“Caffeinated society is a battlefield where everyone loses,” is the title of one of the most recent posts on r/decaf, a subreddit for those who have recently been weaned from their daily coffee habit. In the post, the author, who goes by u/fuhgg_, describes how quitting caffeine is “a hero's journey” and how those embarking on the process “should be proud of every minute you suffered for this goal.” “Calm greetings comrades,” he concludes.
The tone of the post is serious, sweeping and dramatic — very consistent with that of r/decaf in general, a subreddit with more than 40,000 members who have all embarked on the quest to quit caffeine. Testimonials on r/decaf paint an optimistic portrait of a caffeine-free existence, with users claiming that abstaining from caffeine, while painful in dealing with withdrawal symptoms, has cured everything from acne to depression, insomnia and digestive problems to premenstrual syndrome. to general existential anxiety. (This isn't an exaggeration: “I just wanted to put this out there, in case anyone has cut out caffeine but is struggling with productivity or lack of motivation: It's not withdrawal,” says a Redditor who claims to have gone a year and a half without caffeine. “You're a spiritual creature in a cold, mechanical system, and now there's no hiding.”)
On r/decaf, redditors discuss coffee in the language of substance abuse and withdrawal, using terms like “junkies” to describe regular users, “relapse” to describe caffeine use after a period of abstinence. and “cold turkey” to describe cutting without cutting back or weaning beforehand. They often post inspirational memes to encourage people to continue the journey to a caffeine-free happy life. “Sleep well, eat healthy, talk with family and friends,” one captioned meme shows Drake in a tie Hotline Bling video, putting his hand over his face. Another screenshot from the same video, showing Drake looking approvingly at the camera, says “Drinking 5 Monster to feel something.” The language on r/decaf led one observer to remark that the forum is “almost exactly like r/nofap,” the infamous anti-masturbation evangelist community on Reddit.
In some respects, such rhetoric, while it may seem extreme to the casual observer, is not far from the truth: caffeine, which is a natural chemical, is technically classified as a drug because of its stimulating effects on the brain. Central Nervous System. As such, it is often cited as the world's most popular legal drug, with one study estimating that nearly 90 percent of American adults consume caffeine in some form on a daily basis. And like a drug, caffeine withdrawal is notoriously painful, causing symptoms like headaches, nausea and a general feeling of malaise.
Despite this, however, caffeine addiction is not widespread are considered to be a legitimate diagnosis, as it is not included in the DSM (although some researchers have lobbied for it to be included, according to a recent esteemed sir track on the subreddit). In fact, the FDA has determined that as long as you keep your daily intake below 400 mg (the equivalent of about four cups of coffee), a little Starbucks addiction doesn't pose any significant health problems, according to Dr. Katrine Wallace, an epidemiologist and adjunct assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Chicago in Illinois.
Wallace refers to the all-or-nothing approach to caffeine on subreddits like r/decaf as “wild.” “From an epidemiological point of view – it definitely comes down to moderation,” he says Rolling rock. “Anything in excess can cause harm, even water. Caffeine, while present in nature, is a central nervous system stimulant. If one drinks a lot, one can definitely experience high heart rates, insomnia, anxiety, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, etc. The amount to be consumed is individual for each person (it may vary depending on body weight, medications you may be taking and individual sensitivity, etc.).” He also points out that when used in moderation, there are even health benefits that come with regular caffeine use, including reducing the risk type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
But while moderation is, in general, a very good rule of thumb when it comes to most substances, don't tell that to the good r/decaf users, who enjoy the happiness that comes with coffee—and—No Red Bull.
“Once you realize what caffeine does to your body, you [can’t] Just drink your five espressos a day and banish your stress and anxiety, insomnia and digestive and joint problems.” says a post from five months ago, titled “Once you take the red pill you can't go back.” “[Now] you know what you are doing to yourself. And you can keep drinking your Red Bulls and Venti lattes. But in the back of your mind, you know. And it's only a matter of time before you come to your senses and accept how absurd and stupid it is to continue to willingly harm yourself.” If that doesn't convince you to leave your third cup of the day at 4pm, then arguably nothing will.
from our partners at https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/dry-january-subreddit-caffeine-1234945731/
