Is anyone else a bit addicted to fizzy drinks?

[AugustSeptemberOctober]

Sat here at 7:30 with a big glass of Pepsi and thinking, this isn't normal is it! I just hate water and drinks that are not terrible for me... I'm 31 FFS! I only drink the sugar free versions and only allow myself one 2L bottle per week, but that lasts me a day and then I drink very little for the rest of the week (because I just hate other drinks). What is wrong with me?! How can I grow up and drink something that's good for me?! Ridiculous I know...

Can you try a cordial and fizzy water?

They really are terrible for you.

I'm awful with Pepsi max, really bad. I know it's not good for me but I can't help myself.

Don’t buy it.

I'm the same OP, I drink a fair bit of Diet Coke, mostly whilst working. I do drink tea, coffee , diluting juice as well but I do love my Diet Coke.

My ds.

The turning point was realizing that has been the cause of his migraines. He wouldn't drink it every day, but when he did he would drink a whole 2l.

The first week or so of him stopping was a bit rough. He substituted with squash and soda water for a few days. About 2 months since then, he hasn't had a migraine since and has lost a lot of weight.

I used to be shocking for regular coke even though it didnt agree with me and caused me tummy issues. Eventually I just stopped all soda.

I used to be absolutely addicted to Pepsi max…then I changed to another fizzy rink and was addicted to that🙄

I had to go cold Turkey on fizz when I had stomach surgery and physically can8t have fizz now. It’s the only thing that would have ever stopped me, the physical inability to have it

Love the "don't buy it" I wonder if that would work for all addictions!!

I'm not and I'm grateful for that. I don't even like them as mixers. I think it must be so hard to kick a habit like that. My brother has fizzy drinks daily and doesn't feel like his thirst is quenched unless he feels that kick at the back of his throat. I happen to love water, but was also fortunate to have made the decision re fizzy drinks when young. Can you go cold turkey?

Try fizzy water instead - quenches thirst in the same way

Yes, at one point I was drinking 2L of Pepsi Max a day. Bought a soda stream a few years ago and haven't drunk Pepsi since. I have fizzy water with lemon cordial. Probably drink 3L a day.

I did watch something about the combination of caffeine and artificial sweeteners triggering the same area of the brain that addiction does.

I love non diet Pepsi. But I don't drink it every day, loads of ice when you're thirsty, nothing compares, definitely not plain water.
I usually have a bottle of Fentiman's Rose Lemonade on the go in the fridge as I love that too.

That said 7.30am is a bit early for a fizzy drink personally, I'm on coffee in the morning.

I like to have a little bottle of diet coke a day. I'm not ashamed of it. There are worse addictions out there.
For me it actually helps my stomach after eating.
I usually have it after lunch, but on a difficult day (eg a bit hungover/tired at work) I'll have it in the morning.
So what?

Yes, really clever comment!

Yes, I used to absolutely love full fat coke. Wouldn't go so far as to say I was addicted, but certainly had more power over me than it should.

I restrained myself from buying bottles and bottles of it, usually restricted to the weekend, but would rattle through it pretty quickly. And when going out for dinner / drinks, my friends / DP would always be looking forward to a nice glass of wine, whereas I was looking forward to a big pint of coke with ice and lemon

I started buying more and more and I found the only way was to go cold Turkey.

Do you like cordial at all? Try that with fizzy water and see how you get on?

Or maybe something still like Oasis might be a stepping stone, although it's probably just as bad as fizzy, but might help you wean yourself off it.

I have 2 cans of Diet Coke most days. I know it’s not great. But there are worse things to be addicted to. I would like to get a soda stream and see if that’s helps tho

Are people truly addicted to fizzy drinks in the same way they could be heroin? Or alcohol? What's the addictive 'thing'

I really relate to this post. I've been through fizz addiction over the years. It didn't cause migraines for me but I use it to treat them so it's hard to get away from them.

I've always suffered with significant motion sickness and aspartame works quite well for that so again I need it.

What I assume is peri meno also seems to cause random nausea. I was excited that sone recent meds came with omeprazole but gp refused to prescribe many and banned general use. It would have given me a break from Diet Coke.

The thing that's helped most is not buying it with groceries. So I'm down to a small bottle only if I go to the office for work so maybe 3 days a week. Seems a small thing but now I think blimey I have got that under control!!

That that's all they want to drink, that they are drinking one at 7.30am, nothing compares, that's what they crave. That sort of thing.

No, it's not the same kind of addiction. It's not as easy as 'just don't buy it' either though otherwise nobody would ever eat or drink unhealthy stuff.

I agree you can't compare fizzy drinks to more immediately life threatening ones like alcohol or heroin addiction, that's a whole different level. But you can be addicted to the not so dangerous stuff too. People that say they get a headache if they don't get that first coffee in the morning etc.

Yes I'm very addicted. Probably drink 2 - 2.5 litres a day.

Same, my drink of choice is Coke Zero - the only fizzy drink my dentist does not make a frowny face at!

I drink about 5-6 cans a day easily as I don’t drink tea or coffee. I also drink a lot of water, but I like fizzy drinks so I’m not worried, my teeth are not suffering, so I don’t see what the issue is.

You’ve killed your taste buds. If you go cold turkey and just drink water, you’ll end up craving it.

i only ever drank sugar free squash / fizzy for years and years and years. One day I found out how fricken bad it is for me and due to acid reflux, went into water cold turkey for several months. Now it’s all I drink other than the odd coffee.

my kids were also only drinking squash as they just had what I had. I was buying bottles and bottles of it. Had to get cherries and berries that barely showed in their water bottles for school because the teachers would tip it down the sink. It was getting out of hand so I stopped buying it. Now they only drink water most of the time, and even when we are at parties, they’ll choose water over squash. It’s all about changing your taste buds.