The workbook I have states that a 6 oz. cup of tea contains 90 mg of caffeine, while the box of tea I have (Lipton's) states that an 8 oz. cup carries 40 mg. of caffeine. Who's right? That's a pretty big discrepancy. I went to a couple of web sites to try to get more information and I came up with results similar to the back of the Lipton tea box, then found more discrepancies in the stated amount of caffeine in a chocolate bar. My workbook says a 1 oz. bar of chocolate has 20 mg
while some websites say that a 1.5 oz Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar has but 10 mg. Normally I'm not so persnickety but in this case, when one source lists more than twice as much caffeine as another, I just want to know the truth. One of the websites I visited was the Center for Science in the Public Interest and didn't seem hokey at all, so no, I don't believe everything I read.

I didn't much check the caffeine count on the coffee because I'm not a coffee drinker but that varied as well, mostly due to the fact that different brands of coffee carry different amounts of caffeine and the method you use to brew changed the caffeine count as well.

Can you tell I'm having trouble letting go of my cup of tea every day? I only drink one, first thing in the AM, but hate the thought of giving it up. The sugar thing doesn't bother me; never ate much of it anyway, and saying goodbye to cola doesn't even phase me. It's never been my favorite and in fact, I'd only reach for it if I ran out of my true favorite, which is seltzer water with a twist of lemon or lime. (There's always Coke in the fridge because hubby lives on it!) Candy or chocolate is a no-no in our household since my 4-year-old is tentatively diagnosed with ADHD, so that tempation is taken care of. (I say tentatively because we really believe my son has been misdiagnosed but eliminating the sweets and high sugar fruit juices seems to have helped a little at times so we keep it up. Can you believe they wanted to put him on tranquilizers and keep him heavily sedated at the tender age of three! Oh well, that's another story ...!)

Any input from anyone? Thanks, it's much appreciated ,
Chris
P.S. no decaf or herbal teas for me! The flavor is horrid and they make me gag. Decaf tea is very flat tasting and if you only knew the chemicals they threw in it to make it that way, you wouldn't drink it either.

[This message has been edited by Craw (edited 01-07-2002).]

Hi Craw,

Consider how the caffeine guidance offered in the Program Workbook is based on what folks may TYPICALLY consume. I�d expect that typical figure to differ widely depending upon the product and serving size ACTUALLY being consumed. Consider how all the effort spent in these details is just a creative way to muddle this much more important key point made in the lesson: �Although 250 milligrams of caffeine per day is the amount considered to be excessive, many people are extremely affected by a smaller amount. People who suffer from chronic anxiety can put themselves in a panic from the caffeine from one candy bar or headache pill.�

The Mayo Clinic Website reports that coffee, teas, sodas, chocolates, some cold medications and pain relievers are often abused by those mistreating depression by self-medicating with the stimulant drug caffeine. Caffeine is a chemical compound similar to the hormone adrenaline. It stimulates activity of the brain, heart, kidneys and intestines. Unfortunately, this drug only masks depression at the expense of fueling anxiety-panic, irritability, and sleeplessness.

The drug caffeine is often used to counter the sedating effects of other drugs that are being abused by those mistreating anxiety-panic by self-medicating with sedative substances such as antihistamines and alcohol. It�s a common addictive cycle for many to sedate themselves to sleep and then need to stimulate themselves out of that in the morning and into their day which fuels the need to sedate themselves again at night and stimulate themselves out of it again the following morning, on and on and on and�. A conscious effort to change either class of drug use needs to take into account this interdependency. That�s why most drug rehab programs insist all drug use be tapered at the same time.

Consuming too much caffeine over time can lead to dependence. If you suddenly stop consuming it, you may experience headaches and somewhat increased depression. Tapering off this drug and unmasking reality over time seems an overall better growth experience for most folks managing anxiety-panic-depression with the Midwest Center Program.

A common characteristic we all share with anxiety-panic-depression is a knee jerk reaction to deprive our selves. I also know from experience how deprivation fuels cravings, while abundance fuels a manageable balance. How does this all work with caffeine? Well, by making the commitment to more frequently add healthier behaviors and things today, there simply is less room for caffeine, and less and less cravings to fill. I may still seemingly consume some caffeine, but it will not be as much or as often as before. Remember: The goal is improvement, not perfection!

Try not kidding yourself into thinking you're missing the taste of these things during this process, when it�s really the mood altering effect that�s mostly being lost. I don�t know many folks who find it a whole lot easier to mourn the loss of that effect by simply focusing on some potentially healthier gains to be had in the future. Therefore, I�m a big advocate for focusing on adding (ADDING) healthier behaviors and things to such a degree that they crowd out and help extinguish the caffeine or antihistamine use. What you may specifically add to your life is very individual to your own tastes and values. If you highly value spending some quiet time with a warm, wet, sparkling friend that you�ve come to know as �tea,� then you may want to consider adding something that provides most of that in a healthier way. Will it be perfect? NO! But, it�s a whole lot closer than a more depriving tactic. It's not about using this as one more thing to beat your self up with and fuel more anxiety-panic-depression in the process. It's about treating your self better, better, and better!

~ Dolphin

[This message has been edited by Dolphin (edited 01-07-2002).]

Thank you dolphin!

Maybe I'm just being picky because I don't want to give up my one cup of tea a day. I think I'm more addicted to the flavor rather than the caffeine. I don't know if I'd get any kind of withdrawals from giving it up. There doesn't seem to be enough caffeine in one cup to do that, and I have, on occasion, had to do without it and got no headache. I really don't know how to taper off of just one cup a day--one would have to go cold turkey.

A doctor of mine told me a long time ago that yes, the amount of caffeine in just one candy bar can affect some people, but those people are hypersensitive to caffeine, and that's usually due to a heart problem, not anxiety, so there seems to be different view points on this.

I guess I'll just bank the knowledge for the time being and move on in the lessons. If I never give up the AM tea it's OK because the goal is improvement, not perfection. I've certainly improved my knowledge of caffeine.

Chris

Just avoid caffeine. It will help. It doesn't matter what the percentage is in anything. People with anxiety are sensitive to anything that stimulates.