I used to drink copious amounts of espresso when I first started working at Starbucks. And I mean copious. Partially because I didn't really understand just how much espresso really did affect me and also because I did not realize just how much caffeine I was drinking almost every day of the week.
I didn't realize I had a legitimate caffeine addiction until I took a few days off from work in a row and wasn't getting any espresso and really not drinking any form of caffeine. The withdrawal headaches were the giveaway.
I would have a horrible headache that would go away if I drank a soda. Which really isn't a big deal since caffeine helps headaches for those who aren't addicted to caffeine. But I was having a miserable time if I didn't get some form of caffeine into my system.
Mind you this was all before my anxiety got to an all time low, but it may have had a helping hand. My heart would probably burst and I would go down the rabbit hole of anxiety forever if I tried to drink the same amount of caffeine now.
I would go to work after my classes to close for the night and drink a Starbucks double shot (3 shots of espresso in a grande and 5 in a venti).
Then I would my all time winner: the dirty soy chai with 2 added shots of espresso when I was on my lunch.
And I would almost always get some other espresso beverage when I was on one of my ten minute breaks.
That amount of caffeine in one days worth of work is just not good for the heart much less the anxiety!
Now I'll be lucky if I can stomach one and espresso beverages in a shift at work. I usually push aside my exhaustion until I either have my lunch or get off from work if I have a morning shift.
And I can easily say that my body is not hooked on caffeine like it used to be. Yes, I am dependent on my morning cup o' joe, but I am not getting head splitting headaches that only suffice when I consume caffeine!
I blame it on the cool factor of drinking Starbucks way more than I ever normally would. Not to mention the excitement of being able to make them myself!
I'm sure my anxiety thanks me for not excessively drinking caffeine.
