A Caffeine Survey: Welcome to the BlueLight Cafe! Come, drink some joe and smoke bud!

[just say know]

I'd like to conduct a survey of the sorts on coffee and habituation. Now i've read that caffeine isn't actually addictive, even though you can withdraw from it (source: "Buzzed" the complete third edition, specifically the Q&A section "test your drug knowledge"). But i do believe Coffee and generally caffeine can indeed be psychologically habituated but i wouldn't classify it as prominently as addiction for political correctness sake. But also, generally i want to learn more about caffeine in general through first hand accounts.​
Anyways,

1: Do you drink coffee? What about other sources of caffeine?
a: How often do you intake caffeine or coffee?
b: how much caffeine or coffee do you take?
c: Do you ever withdraw and what are your personal symptoms? would you consider this addiction or habituation? Do you find that any symptoms of psychological addiction, habituation, or physical withdraw create any negative influences in your life in regards to Caffeine? (i.e. lack of focus, emotional and behavioral issues, insomnia, etc)
d: what sources of caffeine do you intake and how do they vary (i.e. coffee, energy drinks, extracts/pills of varying quality, yerba mate, guarana, chocolate, etc.)
e: For people who drink their caffeine: Do you add anything to your drink? Would you consider something like sugar and milk to influence habituation or cravings?

2: Can you describe the experience of intaking caffeine containing plants/products or similar compounds (such as in the case of chocolate, yerba mate, tea, energy drinks, diet pills, etc; which contain more compounds than just caffeine, like theobromine and such)?
a: Combinations: what is it like for you when you combine caffeine with other substances? [When necessary or if possible please specify](Cannabis, various psychedelics, nootropics , medications, nicotine, other stimulants, SSRI's and MAOI's (please specify between pharmaceutical and reversible MAOI's seeing as these appear to be fairly differing substances), or generally any other substance or class of substance)
b: what about appetite and weight loss? Does it even help with this? In the case of added sugar and cream does this cause you to crave unhealthy foods of similar nature?
c: can you articulate the experience specifically in regards to cognition? what about emotion? (even if subtle, though primarily if you can/pay attention)
d: Does the aroma of any caffeinated drinks influence psychologically your relationship with the substance? (considering smell is directly connected to your brain i would assume that aroma has all kinds of psychological effects)
e: Does caffeine make you jittery? Does caffeine make you relaxed? Does this vary? Do you think that any part of your psychological predisposition influence the effects of caffeine? (This last part is to discuss blanket statements about caffeine that hold anecdotal evidence but is generally unexplored; like the case of caffeine calming and relaxing those with ADHD while stimulating "normal people". But how do you define "normal people" versus people with ADHD and what about people with other mental dispositions like autism or bipolar or a vague similarity to one or more mental dispositions (such as is often with autism)
f: Do you like, love, or hate caffeine? Is there a love-hate relationship going on or maybe an indifferent attitude towards it? Do you ever think about caffeine to understand it better as a drug or comfort or commodity?

3: Caffeine and youth: Did you take caffeine in your youth or have a child/youth that does and is willing to answer this part of the survey or other parts where applicable?
a: do you think caffeine is "okay" for youth and children?
b: if you did take caffeine in your youth; for what reasons?
c: what were the subjective effects and affects on your cognition, emotions, and behavior?
d: does it stimulate or calm you down? does it cause you to focus more or less? does it seem to be dependent upon some factor like set and setting?
e: Can you please try to describe any habituation that has occurred and try to put into perspective what factors may influence that?
d: When did you start taking caffeine? for what intentions and expectations?

4: Placebo: Although placebo is hard to differentiate and this isn't a true to the blue research medium and differentiating between placebo and actual evidence can be quite difficult; i ask you to please describe or at least think about whether or not any of your expectations and conclusions about caffeine are part of a placebo effect or an influenced attitude by others, media, and society's view on caffeine?

If you feel that anything can be added to maximize informational value please pm me any suggestions and i will take into account those suggestions.

