Posted by MB on August 20, 2001, at 15:26:29
In reply to Re: OK, am I just a freak? (long), posted by stjames on August 11, 2001, at 0:17:11
I assume that caffeine makes panic attacks a whole lot worse. I've been drinking about two cups a day (maybe one around 8:00am and another around 1:00pm). The caffeine seems to relax me and center me, but about two or three hours after I drink it, the panic/racing-thoughts/chest-pain/sweating symptoms come on strong. Plus, this feeling of horrible guilt (that I didn't describe before) hits me. The guilt is incapacitating; like I've murdered someone, but I can't think of anything bad that I've done. I feel so guilty that I'm sure I'm going to hell, and the sensation is that there is an evil presence, immanent, waiting to take me there. The religious overtones of the sensation worries me because in retrospect it seems reminiscent of psychosis (but there are no delusions of a commited act, just the *feeling* of guilt and evil). Could the coffee be causing the attacks so long after I drink it? I like to drink it (for depression), but this panic/anxiety feels worse than depression. Without it I get so depressed that I can't be productive. For the next week, I'm free of responsibilities (well, relatively), so I don't need to be productive. I'm going to try to give up the caffeine and see how things go. Today is the first day off the java: fatigued and ravenous, but no headache yet. I hope this helps.
poster:MB
thread:74429
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75699.html