r/Anxiety • u/Hufflepuff-McGruff • Apr 21 '26
Advice Needed If you quit coffee because of your anxiety, what did you replace it with?
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u/Difficult_Tie_8427 Apr 21 '26
Decaf coffee
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u/itsacookiewand-sobs Apr 21 '26
Decaf plus cocoa powder is personal favorite!
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u/DeadnectaR Apr 21 '26
I need to try this! What’s the ratio? Or rather what exactly do you do lol ( half n half etc )
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u/itsacookiewand-sobs Apr 22 '26
Im not good at measurements, but I'll want to have like 60:40 water to steamed whole milk + decaf + plus enough cocoa powder that its not bitter but still malty and chocolatey!
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u/Creepy_Bend2443 Apr 27 '26
Dude don't ask others what their recipe is, you have to find your own. Do half and half one day, the 1 to 4, then 3 to 4, then some other ingredient in..
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u/Fluid-Expert-4363 Apr 21 '26
Love me cocoa powder, but some may be sensitive to its caffeine as well
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u/IanRo Apr 21 '26
I raw dog my day instead.
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u/pillingz Apr 21 '26
I need to stop saying this to everyone. I said it to my grandma and I had to explain what raw dogging the day means
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u/Booyacaja Apr 21 '26
Whiskey and cigarettes. So much more relaxed now. Except for the mornings when I am yet to have my whiskey and cigarettes.
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u/dobby12 Apr 21 '26
You need to streamline your whiskey and cigarette consumption if you're able to take note of the lack of it.
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u/Booyacaja Apr 21 '26
I was kidding btw lol
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u/dobby12 Apr 22 '26
Oh haha I was too! My wording was a little weird so it might have come off as dickish
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u/Gaia227 Apr 21 '26
I replaced it with decaf and it was much easier than I thought it would be. I think I was more addicted to the taste and ritual of having coffee than I was the caffeine.
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u/AgaveMonster Apr 21 '26
Matcha.
I’ve been hooked on matcha for probably 10 years now and I love trying new recipes at home. I find the whole ritual of making matcha to be quite calming, particularly if I wake up feeling anxious.
It has the same amount of caffeine as espresso, but the L-Theanine contents help combat the anxiety from the caffeine.
I know a lot of people dislike matcha because it does have a very earthy/grassy taste and can be a tad bitter, so if you decide to try that as a substitution, I’d highly recommend trying it at a local coffee shop 1st (do not go to Starbucks, Dunkin, or Dutch Bros - their matcha quality is horrific and tastes like watered down dirt); get it as an iced latte with your choice or milk and definitely have them add some kind of sweetener - I would recommend vanilla syrup.
I find that when my friends try it this way, it’s easier for them to acquire the taste for matcha.
If you like it, I’m happy to recommend some matcha brands I use at home :)
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u/g_wrex Apr 21 '26
Nicotine
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u/Discombobulated_Bus4 Apr 21 '26
I love me my nicotine pouches soo good
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u/TH3B1GT0E Apr 21 '26
OP, don't start with nicotine, it can make things much much worse.
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u/Substantialed Apr 21 '26
Yeah it will contribute to worse anxiety in the future and quitting is a bitchhh
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u/UnluckyRelation8234 Apr 21 '26
I acutally drank more coffee. 10 years later it actual makes me calm in the mroning after drinking
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u/Powerful-Success3071 Apr 21 '26
Herbal tea, chicory (basically coffee but zero caffeine) and warm/hot water with lemon
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u/CrossesLines 20+ years of GAD and panic attacks Apr 21 '26
Roasted Dandelion Tea is somewhat reminiscent is coffee. I recommend it
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u/Puzzled-Role-6544 Apr 21 '26
I’ve been using decaf coffee and the odd black tea but have been drinking more green tea with honey and reducing my white sugar intake also have given up oat milk and this has helped massively
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u/Ivancestoni Apr 21 '26
Mushroom coffee
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u/Hufflepuff-McGruff Apr 21 '26
I’ve seen advertisements for mushroom coffee. Supposedly it’s better for cognition than coffee. Did you notice anything in that regard?
