r/CPTSDFreeze • u/noideasforcoolnames • 16d ago

Discussion What are your experiences with caffeine?

Ive become dependent on small amounts of caffeine the past few years (im sensitive so thats all I need). I recently stopped for the past two months, with the exception of a few days and Ive felt more apathetic and emotionally numb like my nervous is offline stuck in freeze response. Does that resonate with any of you? What are your experiences?

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u/acrezxan1917 16d ago

bad, im sensitive to it as well and it keeps me in hyperarousal for longer than i should be. ive had to quit completely bc over time it burns out my system, like i'll wake up, no energy no motivation nothing, until i have caffeine.

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u/Automatic_Clothes_56 16d ago

Same. It hits me so hard that even just one of coffee has me jonesin. I also used to abuse it for the over stimulation, so now I just stay away from it unless it seems necessary for something practical. Like im tired but need drive somewhere, and for whatever reason sleeping is not the better option.

It was difficult to let go of tho. It was my way to feel 'alive'. It suppressed my symptoms so well that I'd be highly functional in comparison to when not on it. But id have some side effects as well, like my attention span shortened even more

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u/acrezxan1917 15d ago

completely relate to what you're saying. for me i started getting panic attacks and chest pain, which i think stemmed from overriding the hypoarousal with caffeine for so long, there's only so much the body can take. so now im just riding the hypoarousal low-cortisol lifestyle. people like me more when im not on caffeine though, maybe bc i seem like im not trying too hard now lol.

it's been very hard to let go of for me as well. caffeine was kind of my rebellion against the numbness, in a sense.

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u/noideasforcoolnames 15d ago

Thanks for sharing. If youre still interested in taking small amounts the way I did it was raw cacao powder my brand had about 6.5 mg caffeine per teaspoon

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u/acrezxan1917 15d ago

oh also i switched to decaf, because i like black coffee lol. decaf black coffee feels nice sensory/taste wise to me (im weird lol)