Beating an addiction?

[TashaAndBump]

I don't know how stupid this is going to sound, but I am really being serious; I think I have an addiction and I am finding it very hard to overcome this.

I find that I "NEED" this thing, I start my day with it, I have all my meals with it, if I'm out I need to have it, if I am stressed out, I need to have it ...I have found that if I go long periods without it I get shaky, panicky, headaches, light-headed, very dizzy and faint... not to mention grouchy, sleepy, distracted, preoccupied and LOW etc ....and then when I get my hands on it and get it into my system I am immediately relieved with a rush of pleasure and satisfaction.

I definately do want to give this up; I know it is not good for me, but more over I hate this feeling of dependence - it is THIS that is no good for me, I know it feels bad when I don't have it, and good when I do, but in truth that is bad in itself, because it means that I NEED it!

In an attempt to give it up, I told my husband that I wanted to give it up and not to let me have it under any circumstances. ...which worked well for a while, until I found myself coming up with circumstances that would let me get my hands on some; thinking things like, "If I took Anna for a walk into town, I could have some and Dom wouldn't know...." and i'd get home and LIE to my husband, "What did you get up to in town?", he'd ask, "Oh I've just been at the beach with Anna - took her for a walk to the pier and then we walked home." LIES, I'd really only been to town, had what I wanted and come home again! Walking 3 miles just to get my hands on this thing that I had TOLD my husband not to let me have any of!

Now the thing that I am addicted to? (and this is where I may sound silly): It's not alcohol, or cigerettes, or drugs...

It's COCA-COLA!

How can I stop drinking this when I feel so much that I need it, not just for the emotional relief but the physical aspects too - I hate the feeling of exhaustion, and faintness when I go without my usual 2ltrs of Coke in my afternoon... I am drinking about 14ltrs a week at home, plus whatever I drink when I'm out and about, bottles, cans, glasses at cafe's etc etc... I know this amount of sugar and fat can't be healthy in my diet, and neither can the dependence on said sugars and fats and caffein....

I don't feel like I can beat this addiction on my own it is that serious. I hope I won't be laughed off the forum for this... I know it's easy to say, "If you want to quit, then quit." but I honestly don't know if I can! It's not that easy! Can I go to my doctors for a problem like this or is it something that I need to do on my own??

I don't know where to start!

 

[v2007]

The shakes n the panicky feeling you have sound like caffiene and sugar withdrawal.

I would start small, like go onto diet coke/coke zero. Then go to caffiene free coke then as you have no caffiene in your body so the symtons will start to decrease.

Then just take it from there.

HTH.

V x x

 

[TashaAndBump]

Thank you for replying but I can't drink coke zero or diet coke because it has aspartame in it (a sweetner) that I don't eat. Plus it doesn't taste very nice imo lol

 

[v2007]

Its a long shot but what bout switching to another drink altogether??

Instead you could cut down the actual amount you drink. You cud still drink it but in smaller quantaties.


V x x

 

[mrs shine]

I would just try replacing one drink a day with something else like fruit juice and slowly work up from there. Caffeine and sugar withdrawals can give you nasty headaches and make you feel horrible so with a little one around I wouldn't really recommend just stopping coke all together.
I don't see why you can't ask your doctor about it though, you're trying to make a positive change in your diet so I'd have thought they'd be glad to help.

 

[pinkmac85]

My OH and I used to be addicted to Coke..no joke. But since becoming pregnant I have given it up almost completely..and I'm not sure how really. Maybe it was just knowing that it wasn't good for pregnant women..but I found myself just drinking a ton of water instead. I had serious BAD BAD BAD headaches for the first few weeks and was always shakey and jittery because I needed the caffeine.
You need to treat it like its a drug addiction, just stop completely (or wean yourself off of it) and go through the 'cleansing' phase which is basically the terrible headaches, being lightheaded and faint and shaky.
My OH still drinks a lot of it (as he cant drink the coke 0 or diet bc of the aspartame also) but now that I don't drink any I can't stand the taste of it! We used to drink about 14L also a week (isn't that terrible..jeesh) but now I may have 1 can a week IF that!
Forgot to add that you can go to the doctor about this, it may seem silly but caffeine is a real addiction and you're right the amount of sugar in it is not good for the body!! It basically eats up your insides! So if you really think its that serious then I'd say take a walk over to the doctor and see what he has to say! They can help you with it

