My experiment with caffeine:
So, I watched a video from the YouTube channel, "Today I learned" about caffeine's effects on the mind and body. The part that resonated with me really seriously was that caffeine could cause anxiety symptoms for up to two weeks per dose. (1/?)

I'd never gone two weeks without caffeine in a long long time. So I decided to go without caffeine for three weeks and then reintroduce myself to it. I'm not going to talk about caffeine withdrawals. Last night at 7 pm I introduced myself to a caffeinated beverage. (2/?)

At first I didn't notice anything. A few hours later my anxiety was through the roof and I was extremely jittery (hilariously jittery for a single caffeinated beverage.) I slept fine last night, as I've been sleeping caffeinated most of my life. The next morning though. (3/?)

Today my anxiety is really terrible. I'm irritable, my chest is tight, my head hurts. I'm extremely jittery and on edge. I am so frenetic right now I can barely think. I can't stop moving my legs or fingers. This is something I've never noticed as it's always been *my life* (4/?)

So, this has been eye-opening for me. I think I'm probably going to severely limit my caffeine intake from now on. I may revisit it later with the l-theanine supplement, naturally found in teas. It's said to help curb caffeine's effects. (5/6)

I'll update this thread nightly for the next two weeks or until my anxiety settles back down to a n
More normal state. (6/6)

October 18th night update. I'm still super... movey? Like I can't keep my arms and legs still. My legs are jumping around nonstop, and my arms are always needing to be occupied.