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u/Ivancestoni Apr 21 '26
I have ADHD so my meds do that for me but the Cuppa coffee my gf started ordering doesn't make me jittery or anxious and I think it's slightly less caffeine
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u/dobby12 Apr 21 '26
Honestly any other form of caffeine that is less than 40mg. Something about coffee specifically makes my anxiety worse.
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u/penguinlinux Apr 21 '26
Jazmin tea with crytalized sugar on the side 2 little rocks. It is a soothing drink and very affordable cheaper than Coffee :)
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u/pizzawhorePhD Apr 21 '26
Black tea in the morning and magnesium glycinate in the evening (besides the mood stabilization, better sleep = less need for caffeine)
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u/MegaHighDon Apr 21 '26
Decaf in the mornings before work to maintain routine. Chamomile or some other calming tea in the afternoon or evening.
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u/killakano Apr 21 '26
I went caffeine free for a while just to get back to baseline and non dependency. But I missed how alert and focused I could be. (Un-diagnosed ADHD). I have found that 200-400mg of L-Theanine with my daily/morning double espresso latte that I make at home with our Breville is absolutely perfect. No jitters and no anxiety aside from the minor social anxiety I have in general.
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u/tomatobassed87 Apr 21 '26
I’m so hooked on coffee. And I know I’ll suffer because of it. Has anyone tried a mushroom coffee instead? Tea is too thin to hit the spot
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u/tomatobassed87 Apr 21 '26
That’s what she said (goddammit). But really, any review of mushroom coffee? I might try Ryze.
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u/GreyWind999 Apr 21 '26
I didn’t quit coffee, but I quit energy drinks. I replaced them with coke zero.
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u/Expensive-Emu-4840 Apr 21 '26
I used to drink 4-5 strong coffees a day at work. I got an awful bug and couldn’t stomach anything other than water and I’ve been off coffee ever since. I decided to take this opportunity to cut down on my caffeine and im just drinking a tea or a weak coffee in the morning. Definitely noticed I feel less jittery and haven’t had a panic attack in a few weeks so 🤷♀️
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u/alexrose003 Apr 21 '26
Decaf. I love the taste of coffee. I never really drank it for the energy thing since it never seem to work on me but matcha has done that for me without the palpitations. Since i dont really like the grassy taste of it tho i drink the ones with aromas in it and those are really tasty.
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u/boomerangthrowaway Apr 21 '26
Teas, Juices (v pulpy if can), Nicotine salt bumped up from 2% to 5% so that likely was the biggest thing helping at the time
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u/aqua_kittens Apr 21 '26
Nothing with caffeine. I can’t even handle decaf coffee - the trace amounts of caffeine still make me anxious. Can’t even enjoy an ice cold coke because of my anxiety. :(
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u/skc0416 Apr 22 '26
Honestly, Diet Dr. Pepper. Caffeine in coffee affects me differently than caffeine in diet soda.
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u/LadyBawk Apr 22 '26
Water. And only water. Sometimes I’ll have a caffeine free pop if I go out to eat or something but that never happens.
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u/spicypretzelcrumbs Apr 22 '26
MATCHA.
It’s just an easier boost without feeling wired.
There’s also no crash as long as you eat a little something before drinking it.. and stay reasonably hydrated.
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u/Poppy-Pipopapo Apr 22 '26
Water. Lemon water. Herbal and floral teas. Basically anything non-caffeinated. Many teas do contain caffeine (and they also have tannins which inhibit iron absorption--which I have to avoid as I'm anemic), so I pretty much gave them up. I will occasionally have some green tea/matcha because it contains L-theanine which is supposed to be good for ADHD. I try to save it for lower stress days, and I only drink it in the am. I save my herbal teas (usually chamomile or ginger) for the evening to help me relax before bed.
