# How do I quit drinking coke? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 17, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412 "2002-12-17T21:06:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/1 "2002-12-17T21:06:16Z")
I drink a lot of Diet coke, about 3-4 bottles a day, is there any steps I can take to eventually quitting this habit, because I have just found out that caffine causes anxiety and depression. Does the amount I drnk trigger this? ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/2 "2002-12-17T21:13:49Z")
Start free-basing? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/3 "2002-12-17T21:14:18Z")
Is it limited to specifically Diet Coke? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/4 "2002-12-17T21:16:56Z")
Ummmm… IANAD, but… Drop one bottle per week for 4 weeks??? Increase water consumption in the meantime. Take aspirin as needed for withdrawal headaches. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/5 "2002-12-17T21:18:46Z")
I’ve been weaning myself off the diet coke/caffeinated sodas. I was one who could go through a 2 twelve packs in a week, living alone. I started by only allowing myself to drink the sodas when I was at home - if I went into a convenience store for a drink, I had to get water. At the same time, instead of two twelve packs of regular diet coke, I made myself buy one of regular diet and one of caffeine free diet. Then I started buying the 2.5 gallon waters instead of the caffeine free. Now I go through about one twelve pack a month, and there are days I don’t have any. Unfortunately, I haven’t completely broken the caffeine addiction - coffee still starts my morning. ---
**Author:** ![\_etalhea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/779978/32.png) [@\_etalhea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_etalhea)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/6 "2002-12-17T21:25:19Z")
Two twelve packs a week? Hah! Hi, my name is //\etal and I’m a Dr. Pepper addict. I drink 6-7 two liter bottles per week at home, one from the machine at work each morning, one large fast-food version every day at lunch, and sometimes another at work in the afternoon. This doesn’t count the several dinners I eat out a week. Lightweights! (p.s. - if anyone has and answer to the OP, I’d love to hear it, this shit is worse than heroin. Those headaches when I try to quit render me completely unable to function. I gotta go now, I’m feeling kinda down and I’m pretty sure someone’s watching me thru my computer via the internet, probably the government or aliens, and I’m suddenly thirsty) ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/7 "2002-12-17T21:25:30Z")
Try Diet Rite Cola. No caffeine, no calories, no aspartame, no sodium. It uses Splenda for sweetener. But I agree that water would be better. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/8 "2002-12-17T21:30:10Z")
Yeah, it’s limited to Diet coke and Tea, I want to just start drinking water again, what benefit is there to just drinking water?I have heard it’s helps your complextion. Oh we don’t have diet rite cola over here in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/9 "2002-12-17T21:32:15Z")
**Ryan\_Liam** , are you saying you are anxious and depressed? Or excessively irritable or suffering from insomnia, for that matter? If yes, _gradually_ switch to caffeine-free drinks as already suggested and see what happens. If you’re just worried about developing these symptoms, don’t bother until they actually show up. **//\etalhea|)'s** comments notwithstanding, caffeine isn’t like nicotine or heroin, after all. ---
**Author:** ![Ryan\_Liam](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ryan_liam/32/3965_2.png) [@Ryan\_Liam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryan_Liam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/10 "2002-12-17T21:34:54Z")
The caffine has been linked to those health risks, so I want to stop drinking it to see if my health gets better. ---
**Author:** ![scratch1300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@scratch1300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scratch1300)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/11 "2002-12-17T21:42:06Z")
Um, are you aware that there _is_ a caffeine-free version of Diet coke available? ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/12 "2002-12-17T22:02:03Z")
Okay, gather 'round little kiddies. I have fought long and hard against my caffeine addiction (pop only, hate coffee), and have found only two things work - Cold Turkey (ow, blinding headache) Weaning wean yourself off slowly, even if it means actually buying your weeks suply, minus one bottle, or if that’s too fast, break it down to cans. The key is to go slowly enough that you are not incapacitated by the headache but are still able to drop it. Make up the difference with water, helps flush the caffeine from your system. I am now on caffeine free Coke, water, milk and juices. The amount of caffeinated coke/pepsi I drink in a week is maybe two glasses. No headache if I don’t have any. Good luck 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![andymurph64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@andymurph64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andymurph64)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/13 "2002-12-17T22:11:19Z")