 

[wezface]

-survey open-

 

[just say know]

This Survey will be regularly updated (and thoroughly reviewed by me for edits, additions, or area's of improvement made in comments of various contributors, i will also send a pm to each individual contributor to make a conversation about their submissions in order to see whether or not the quality of each submission can be improved so that the survey can increasingly become more and more structured. I encourage that people contact me with a submission before hand though this is not necessary and is primarily designed to influence a more initially qualified post. I highly encourage that people edit their comments regularly (when applicable) and review the survey's progress as a whole. I hope to conduct very similar surveys like this one with either equal thought/depth into conducting them or more so) and suggestions that make it into the survey or additions/changes i the author decide to implement will have a colored word in brackets usually saying "added", or "altered". {the changes will be in the form of editing the original post}I also encourage that people Edit their original contributions with either "added", or "altered"​ Edited in for the sake of organization (when applicable).

For those who do contribute to this thread i thank you. And for those who follow this thread regularly and do what i encourage in regards to constantly putting forth effort to improving this as a source of first hand accounts of information on caffeine I truly am grateful for the extra time and effort you provided. there will be an acknowledgements page simply to thank those who put in the extra effort. each form of contribution will be described in acknowledgement; whether the individual simply went around asking for contributions from real people or simply because the individual just commented something to contribute to the conversation or to improve the thread.

Lastly i also encourage each individual to print this survey off and go about asking different people in their local areas to gain person to person contributions. Each contributions counts in some kind of way and i thank anyone who goes this far and is willing to provide what they find in person to this thread online. Since bluelight uses a database this may or may not become a great piece of structured anecdotal information on caffeine and how it affects human behavior.

(to the individuals that do contribute) i am pleased to say that i feel proud to be a part of an online community who is willing to contribute structured information to better understanding of something as simple as a dose of caffeine. I chose caffeine because a lot of people use the drug and i could set precedent for other surveys in the future in which the anecdotal evidence has more value than is typical of such media.
Future surveys may include something as specific as nicotine to as broad as pharmaceuticals in general. I hope that the information will remain consistently structured and carefully articulated. Now I will end this comment by simply waiting to see what kind of feedback this receives. Thank you and much love

 

[noone1]

My experience is probably atypical because of anxiety issues but maybe people with extreme anxiety can be a group within your survey. I was guzzling caffeine everyday since I was 12 years old, tons of it. I would drink down cup after cup of coffee, espresso, sodas, caffeine pills, anything I could get my hands on I can't even quantify how much it was it was ridiculous amounts.

One day my body just couldn't tolerate it anymore I had an extreme panic attack after a cup of coffee and ended up in the hospital. I am highly sensitive to it now and cannot tolerate it. It was uncomfortable withdrawing from it but not too big of a deal, mostly I was really tired all the time and fatigued. I never got headaches or anything and after three days I was fine.

If I ingest any caffeine now I get really anxious and start having a panic attack. In really low amounts like half a cup of soda or something it makes me really depressed. I no longer get any stimulation or euphoria from caffeine like I used to. It really sucks because it used to be a great drug.

 

[just say know]

Hmm, i might add a section in which there is focus on severe anxiety specificly. I never considered anxiety (or for that matter depression, bipolar, and autism) being a section but now i'm open to posting a few questions in regard to this. If anyone has any ideas on how to phrase the questions to maximize informational value i ask that those people pm me their idea and if it articulates well i will probably add it into the survey. For now i'm going to consider what things i can add and how i will phrase it so be prepared for the survey to be updated within a week (most likely less).

 

[Mycophile]

Well I also have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and some Social Anxiety/OCD and mild depression but I drink OBSCENE amounts of caffeine.

On an average day I drink between 6 and 8 cups of coffee, sometimes as much as 10 and it's REALLY time for me to cut down.

I actually think that caffeine is a major focus of my OCD in that I compulsively drink it.

My tolerance is so high though that for me it probably take 2 or 3 cups to equal what one would for many others.

