In a fit of enthusiasm (maybe to do with all the healthy resolutions one makes at this time of year) I have been drinking decaf coffee and Rooibos tea for the last few weeks. I've tried this before and was up for a couple of days of mild headaches, but this was different. The caffeine withdrawal symptoms presented themselves in all sorts of ways - headaches as expected, and then strange muscle and joint aches (we always described them as growing pains as kids) and what one website quaintly described as "fatigue incompatible with productivity". The same website suggested that irritability would be common and while I saw no evidence of this, my wife tactfully suggested that maybe they were onto something there.
All of these things disappeared within a couple of days, but they forced me to recognise that I have been an unconscious addict. My body was addicted to a substance that it was getting on a daily basis, and I was completely unaware of the hold it had over me. It made me wonder what else I may secretly be addicted to - what other things may have a hold over me that I am completely unaware of.
It's harder getting up in the mornings now, but I'm actually starting to enjoy Rooibos more (instead of just pretending to...)
Why on earth would anyone quit coffee? I can send you some literature on the fact that people who drink coffee (2 filter or 4 instant per day)live longer. The trick to avoiding all those symptoms is to keep drinking! And Rooibos tea makes you want to talk about your feelings...
ReplyDeleteBut good point on the addiction thing, I suppose.
D
Hi
ReplyDeleteI recently started reading "Sleeping with Bread" - recommended by Kym. Am really enjoying learning and applying the Examen.
And "The Wisdom of the Enneagram" is on my desk - waiting for a gap:-)
Leesa
Hello,
ReplyDeleteWoe is me, for I am undone. Dry me Father for I have sinned.
I became completely engrossed in an exploration of Bishop life through your blogs and websites, and I neglected my wife's bath water. As a result we had a great flood of Noahac proportions! Well suffice to say our humble bathroom was transformed into a state of the art wet room--a very wet room!
Nice to catch up a bit, anyway.
Love to you all.
Ian & Jen
(I too have started a blog)