In the final analysis, it was a combination of a healthy diet and a planned exercise program, complemented by yoga and a changing mindset that helped Nick to finally overcome his problem. One of the cardinal factors in his rehabilitation process was the understanding of what caffeine was doing to his body and his life. The most important factor in his recovery was the realization that he was in fact addicted and that his problem was not helped by a regular intake of coffee but was in fact worsened by the excessive amount of caffeine that he was ingesting. Once he realized that caffeine was not an aid but rather the central cause of his stress and anxiety he soon began to change his habits. At first he reduced his coffee intake by half and then decreased this over a number of weeks. This exercise and the yoga and healthy diet plan eventually cured him of his addiction.
In times of stress, Nick still feels that need for a strong cup of coffee. But he has learnt that this would only result in an increase in his anxiety and a decrease in his ability to cope with daily problems and demands.
While caffeine can generally do little harm, in some cases, when it is used as a means of coping with work and stress, it can become both psychologically and physically addictive. This is exacerbated in people with underlying stress and anxiety conditions who may turn to caffeine as means of dealing with this stress, only to find that it is fact is an exacerbating factor.
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Common Sources of Caffeine. Retrieved September 25, 2009, from http://lds.about.com/library/weekly/aa121202b.htm
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