Drugs, alcohol, and now coffee! I’ve used a variety of substances to self medicate while in a depressed mood. A few years ago I cut out cannabis, and I stay away from using alcohol when I’m down, but I have no limits with coffee. It seems like I can drink as much as I want whenever I want and it doesn’t create the same problems it does when my mood is better.
Me too. I started smoking cannabis and drinking alcohol until I got sick with schizophrenia; it was then that I had to stop using cannabis. Now I occasionally drink beer; but above all, I consume a lot of caffeine, in my case in the form of energy drinks.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Heart Association, etc recommend a 400mg daily limit for caffiene. It may be affecting you in more ways than you know.
People who drink lots of coffee often get stomach/intestine problems after many years. Cola also has long term side effects (from sugar or sweeteners). I therefore suggest you look into caffeinated water and/or guarana to mitigate any health problems by not overusing one source of caffeine.
Recently I’ve found green tea to be amazing and without the jitteryness of coffee. There are many kinds to try, all quite different!
Adding onto this, I didn’t enjoy green tea until I started brewing it gong fu style with loose leaves. Teabags are acceptable for black tea but completely ruin green imo.
It’s also worth noting that there’s a noticable flavor and taste difference between different types of green (for example, I dislike the popular dragonwell, but love maofeng/mountain green tips). There’s also a gulf of difference between Chinese and Japanese green teas, due to the processing. Usually Chinese tea is pan/wok/hot air fried, leading to a more nutty and complex profile, whereas Japanese greens tend to be steamed, leading to a more vegetal taste.
I also really like matcha, if you can afford the initial investment. It’s definitely unique and can be an acquired taste. I really like the ippodo Sayaka/Horai, since it doesn’t have a very strong umami taste, which can be off putting for people new to matcha.
Edit: and yes, there is actual science backing up your interpretation of green tea being less jittery. The L-theanine, an amino acid unique to green tea and a few mushroom varieties, has a balancing effect when paired with caffeine.
I used to do a whole pot of coffee a day. It was definitely a rush. At other times I’d drink like 2 litres of yerba mate every day. Would mix it with peppermint. I was a little out of control.