You are suffering from exhaustion, thats why you are feeling burnt out.

What is your work load like currently? I mean by that how many hours you are working each day and how many before you take a day off.

For you it sounds like everything is becoming way too much.

during the work day find something that you find relaxing and do it.

In relation to your memory, caffeine (even though it is a stimulant) can affect your memory by damaging neurons. The best idea to try and conteract any damage that is happening to your brain. Your body is overworking which is also why you feel burnt out.

The human body isn't meant to be stimulated so often. It is the same kind of thing with adrenaline.

You should take some time off the caffeine to help your body recover to close as 100% as possible.

[AdamKralic]

Drink tea. It has caffeine...but less. It is all around better for you in every way imaginable.

Get a good night's sleep. Do not drink any caffeine for 2 hours before bedtime. You should get at the minimum 8 hours of good sleep. Schedule 8 and 1/2 hours taking into consideration that it probably takes you a bit to go to sleep.

My favorite teas are of the "English" variety. Earl Grey and Orange Spice. Both are based off of black tea. I like milk and a bit of sugar in my tea.

I have however had a good amount of oolong. I buy that loose leaf style and steep it and brew it using small Chinese clay pots. (I went to several real deal tea houses in Taiwan and watched the whole "ceremony")

[Nidan Melbourne]

Drink tea. It has caffeine...but less. It is all around better for you in every way imaginable.

Get a good night's sleep. Do not drink any caffeine for 2 hours before bedtime. You should get at the minimum 8 hours of good sleep. Schedule 8 and 1/2 hours taking into consideration that it probably takes you a bit to go to sleep.

My favorite teas are of the "English" variety. Earl Grey and Orange Spice. Both are based off of black tea. I like milk and a bit of sugar in my tea.

I have however had a good amount of oolong. I buy that loose leaf style and steep it and brew it using small Chinese clay pots. (I went to several real deal tea houses in Taiwan and watched the whole "ceremony")

I agree Tea is great for you. A lot of people find it quite relaxing to drink it whilst taking time out just for themselves. And it will help you with your anxiety.

Not only does my girlfriend drink Tea (she has severe depression and also suffers from severe anxiety) but also majority of my friends now drink tea to relax. I got my friends onto it because of a similar situation to you. My girlfriend on the otherhand who suffers from depression and anxiety finds it relaxing to drink tea (she loves trying different types) and helps her focus on what is important to her.

Even though Adults shouldn't need as much sleep as children, But it is always an excellent thing to do is to have more sleep than less. Because sleep is when your body is able to recharge everything in your body.

[chrisw08]

Thanks for the advice guys, i thought about switching to tea before but i heard its just as bad for you as coffee so i just stuck with what i was doing could someone edjecate me on tea selecting and how to drink to relax all that

[Nidan Melbourne]

nope Tea is healthier than coffee. As it isn't a stimulant or depressant.

Selection of tea is dependent on what you like. So it is probably best to try different types of tea before sticking to one.

I go with either english breakfast or a green tea.

[bushido_man96]

I'm not sure the coffee is the issue here. I drink coffee or pop (soda) often, and don't have these issues. It could be you have these issues, and are trying to associate it to something you do, in this case, caffeine intake. It also sounds like you are experimenting on yourself to see how it affects you, but you don't have any kind of control subject, and seem to be just randomly adding caffiene.

You might want to start by going to see your doctor, and talk to him/her about your issues and concerns. You may want to speak with a psychiatrist or psychologist after that. See what you doctor recommends.

As for the coffee, if you feel you don't need it, then stop drinking it. Or cut back to one cup a day. See how things go from there. Good luck to you.

[Harkon72]

As with most things, if used in moderation I see no problem with coffee and cola, the sugar does some damage and artificial sweeteners are a wonder of toxic science. On the other hand if you can't stay awake with out energy drinks, then you may have a problem. Tourine or Molecular formula, C2H7NO3S, is a mild amphetamine; so be careful.

[Rateh]

As someone with lots of personal experience with mood disorders, it sounds like you are in the middle of a manic episode. Also, drinking caffeine can make any mood disorder worse, especially an anxiety disorder.

My recommendation is to stop drinking so much caffeine, and most importantly, see a psychiatrist. I know many people don't like to see a doctor for this kind of stuff, but it can make a huge difference in your quality of life.

[mazzybear]

I agree with Rateh, It sounds as if you may be in the middle of an episode, best thing is to go see your doctor. But that said cutting out the coke and coffee and switching to tea won't do any harm. I usually drink green tea and lemon with a touch of honey throughout the day. (green tea is well noted for it's numerous health benefits) In the evening I'll have a cup of jasmine or camomile tea to help m relax. If i ever have trouble sleeping I'll have a cup of Velerian root tea, it's not very pleasant stuff but I find itreally helps in getting me off to sleep.

Hope this helps somewhat.

M.