For those struggling with anxiety, I've found a simple cure for mine!

[FingersOnBuzzzers]

Since DD2 was born, I had the most crippling anxiety. I'd worry about my health to the point I'd physically make myself ill. I'd worry that one of the kids could become seriously or terminally ill, I'd worry about the future, terrorism, possible world wars etc. I'd worry about every mistake I have ever made and would replay them over in my head. I'd feel sick to my stomach most, if not all of the time. It was a 2 year blur where all I was doing was putting one foot in front of the other. I wasn't present, if that makes sense.

Anyway, 6 months ago, I decided to give up soft drinks (Pepsi max to be specific). I don't like hot drinks so had become quite dependent on fizzy drinks over the last 5 years as my source of caffeine. They don't contain much granted but it was enough to perk me up. I just quit as I decided to try to up my water intake to just be a little healthier. Low and behold, I soon realised my anxiety had massively improved. I never made the correlation between that and cutting out fizzy drinks until recently when I started drinking them again on the odd day and I realised that whenever I'd have a couple of soft drinks, I'd be an anxious wreck. I don't know if it's the caffeine or aspartame or what is causing this to happen to me but I know how many people are affected by anxiety and I know how truly debilitating it can be so I just wanted to share my experience incase it can help someone else. I really didn't think I'd ever get out of that black hole but I can honestly say I have and it feels so good.

Wow that's amazing in very happy for you.
I was the same really world wars and all that stuff, and like you I founded i cut out caffeine it did help. I wasn't even a big drinker but limit ing my few cups of tea to before lunch did make an improvement.

Thank you for sharing this. I admit I drink a lot of caffeine, both in hot drinks and diet Coke/Pepsi. I hadn't thought of cutting down (I see it as a 'harmless vice') but it is certainly food for thought. I suffer terribly from anxiety, to the point where I often can't allow myself to think because I am walking a minefield of thoughts that will trigger an attack.

I don't drink tea or coffee but do drink fizzy, recently realised the it might be coke causing my headaches so trying to cut down and stop drinking it. Will be interesting to see if it affects anxiety levels too now...

Yep I'm caffeine free now too. The other thing that really helps my health anxiety is when I get a symptom that I might worry about, I tell myself if I still have it in 10 days I'll go to the GP. I haven't been to the GP in ages. The two things together have freed me!

Yes giving up caffeine and cigarettes stopped my anxiety too. I honestly think it was a combination of adrenaline and stomach issues (like silent reflux) that caused it all. Lasted 15 years!

Yes - no caffeine has massively helped me too.

Caffeine is something I was recommended to give up during an initial consultation for my anxiety. Made no difference to me but I've always been a heavy coffee drinker.

About 3 months ago I cut out all diet fizzy drinks and massively reduced the amount of regular soft drinks. I've noticed a huge, huge change in my levels of anxiety and didn't even make the connection until reading this post! I actually had two cans of Diet Coke today and haven't been too bad but have definitely been more anxious than other days this week (no racing thoughts but I've felt like I was about to sit some high stress exams or was awaiting some bad news all day).

Thanks for sharing, OP! I really think it might be to do with the artificial sweeteners as I drink strong coffee every day (but that's just me! I was also advised to avoid MSG but I've not noticed a difference with that either).

Interesting, thanks. I was quite a big coke/ pepsi drinker till recently and I also noticed that my anxiety shot up if I drank more tham one glass. I'm going caffeine free for now. I've also noticed that alcohol, even small amounts can affect it.

Really glad you've found something that works for you OP!

I wish could. Sadly, caffeine is not the answer as I had none for ages while doing ivf and during pregnancy and have limited myself to one cup of coffee a day for the last 18 months while breastfeeding. (No coke or anything)
I'm desperate to find a way of controlling the anxiety, think I need to go back to the GPs.

Cbd has been life changing for my anxiety

My partner doesn't drink tea, coffee or any soft drinks aside from lucozade once in a blue moon.

Still suffers from crippling anxiety . I think he's genetically predisposed to it as his mother also has severe anxiety.

Your post has got me thinking about the rest of his diet though!

So pleased for you! The relief must be huge.

Giving up caffeine and alcohol made a huge difference to mine. Also cut out all refined sugar during a severe bout a few years ago and it made such a difference. Seems such an insignificant thing compared to how horrendous anxiety feels but it really helped. I have some refined sugar now but try to limit it as much as possible and it's always a conscious choice rather than accidentally having it in crisps or a savoury meal. I'm fine with fruit.

Magnesium supplements and evening primrose also helped.

(And for anyone stuck in the anxiety loop, beta blockers were incredible for breaking the cycle of physical symptoms setting off the thoughts and the thoughts setting off the physical ones... I learnt about them on here so always try to pass it on when the opportunity is there. I cried with relief after taking them. Appreciate the OP doesn't need these but in case anyone's lurking and reading.)

Love to anyone suffering. It can get better.

I’m caffeine free because even one small cup of coffee at work will affect me badly, with crippling thoughts that intrude and make it really difficult to get my job done. Sadly for me, I think chocolate is affecting me on bad days too.

Giving up diet fizzy drinks is good for other things too - I know two women recovering from breast cancer who were told by their cancer docs that diet fizzy drinks were the first thing they should cut out.

I gave up fizzy drinks six months ago for this reason.

greendinosaur have you tried mindfulness.

I had this too. It's the caffeine. I find milk/dark chocolate has the same affect, so I stick to white chocolate.

That's really great OP! And makes sense to me too. I had something similar with coffee, I swear it caused me to have panic attacks . Because I love the taste I would still get a cup every now and then and even if I didn't get a full on panic attack I'd still get that anxious/nauseous feeling for hours after. I stopped drinking it now.

Excellent op hope it continues to work for you.

I'm also caffeine free, still have anxiety issues (I have OCD) but it's helped a little.

I'm firmly of the belief that in the near future just how bad caffeine is for us will be properly recognised and we'll start (as a society) treating it FAR more cautiously. When you look at the research on the harm it can do it's quite shocking.

I'm a big coffee drinker, not so much fizzy drinks but definitely ludicrous amounts of caffeine (think 7 or 8 strong coffees a day).

I also definitely notice a difference in my anxiety when I drink less/weaker coffee.

So much so that I've switched to a less strong blend, and stopped drinking it after 5pm because it was giving me nightmares.

Made an enormous difference.

This is really interesting. I suffer with anxiety too and drink around 4 cups of coffee in the morning although I don't drink any after about 10:30am. My anxiety tends to hit when I wake in the night, although I am generally anxious most of the time, constantly worrying about things I can't change, like what people think of me and what I could have said differently etc.might look into the coffee thing but find I need it to get me going in the mornings.

the things that helped me:

Short term - CBT and sertraline for about 6 months each
Long term - no caffeine, no wheat, good sleep hygiene, utilising the cbt approaches I learned during the course.

I recently read a fascinating article in the New Scientist that looked at the link between mental health and the gut (via the Vagus Nerve). Apparently certain pro-biotics can also be very good at reducing anxiety and depression.

GreenDinosaur I found meditating really helped me. Found a 10 minute guided meditation on youtube. Listened to ot when I get the chance. Makes a bigger difference, to me, than excersize.

This is really interesting, and glad to hear of your positive outcome OP. I don't drink a lot of caffeine but from reading this post I think it is worth cutting out my cup of tea in the evening and having herbal or something else.

Im not to bad until a week before my period, then it is insane for 48 hours, every single month.

I hate it. I will cut down and see if it helps.