But when I don't drink as much coffee I am MUCH less anxious which is one more reason to not drink so much, but I find the addiction to be overpowering.

I never have much success cutting down or quitting but I'm still determined to cut down.

Combine all that with the insistence by idiots that caffeine "isn't a real drug" and anyone with "will power" should be able to EASILY quit or cut down, which I've been told by some not so intelligent posters on here (I like most of this forum but not everyone...) and it's frustrating how much caffeine is considered to be a 'non-substance".

When I try to quit or cut down my withdrawal is REALLY bad...we are talking SERIOUS depression and exhaustion.

For 2 full weeks I will feel like I hate life and everyone around me and as if the withdrawal will never end and I don't feel like doing anything, and still people pretend it should be easy to quit or cut down.

I have a strong suspicion that my mental makeup somehow predisposes me to caffeinism and that somehow I use it to self medicate my depression and anxiety even with the knowledge that it also exacerbates it.

Caffeine IS a real drug, make no mistake about it, and quitting isn't easy for everyone.

 

[PetalToTheMetal]

1: Do you drink coffee? What about other sources of caffeine?

Every other day or so. I also take caffeine pills on occasion, as well as energy drinks. I love chocolate as well, but it's a rare-ish treat.
a: How often do you intake caffeine or coffee?

Everyday.
b: how much caffeine or coffee do you take?

Probably 300 to 600 mg a day.
c: Do you ever withdraw and what are your personal symptoms? would you consider this addiction or habituation? Do you find that any symptoms of psychological addiction, habituation, or physical withdraw create any negative influences in your life in regards to Caffeine? (i.e. lack of focus, emotional and behavioral issues, insomnia, etc)

I do occasionally have all three mentioned side effects, but I've had them long before I starting using caffeine. The lack of focus could be from sleep deprivation, possible ADHD, or caffeine withdrawal. I also use other psychoactive substances, which could bring about similar symptoms. -shrug-

d: what sources of caffeine do you intake and how do they vary (i.e. coffee, energy drinks, extracts/pills of varying quality, yerba mate, guarana, chocolate, etc.)

I take coffee, energy drinks, pills, and chocolate. Guarana occasionally as it's included in some energy drink blends. I'm not sure how to answer the second half of the question.


e: For people who drink their caffeine: Do you add anything to your drink? Would you consider something like sugar and milk to influence habituation or cravings?

I used to drink coffee with sugar and cream, or get drinks blended with whip cream and chocolate, etc. I feel the dopamine released from the sugar and fat along with the caffeine and theobromine is much more addictive.

2: Can you describe the experience of intaking caffeine containing plants/products or similar compounds (such as in the case of chocolate, yerba mate, tea, energy drinks, diet pills, etc; which contain more compounds than just caffeine, like theobromine and such)?

I get a "I'm happy and content" feeling with chocolate and tea that I don't get with just caffeine.

a: Combinations: what is it like for you when you combine caffeine with other substances? [When necessary or if possible please specify](Cannabis, various psychedelics, nootropics , medications, nicotine, other stimulants, SSRI's and MAOI's (please specify between pharmaceutical and reversible MAOI's seeing as these appear to be fairly differing substances), or generally any other substance or class of substance)

Caffeine is something I use daily, so it's hard to say. It's a nice addition to other stimulants like Focalin or 2-FMA, and blends nicely with Phenibut. I feel it increases my anxiety with cannabis, and is synergistic with nicotine.
b: what about appetite and weight loss? Does it even help with this? In the case of added sugar and cream does this cause you to crave unhealthy foods of similar nature?