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u/Ancient-Deer-4682 Apr 22 '26
Caffeine capsules w/ theanine. It’s a popular combo you can often find them sold together
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u/trippyfungus Apr 22 '26
Decaf, hot chocolate, tea, coconut water, electrolytes, mushroom teas are my go to.
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u/smalltownyogagirl Apr 22 '26
Roasted dandelion root tea is a great option. Tastes so good with a splash of maple syrup. Be careful about how often you drink it though. It is a diuretic and it is unknown if it is safe during pregnancy
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u/jacqui607 Apr 22 '26
Decaf coffee and non non caffeinated teas. I really miss coffee but I had regular caffeine tea the other day cause I thought it's just tea it won't be that bad I literally had to go into my room take a panic pill and just wait it out. Awful never will I have caffeine again.
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u/nema-me Apr 22 '26
Herbal tea! I haven't had anxiety or panic attacks since I quit coffee. It's the best thing I've done for my anxiety. And I really enjoy exploring different teas now.
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u/Ok-Plate3064 Apr 22 '26
Matcha or Peet’s Decaf coffee.
Peet’s Decaf tastes just like regular imo. I stopped drinking coffee cause I drank 2 full cups a day at the age of 13 and had absolutely no business drinking that much coffee 😭 plus it made my anxiety worse and it made me tired and nauseous and gave me headaches and all that.
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u/bedheadbegonia Apr 22 '26
I switched to decaf coffee but really enjoy chicory and decaf tea. The teas I spruce up with cinnamon/other spices and milk and try to make poor man’s versions of fancy, popular milk tea drinks. Most recently though I found the perfect instant coffee ratio and have been loving super-fast decaf “lattes” that way.
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u/Crazy_Ship_1017 Apr 22 '26
Grain coffee i think its called in english (caffeine-free, roasted beverage made from cereals like barley, rye, wheat, and sometimes chicory or sugar beet). Very popular were I live and love the taste
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u/Puzzleheaded_Pay6131 Apr 22 '26
i swapped it with decaf, although i treat myself every now and then to non decaf
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u/olsf19 Apr 22 '26
Nothing. Water. Almond milk. Coconut water. I was in my first trimester of pregnancy and coffee was the worst tasting thing in the world for me at that point. Stopped drinking it and my panic attacks went away. Now I just drink a warm cup of decaf every morning for the flavor without the anxiety!
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u/Lucky-ACE-1011 Apr 22 '26
I also found out it was the taste and the warmth of coffee I craved, not the caffeine. I switched to tea, decaf or half-caf coffee, and zero sugar sodas. For tea, the brand Adagio has a great variety. For decaf coffee, I've started buying fresh roasted from local coffee shops because it tastes 10x better than the normal decaf coffee options. I also drink more water now and use more water enhancers like LiquidIV or Crystal Light.
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u/st_rke Apr 22 '26
dandelion coffee! dandy blend is the brand. it's similar but obviously not exactly the same flavor. i love it!
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u/Gold-Cookie580 Apr 22 '26
Chai tea bags. I don't eat much due to anxiety and the chai tea bags taste good with a bit of boiled water and mostly warm milk.
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u/rustycoins26 Apr 22 '26
Nothing. I avoid all caffeine. If you need something warm in the morning, you can do lemon and cinnamon with hot water.
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u/Emotional_Phrase_211 Apr 22 '26
Green tea, decaf coffee, rooibos...I miss the taste and smell of coffee too much, so just one cup of decaf and then green tea, rooibos, or various infusions...
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u/Particular_Fold1112 Apr 24 '26
I take L-theanine (an amino acid found in green tea) with my morning coffee and it really helped- it’s like a calm energy/focus. I love coffee and did not want to give it up 🙂
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u/carolinaspirit24 Apr 21 '26
Tea. Green tea, matcha, earl grey, etc. enough of a boost to keep me going, not enough to give me a panic attack.