I've been listening to the tapes and everything. This lesson has been particularly problematic for me, so I�ve listened to it several times (not to mention the doing the "homework").
I'm on Wellbutrin (an anti-depressant), which has helped me tremendously, and I have one or two cups of coffee each morning. I notice that sugar makes me tired, so I've been using a sugar substitute. This pattern, along with crunches and push-ups, has been working for me. I've been productive and sociable. I rarely feel the need to take naps. My counselor (LCT: M.S.W.) thinks the balance of anti-depressants and coffee is ok. Do I still need to change my routine of drinking coffee in the morning if I'm doing better right now? And are sugar substitutes bad for anxiety/depression (beside the fact that they might be bad in other ways)? Concluding thought � I significantly reduced my caffeine intake after this lesson and almost stopped drinking coffee altogether. My entire chemical equilibrium, however, was offset, which is why I continue to drink limited amounts of coffee.
I believe in short order, having a limited amount of coffee (caffeine) and sugar are ok as long as it not causing anxiety like symptoms for you.
After this lesson, I found that I was more sugar sensitive then I had realized. I was never a caffeine consumer (as it gives me heart flutters), but I loved my chocolate! During this lesson, I did an experiment and stopped indulging in so many sugary foods and saw a drastic drop in my anxiety like symptoms.
So for me, too much sugar is a trigger. Not everybody is sensitive to either of these things, but I think that this lesson is a good test to see if you are one of those people.
I'm glad you mentioned sugar as a cause of anxiety-like symptoms. I have not experienced anxiety as a result of sugar consumption... directly. When I was a major consumer of refined sugar, I got so sluggish that I got so stressed out thinking that I was diabetic. I was tested over and over, and each time the nurses and doctors would tell me I'm ok. I wasn't ok, though. (Can you see how it produced anxiety indirectly?)
When I began using sugar substitutes, I noticed that I didn't get sluggish. Chocolate and quick-burning carbohydrates also made me really tired. Realizing this, I've been able to adjust my diet accordingly. I'm still not sure if Sweet 'N Low is "good for you," but I feel much better regardless.
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