I knew a guy that kicked Heroin and cocaine, not at the same time. He tried to give up caffeinated sodas and couldn’t. Admittedly, he probably didn’t take it as seriously, but he thought it would be a walk in the park. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2002, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/14 "2002-12-17T22:14:48Z")
I used to drink one or two Cokes a day, but then I woke up and realized Coke is Nasty Stuff. I rarely drink it now. A co-worker drinks six or seven 16-oz Cokes (classic stuff, not diet) every day. I think it’s tearing up his ststem; he has a myriad of health problems and is _constantly_ going to the dentist… ---
**Author:** ![caffeine\_overdose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85e7bf/32.png) [@caffeine\_overdose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caffeine_overdose)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/15 "2002-12-18T00:02:06Z")
Last year I dropped caffeine for Lent. Weaning is probably healthier but if you want to do it cold turkey here is my $0.02 1.Start on friday so that you will get over the headaches during the weekend. 2.Drink as much water as possible. 3.Warn people what is about to happen. 4.Exercise as much as possible. 5.Sleep as much as possible. ---
**Author:** ![martin\_ibn\_martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@martin\_ibn\_martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/martin_ibn_martin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/16 "2002-12-18T00:21:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ryan\_Liam \* > \*\* I want to just start drinking water again, what benefit is there to just drinking water?I have heard it’s helps your complextion. \*\* Your body runs on a water economy. If you have too little water in you, you get dry skin, dry, cracking lips, thickened pleghm, constpation, possibly leading to hemorrhoids, and retention of toxins. If you have enough, or a little more than enough, your body can flush everything nasty out much more quickly. If you have enough, you never get water-retenion weight gain or puffiness, you can get a cough or sinus congestion right out of you, your skin will be healthier, and in general you’re healthier. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/17 "2002-12-18T00:59:07Z")
Ween yourself. I cut my coke with mineral water, not for the caffiene (I drink caffine free) but for the calories. Can’t stand diet pop. Can’t stand mineral water. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/18 "2002-12-18T01:19:57Z")
I greatly reduced my soda consumption by setting and adhering to two rules: 1. Clear or lightly-colored sodas only. This leaves only Sprite, 7-Up, and occasionally Mountain Dew and Orangeade. Sprite was always my favorite, so this rule wasn’t too difficult to adopt. Bonus: teeth aren’t cola-stained. 2. Soda cannot be bought for home consumption. You can only buy it from a restaurant or theater/stadium concession stand, and it has to be finished and disposed of before you get home. I used to have ~20oz. of soda per day. Now I have that same amount maybe once or twice per week. If I crave something that isn’t water, I have apple juice or orange juice. ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/19 "2002-12-18T02:00:50Z")
Hey All, I used to drink only Coke till I was 30. Then I started drinking only Diet Coke (didn’t help lose weight, but now I can’t stand the straight stuff). When I was diagnosed with borderline hypertension, I switched to Caffine Free Diet Coke on the four coke weening system. For a week I drank 3 Diet Cokes and 1 Caffine Free Diet Coke per day. Week 2 I drank 2 Diet Cokes and 2 Caffine Free Diet Cokes per day… Now, however, I want to stop drinking Caffine Free Diet Coke, but I can’t. I’m down to Two or Three a day. I’ve gone a week without drinking Caffine Free Diet Cokes, but at some point I get a “craving” that isn’t satisfied till I drink a cola drink. I had switched to Diet Rite for a while, but the same thing. Is it possible that my body is addicted to something in Coke or Colas? I’m off the sugar, off the caffine, but there is something in there that I can’t go without. Is it the phosphoric acid? Is there something in the Natural Flavorings? Can I get a patch for this? -Sandwriter ---
**Author:** ![Cooper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@Cooper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cooper)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412/20 "2002-12-18T02:39:26Z")
Children please. You don’t have a caffeine addicition. (ok, MetalHead you probably do). [http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/caffeine/caffeine\_info1.shtml#2](http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/caffeine/caffeine_info1.shtml#2) Your diet coke is about the 3rd of the caffeine of my cup of joe, and I can miss it without any symptoms. I drink a coffee every morning, usually one in the afternoon. Thats the equivalent of six sodas just at work but I only drink it on workdays (cause its there) and its never been the least problem for me. I know many people who drink 6-10 cups of coffee a day. Those people have problems! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-quit-drinking-coke/143412.md?page=2)