Caffeine Causes Depression

[jamesrwright3]

I posted this in a reply in another thread, but caffeine can cause depression.
I found this out via trial and error,and then I found some sites on the net that confirmed my suspicions. There are many cases of people in mental institutions which have been cured by taking people off of caffeine.

 

[angelkiss]

Golly, when I don't have at least one cup of caffeine a day, I'm all headaches and drowsiness.

 

[Ruby Moon]

noooooo caffine would drive me nuts.

 

[jamesrwright3]

Well some people are more sensitive than others to caffeine. It does decrease the amount of lithium in the bloodstream.

The reason caffeien is so bad is it basically releases stress hormones into the bloodstream and causes the fight or flight response when it is not necessary.Cortisol has alot of negative effects on the body, and therefore, excess stress hormones are bad for everyone involved.

 

[Alive again]

Well some people are more sensitive than others to caffeine. It does decrease the amount of lithium in the bloodstream.

The reason caffeien is so bad is it basically releases stress hormones into the bloodstream and causes the fight or flight response when it is not necessary.Cortisol has alot of negative effects on the body, and therefore, excess stress hormones are bad for everyone involved.

Excessive cortisol is a huge issue in mood disorders.

 

[rushingwind62]

I posted this in a reply in another thread, but caffeine can cause depression.
I found this out via trial and error,and then I found some sites on the net that confirmed my suspicions. There are many cases of people in mental institutions which have been cured by taking people off of caffeine.

Yes caffine, alcohol, nicotine, and most drugs are depressive in nature. That is why most Dr and therapists tell us to avoid these things. They are counteractive to the meds they do prescribe. I know of some who take meds and do things and they have a hard time managing their BP. I also know of others who use these drugs rather than taking proper meds, to manage their BP. But what they do not see in themselves is clear to others. They are manic most of the time and often very psychotic.

 

[nateboy]

Caffeine and Tobacco are generally considered stimulants not depressants. Perhaps they are considered depressants for some people, though, interesting.

Interesting information regarding Cortisol and Caffiene .- and Caffeine and Lithium. JamesWright: What you said COMPLETELY describes what Caffeine does to me. Perhaps that is the reason why I am stressed out even when I have nothing to be stressed out about thus the dx of severe GAD (which could be the bipolar). How can I get my cortisol levels tested? I am very curious as to what level mine are at.

 

[jamesrwright3]

Nateboy,

I am sure there is a lab test out there, but it may be best just to experiment by changing caffeine intake, etc. You wouldn't believe how much better I feel this week, totally calm, no depression. It's eerie

 

[jamesrwright3]

One other weird thing is that since I found out depression may be related to cortisol, I have taken two ibuprofen and it seemed to have an effect on my mood. They are anti-inflammatory, and will reverse some of the negative effects stress has on our body. It doesn't work every time, but it appears that it may work if the depression is stress related.

 

[Alive again]

Interesting!!! There is some good info out there about cortisiol and stress and mood disorders.

Also remember to watch out for caffeine in soda, tea, energy drinks and other substances that are stimulants such as yerba mate and guarana-I avoid those as well, or limit.

I was told recently that 25% of the cafeine you take is still in your body 24 hours later! UGH!!! I need to get back to limiting it.

I also avoid nutrasweet like the plague-it is not a stimulant, but it does something weird to my body; impacts my mood with a few days of intake. I do tolerate limited amounts of splenda, but am careful about that. I like to use stevia a substance from sweet leaf and find it in the natural food areas. Watch though for additives as it is soo sweet they often add something to it so you get more than a few granules. Most people tolerate these additives, many do not even notice they are there.

 

[nateboy]

Neutrasweet does something really weird to my body as well!!This is so strange. Are we all just really sensitive? Do drugs or other "things" such as Neutrasweet have similar affects on us and different compared to the nonbipolar population? Oh, neutrasweet did weird things to my mood but was also VERY ADDICTIVE to me. About five years ago, I would drink around 5 or 6 diet Barqs a DAY! I quit that after I realize I was truly addicted. When I quite neutrasweet entirely, I noticed a huge change. Perhaps I would notice another BIG change if I cut out all caffiene - what about the chocolate? That will be a hard one.All this is so strange, but very encouraging.

Does anyone have strange affects with Anesthesa??? Perhaps most of you have never experienced this but when I am knocked out by Anesthesa and then wake up, I wake up very manic-like. I want to clean, read a magazine (can't read a book because I am still out of it), talk talk talk...very manic - like. During surgery, I WOKE UP during surgery. Now that was a stressful moment. I heard someone say, "increase the .... (med name)." Pain killers hardly work for me. When I was in labor, three epidurals didn't work. I was numb, yes, but I was still in pain. They ended up giving me a narcotic and that made me "high". So, the narcotic worked - Poor child. They wouldn't give me a c-section. I think next time, I will just yell C-section and mean it! I don't want to do that to another child. So meds do something completely different to me compared to most people. The typical antidepressants have never worked, especially for anxiety. Seroquel worked for sleep in that it put me out. Lamictal was the only med that has ever worked. I thank God for that medication. I should try the Ibuprofin but I don't know if you can take that while pregnant. I am pregnant and not on meds (very hard times right now!). If you can, perhaps that will help me

This is just so very interesting. I feel like for the first time I have meet people who experience similar things with medication and other substances as I do. The psychiatrists always told me that I fit into this 1% of the population where some meds do opposite things to me. Perhaps a lot of us are in that category. The doctors have yet to figure out the whole anesthesa and epidural thing....

 

[Amin]

I posted this in a reply in another thread, but caffeine can cause depression.
I found this out via trial and error,and then I found some sites on the net that confirmed my suspicions. There are many cases of people in mental institutions which have been cured by taking people off of caffeine.

Hi,
That's interesting to know.
Have you ever read anything about why it would only affect some people and not others?
Chuck.