 

[dizzy65]

hope everything works out for u

 

[Christine33]

i was addicted to Coke when i was preggers. seriously, i drank litres of the stuff (then wondered why i put on over 4 stone ). i loved it when i was pregnant.......

now i don't care for it at all. i am back on the diet coke but drink water most of time.

what about just gradually reducing the amount you drink and introducing more water? don't go total cold turkey just build yourself to it. my hubby got himself of coffee and he had been drinking it for years but just weaning himself of it.

good luck!!!

 

[eclipse]

Here's a crazy idea you could try as well. Buy some caffeine free coke and regular coke. Start cutting your regular coke with caffeine free...start with mostly coke, then keep adding more each day until you are drinking mostly caffeine free. That way, you aren't going cold turkey, they taste the same so no unpleasant shock, and you completely fool your brain. And drink more water. I think this might work. Good luck on your mission!

 

[dreams]

Start small by cutting down by one can/glass a day, change it to another drink. Then after you get used to that move to cutting down by 2 cans/glasses a day. It'll be a long process but this will give your body a chance to adapt.

Or if you feel brave just don't drinking it altogether, that will be very hard especially for the first few days with all the withdrawals. But if youre determined.

Good luck

 

[xJG30]

Coke is one of the worst things to drink, it's strong enough to clean a toilet and pretty much ruin your insides.

I'd ask the doctor tbh, they might be able to help you. As daft as it sounds, try hypnotism?

 

[Beltane]

I was addicted to cola for many years. It's not any more or less difficult to conquer than drugs or alcohol. Don't feel silly at all!! I was able to switch to diet and now I feel a bit less guilty.

 

[x_Emsy_x]

I actually similar addiction to Diet Coke! I have been told that it is due to the sweetner Aspartane being highly addictive..I do everything I can to keep myself from the can machine at work! But i just cannot help going and grabing cans through the day!! I dont even really taste it anymore, if you know what I mean, it just goes down the hatch! Scary Stuff!

 

[wantababybump]

DH and I are pretty much addicted to pepsi. We arent quite as bad but we used to be. We do go through periods where we wont buy it unless we are at a restaurant because we want to be healthier etc but some how pepsi always finds its way back into our apartment lol....you could try drinking lighter pop instead and then eventually weaning yourself off of it. Maybe you and I should do it together!! I also need to stop especially if I want to get pregnant again. xx

 

[Tegans Mama]

I am addicted to coca-cola too. I need to have it every day - I have not had any today and feel like CRAP so I am about to go to the shop at 8pm to get some! Lol

 

[TashaAndBump]

I am addicted to coca-cola too. I need to have it every day - I have not had any today and feel like CRAP so I am about to go to the shop at 8pm to get some! Lol

haha I've walked miles in the rain to get coke before

 

[tasha41]

For you Coca Cola addicts out there.. I was looking for a blinkie, and I thought of you all when I saw this : https://i37.tinypic.com/35hekv9.gif

 

[Deise]

Tasha, I was seriously addicted to Coke when I worked (running a thoroughbred yard). I would be at work from 5AM to 12PM and manage to drink 6 cans of Classic...when I woke up, I went straight to the fridge. Once, I didnt bring some with me to work and I paid a guy $5 just so I could have his can!!!! If thats not a junkie, I dunno what is..although walking 3 miles is quite up there...

 

[KarenLV]

Why give up? Its not really affecting your life negatively that much.Everybody has at least one bad habit.....mine is coffee&sprite.

 

[oOKayOo]

Thats really freaky as i told my OH this last night as i actually went to the docters and told them as i also get shaky and wierd without it, he bought 2 litres the other night and it had gone the next day