I noticed when I switched to black coffee, it was easier to avoid fattening foods, or just food in general. I did lose a good amount of weight.

c: can you articulate the experience specifically in regards to cognition? what about emotion? (even if subtle, though primarily if you can/pay attention)

I'd say I could think more fluidly, and there was a noticeable energy boost.

d: Does the aroma of any caffeinated drinks influence psychologically your relationship with the substance? (considering smell is directly connected to your brain i would assume that aroma has all kinds of psychological effects)

Maybe, I'm unsure. The smell of coffee and the chemical cocktail smell of energy drinks are oddly soothing, though.
e: Does caffeine make you jittery? Does caffeine make you relaxed? Does this vary? Do you think that any part of your psychological predisposition influence the effects of caffeine? (This last part is to discuss blanket statements about caffeine that hold anecdotal evidence but is generally unexplored; like the case of caffeine calming and relaxing those with ADHD while stimulating "normal people". But how do you define "normal people" versus people with ADHD and what about people with other mental dispositions like autism or bipolar or a vague similarity to one or more mental dispositions (such as is often with autism)

I feel relaxed yet stimulated with low to medium-high doses of caffeine, but too much will send me into a panic attack.

f: Do you like, love, or hate caffeine? Is there a love-hate relationship going on or maybe an indifferent attitude towards it? Do you ever think about caffeine to understand it better as a drug or comfort or commodity?

I love it because it helps me keep moving through my busy schedule. It's mostly just a daily part of my life I don't give much weight to, though, like taking a shit.

3: Caffeine and youth: Did you take caffeine in your youth or have a child/youth that does and is willing to answer this part of the survey or other parts where applicable?
a: do you think caffeine is "okay" for youth and children?

Maybe every so often, in low doses.

b: if you did take caffeine in your youth; for what reasons?

General curiosity, to feel more adult


xxxxI'll answer the rest when I have time
c: what were the subjective effects and affects on your cognition, emotions, and behavior?
d: does it stimulate or calm you down? does it cause you to focus more or less? does it seem to be dependent upon some factor like set and setting?
e: Can you please try to describe any habituation that has occurred and try to put into perspective what factors may influence that?
d: When did you start taking caffeine? for what intentions and expectations?

4: Placebo: Although placebo is hard to differentiate and this isn't a true to the blue research medium and differentiating between placebo and actual evidence can be quite difficult; i ask you to please describe or at least think about whether or not any of your expectations and conclusions about caffeine are part of a placebo effect or an influenced attitude by others, media, and society's view on caffeine?

 

[just say know]

So guys, i've been going through some stuff in life and i need a good break from the internet. I'm going to try to find some time to edit this stuff (there was some things i wanted to alter/remove/add) but it might be a while. For now i encourage people to continue to contribute when y'all can. I am pleased to read what has been contributed so far and i thank those who have done so. Much love, much peace, moar coffee. And Cannabis but that's a given. Also i can't wait to give my personal experience with caffeine. It's definitely been a love-based relationship in regard to it being a commodity/pleasure. Hope i can update it soon guys, sorry i haven't been able to. I'm also working on pm'ing everyone it's just that i've been going through stuff and it just gets overwhelming sometimes. I think many of you can understand that and i appreciate all of your patience.

With love

 

[SixBuckets]

These are a lot of questions, but I'll see if I can get to the end before I get bored.

1: Do you drink coffee? What about other sources of caffeine? - I drink two large coffees a day, one first thing in the morning and one at lunch time. It's my only source of caffeine other than the occasional chai latte or tea.
a: How often do you intake caffeine or coffee? Twice a day
b: how much caffeine or coffee do you take? One large skim flat white - which is a double shot of barrista coffee.
c: Do you ever withdraw and what are your personal symptoms? would you consider this addiction or habituation? Do you find that any symptoms of psychological addiction, habituation, or physical withdraw create any negative influences in your life in regards to Caffeine? (i.e. lack of focus, emotional and behavioral issues, insomnia, etc) Coffee is my maintenance drug. If I don't drink it, I am tired, irritable and sometimes get headaches.
d: what sources of caffeine do you intake and how do they vary (i.e. coffee, energy drinks, extracts/pills of varying quality, yerba mate, guarana, chocolate, etc.) Two coffees a day, sometimes a chai latte or tea.
e: For people who drink their caffeine: Do you add anything to your drink? Would you consider something like sugar and milk to influence habituation or cravings? A flat white is a coffee made in a cafe with steamed, frothed milk. I don't add sugar to my coffee.

