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Ah, caffeine and sugar. For many people who are depressed, these can feel like a gift from Heaven in an otherwise dark and dismal life. They can also create a sense of increased energy and an ease in getting started on projects. Unfortunately, many of these supposed benefits are illusions. Like many pleasurable things, the aftereffects are the problem, not the actual imbibing!
Caffeine is a mind-altering substance that affects your brain chemicals and your body. Many people use caffeine as a treatment for depression. You might say, “It gives me energy when I’m depressed” or “I’m so tired when I wake up in the morning, I need coffee to get going!” But caffeine can significantly affect anxiety as well as your ability to get a good night’s sleep, and the negative effects can by far outweigh the positive.
And then there’s sugar. Mood fluctuations and energy levels are strongly affected by the ups and downs of blood sugar levels. It’s essential that you maintain even blood sugar levels in order to manage depression. When the sugar high from a pint of chocolate ice cream wears off, your blood sugar level dips, and you want to get that high feeling back, so you eat more! You can probably see how this stresses your body and isn’t exactly a great way to treat your mood. A donut and a soft drink might feel good at 4 P.M. when your energy lags, but an apple is a far better choice. Put some peanut butter on it. Find snacks that work for you regarding depression and energy.
Do you recognize any of these signs you use caffeine and sugar to treat depression?
It’s natural that you’d want to use a substance that makes you feel better in the moment. When this happens, ask yourself how you will feel in three to four hours, and go from there.
Brad’s Story
I once felt really stressed at work. I was restoring an old building to make it look like its original interior, which meant a lot of woodwork. One day, I tried to fit a drawer into a desk and it wouldn’t go. I was having a bad day already—depression makes me irritable and angry. When the drawer problem happened, I said out loud, “I need some candy!” and went straight to the convenience shop next door. I had peanut M&M’s, ice cream, and a sweet tea. When I went back to work, my painting partner laughed and laughed. He said, “I’ve heard a lot of people say ‘I need a drink!’ but you’re the first person I’ve heard say ‘I need candy!’”
He’s right. I use candy to feel better. I don’t have a weight problem at all. In fact, I have trouble keeping weight. The candy makes me feel better. My mom keeps telling me to stop. I don’t see myself replacing it with a banana or anything, but I do see that I crave it a lot more when I’m in an irritated, depressed mood. I know I need to cut down.
My Story
As I sit here writing, I’m thinking of the amazing iced coffee I can buy at a restaurant across the street. It’s very stimulating for me if I drink it too late in the day. Unfortunately, it’s the best iced coffee I’ve had in many years. It’s made with a special cold-water process that creates a smooth and heavenly taste. The problem is that this method doubles the caffeine in a glass. I definitely drink this when life is okay and I can sleep, but on the rough days, I choose a decaf drink. It tastes okay and doesn’t affect me too strongly, but compared to that iced coffee, it’s not exactly satisfying.
If I have the caffeinated coffee when I’m depressed and anxious, I can shake and get even more nervous. It can also make me a bit irritated and mean. I have a friend who has anxiety problems, and it does the same thing to her. As you can tell, this coffee isn’t in my best interests. I don’t drink it for the energy; I just love the taste.
What I do now:
Social Media and Technology
It’s human nature to get high. Most cultures have a ceremony or substance that removes a person from reality. We now have the dopamine hit of scrolling a bright screen with sensational headlines and vivid pictures that reward the brain like cocaine. The relationship between the slot machine—style reward we get from scrolling online is now well-documented. Over the long term, addictive behavior of any kind causes future problems. Just as you can get help to avoid certain addictive substances that ultimately increase depression, you can also examine if you’re using online activity to escape and get high from the reality of being depressed.
Gaming, chatting, obsessive news reading, and porn—it all has a limit. Are you using screens to remove yourself from reality in the same way a person uses pills or alcohol? Please know this is a serious question. It’s one that we will have to examine more and more as we move forward technologically, especially virtual reality. Getting high from screen use works in the moment, but it’s not a sustainable solution to what ails you.
Script
Caffeine and sugar actually work to alleviate depression. For many people, they create an immediate burst of energy that feels so much better than the deadness we often feel when depressed. This is why we keep using the substances! The problem, of course, is that it only works for about 20 minutes at most! If we use them repeatedly to get that relief, sleep problems and weight gain are a result. Caffeine and sugar can also create anxiety. If you see me overusing caffeine or sugar to feel better, here’s what you can say: “I’ve noticed that the depression is really tough right now, and it makes sense that caffeine and sugar are helping in the moment. I’d like to take a walk with you so that you can get the same relief and see if this also relieves the depression. The longer walk we can do, the better. This is not judgment. This is adding something to your depression plan that has really positive benefits. Let’s go for a walk.” I give you permission to say this to me because it’s not judging me for what I’m doing. Instead, I can tell you’re trying to help. I am promising myself that I will say yes to the walk with you even when my brain is screaming no, no, no! And one day, I’ll be able to stop using caffeine and sugar for depression as my depression will be better!
Exercise
How does caffeine affect you? Considering the pervasiveness of caffeine drinks in coffee shops on every corner, finding ways to get caffeine is easy. What isn’t easy is admitting that the caffeine might be doing a lot more harm than you think. Look over the following statements and check the ones that are true for you:
How does sugar affect you? It seems impossible these days to find products that don’t contain sugar. It tastes good and it’s inexpensive. Once again, it’s a substance that tends to boost the mood for a short while and then you’re back where you started. If you have weight problems because of sugar, it’s especially important that you get honest and do something about it. Weight gain and poor nutrition not only affect your physical body, but they can make you feel terrible about yourself, which is depressing enough! Look over the following statements and check off the ones that are true for you:
Only you know if caffeine and sugar are a normal, controlled, and positive part of your life or if they are an addicted, out-of-control, and negative part of your life. What do you want to do if it is a problem?
ASK DR. PRESTON
Question
Why do depressed people crave caffeine and sugar so much?
Answer
Sugar very transiently increases energy. In lab tests, it’s been found that chocolate increases dopamine (the main “feel-good” neurotransmitter) in the brains of rats. Caffeine also has mood-elevating effects that are felt rapidly, yet only last 15 to 20 minutes. In the long run, too much sugar or caffeine can increase depression, especially by sugar’s effect on your blood sugar and by caffeine’s negative effect on deep sleep.
Caffeine and sugar consumption are your choice. Only you know how to regulate what you put in your body. You’re an adult. If you’re using caffeine and sugar to feel better and it’s not working in the long term, decide what’s more important—your moods or fleeting energy and pleasure. Overconsuming caffeine and sugar can lead to so many problems—anxiety, shame, and sleep problems, to name a few. Think carefully before you put something in your body that’s making you more depressed.
Here are some other thoughts to consider:
Remember: Many substances make you feel better in the moment, but those aren’t always the best choice, considering that the low they create when they leave your system only makes you need them more. That’s how vicious cycles get started.