This may sound silly to you, but I’m officially a caffeine addict, complete with attempted quits, relapses, and cravings. I’ve even experienced some mild withdrawal symptoms, but nothing big since, let’s face it, we’re not talking about heroin here. Just some caffeine headaches and excessive sleepiness for a day or two after I decide to kick the habit.
Everyone has their vice, or vices, as the case may be. I think it’s human nature to become addicted to SOMETHING, even if the addiction is benign in nature. It doesn’t take an addictive personality to develop an addiction. For a lot of people, it’s alcohol or cigarettes; for others, it’s running or JuJuBees. But like I said, everyone has something, and if you think you don’t, I suggest you look a little harder.
Red Bull didn’t become a problem for me until relatively recently. I’ve been drinking it occasionally since I was a kid and it first came out. I remember thinking it looked like a beer can when I bought it at the gas station for the first time. I also remember thinking that it didn’t really taste all that good, either. Obviously, it has since grown on me. I tell people that it’s an acquired taste, like cigarettes and beer, really.
I think I need to clarify my original statement about being a caffeine addict. Specifically, I’m a Red Bull addict, since that’s really the only form of caffeine I crave, but it’s the caffeine, or lack thereof, that gives me the headaches and makes me sleepy. If they made caffeine-free Red Bull I probably wouldn’t touch the stuff, but I don’t ever start wanting coffee or soda or caffeine pills to get my fix. It’s very much limited to the Red Bull. I love it, plain and simple. I won’t steal from anyone or kill anyone to get it or anything like that, but I will get very territorial if someone drinks my last can without telling me or replacing it. And I will walk to the store in the rain to get one if I’m out.
I’m pretty sure it was joining the full-time workforce that sealed the deal for me. Well, that and having a kid. Up until that point, I could sleep whenever I needed to sleep, or wanted to sleep.
Sleep has been a very important part of my life since I graduated from high school. For some reason, once I hit college, I was always tired, whether or not I got 8 or 9 hours of sleep a night. Even so, I could still take a nap in the middle of the day if I needed one, and I often did. Working and a child changed all of that. My schedule was now controlled by others, and didn’t include nap breaks. Enter my old friend, Red Bull.
Some people drink coffee to get their day started; I drank Red Bull. First a small can in the morning, then a can in the morning and a can at lunch. Then, I started increasing the size of the cans. I knew something was wrong when a coworker commented, “You drink that stuff all day, and you’re so mellow.” I responded with, “You should see me when I DON’T drink it.”
I went to the doctor for my constant tiredness, and he told me to give up the energy drinks, among other things. I tried, but eventually started finding ways to justify ignoring his advice. And honestly, giving it up for the time I did didn’t really help. I started having other health problems (chest pains and heart palpitations), which turned out to be completely unrelated to the caffeine, and was told I needed to stop ALL stimulants, from the energy drinks all the way down to decongestants I took occasionally for allergies. This time I managed it, at least until I found out that the stimulants weren’t involved with my problems. Then, the cans of Red Bull eased their way back into my life, first one at a time, then the 4-packs, and now I’m back to buying it by the flat at Costco. (Incidentally, I have yet to be given an explanation for my constant tiredness or chest pain, other than being told that there’s nothing wrong. Stupid doctors. And a completely different subject.)
I’ve decided that it’s something I just need to embrace and live with as long as it’s not causing me any trouble. I don’t exactly have an addictive personality. While in college and for a little while after, I was a heavy social drinker (yes, I know how dumb that phrase sounds, but it’s accurate), and I’ve smoked cigarettes. Neither one ever had this effect on me. I enjoyed the cigarettes on occasion, though most of the time they were unappealing, and while drinking was fun, it was unnecessary. I just didn’t need to not do it, so I did it when I felt like it. Red Bull is different.
Essentially, though, while the word addiction conjures up images of drug addicts sitting in alleyways, I think addictions are part of human nature and everyday life for just about everyone. I know Facebook addicts, video game addicts, travel addicts, and Gatorade addicts. It’s not always harmful or destructive; mostly, it’s normal. What do you think, and what is your addiction of choice (or necessity, really)?
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Since I am officially addicted to FB I have nothing to talk about. You already know my feelings on Red Bull in excess. Used to be addicted to Coke – no more. Caffeine hates me now (just wait). But I am up at 1:30 in the morning posting to your blog and looking up things on the Internet. A text msg came thru to me that was sent at 1:59 this afternoon – came thru at midnight. Almost had a stroke 'cause I was nearly asleep. But not since then. Back to my addiction instead of food or sleep. Definitely need help.
You wanted suggestions for topics:
How can people believe in God but not in spirits/ghosts? Why do they believe in God? Is it easier to have faith in god than to believe in spirits?
Just a suggestion…
yes I think everyone is addicted to something. Mine change constantly and can last for years or weeks. I am a FB addict but that's mostly out of boredom. I do wish i had one of tho cool addictions like working out, that would be cool!
The problem is that the easiest way to kick an addiction is to find things to do to get you out of bed in the morning and going with your day without leaving enough time to even realize you need that can of red bull or morning cigarette (or both in my case…). Unfortunately however, living here doesn't leave much room for excitement or even anything to do that can get your mind off of things.
[...] referenced insomnia and my caffeine and Red Bull addiction, I’m sure you know by now that I have trouble with both sleeping at night and feeling sleepy [...]