2: Can you describe the experience of intaking caffeine containing plants/products or similar compounds (such as in the case of chocolate, yerba mate, tea, energy drinks, diet pills, etc; which contain more compounds than just caffeine, like theobromine and such)? Not really, it's enjoyable but I couldn't narrow down the "feeling" of caffeine.
a: Combinations: what is it like for you when you combine caffeine with other substances? [When necessary or if possible please specify](Cannabis, various psychedelics, nootropics , medications, nicotine, other stimulants, SSRI's and MAOI's (please specify between pharmaceutical and reversible MAOI's seeing as these appear to be fairly differing substances), or generally any other substance or class of substance) I take modafinil for daytime fatigue associated with fibromyalgia. Since I've been on this, I've found coffee much more effective at waking me up.
b: what about appetite and weight loss? Does it even help with this? In the case of added sugar and cream does this cause you to crave unhealthy foods of similar nature? Nah, no change.
c: can you articulate the experience specifically in regards to cognition? what about emotion? (even if subtle, though primarily if you can/pay attention) It's more alertness and awakeness.
d: Does the aroma of any caffeinated drinks influence psychologically your relationship with the substance? (considering smell is directly connected to your brain i would assume that aroma has all kinds of psychological effects) Absolutely. I have a total sensory association with the smell of coffee. If the smell isn't right, I don't feel satisfied with my drink.
e: Does caffeine make you jittery? Does caffeine make you relaxed? Does this vary? Do you think that any part of your psychological predisposition influence the effects of caffeine? (This last part is to discuss blanket statements about caffeine that hold anecdotal evidence but is generally unexplored; like the case of caffeine calming and relaxing those with ADHD while stimulating "normal people". But how do you define "normal people" versus people with ADHD and what about people with other mental dispositions like autism or bipolar or a vague similarity to one or more mental dispositions (such as is often with autism) Neither. I might get jittery if I have, like, four coffees at once, but I rarely deviate from my routine.
f: Do you like, love, or hate caffeine? Is there a love-hate relationship going on or maybe an indifferent attitude towards it? Do you ever think about caffeine to understand it better as a drug or comfort or commodity? I love coffee. I am reliant on caffeine. I have no strong feelings one way or another about the drug aspect of my coffee.

3: Caffeine and youth: Did you take caffeine in your youth or have a child/youth that does and is willing to answer this part of the survey or other parts where applicable? I was a hardcore caffeine addict in my youth - five cups of coffee a day, hyper caffeinated cola, the works.
a: do you think caffeine is "okay" for youth and children? In moderation and with appropriate context. My mum's Scottish, so I've been drinking a cuppa tea when I'm stressed for as long as I can remember.
b: if you did take caffeine in your youth; for what reasons? See above re: parental influence. Following from that, both as a social tool (meeting friends over coffee) and to deal with insomnia and night shift.
c: what were the subjective effects and affects on your cognition, emotions, and behavior? Just making me awake. I developed a pretty hardcore tolerance when I was a teenager.
d: does it stimulate or calm you down? does it cause you to focus more or less? does it seem to be dependent upon some factor like set and setting? Neither, really.
e: Can you please try to describe any habituation that has occurred and try to put into perspective what factors may influence that? I'm not sure what this question means.
d: When did you start taking caffeine? for what intentions and expectations? Childhood for tea and cola. Started drinking coffee around 15 and hypercaffeinated colas around 18. Was down to my current routine by 23.

4: Placebo: Although placebo is hard to differentiate and this isn't a true to the blue research medium and differentiating between placebo and actual evidence can be quite difficult; i ask you to please describe or at least think about whether or not any of your expectations and conclusions about caffeine are part of a placebo effect or an influenced attitude by others, media, and society's view on caffeine? Possible. Haven't really thought about it.