My Addicition

I don't smoke.  I don't do "drugs." I drink an adult beverage only on rare occaisions.  I don't even drink coffee or tea.  I'm not looking for a medal or anything.  I just thought I was out of the woods, so to speak.  I wasn't addicted to any substances, except that I drank Dr. Pepper for breakfast.  And lunch, and dinner, and between meals in 32 oz. cups.  I stopped at every convenience store and drive-thru window.  I couldn't go a couple of hours without Dr. Pepper, and I had no idea how much it affected me.

I know, or at least I suppose, that kicking a Dr. Pepper habit is not comparable to drug rehab or quitting smoking, and I hope those who have gone through those experiences aren't offended when I call my habit an addiction.  I'm sure I have it much easier, and I'm thankful for that.  But I do know that it had a grip on me, and I never knew how much until I attempted to stop.  The rationalizations of an addict crept into my mind: "I can't stop today, I have too much to do, and I won't have any energy if I don't get some Dr. Pepper."  "I'm really tired this morning.  I'll stop next week when things settle down."  "Today was a really bad day, and this DP will make me feel better."  I guess it sounds kind of pathetic, but I thought them more than once.

I'm now about 3 weeks without Dr. Pepper or any other caffeinated drink.  There are a lot of experts out there who say a bit of daily caffeine can actually be good for you, and I'm not arguing with that, but considering where I was, I needed to know what it felt like to go through a day without chemical stimulation.  I am amazed.  In the morning, I just wake up.  Before, I think I was waking up in the middle of a crash, feeling generally bad and convinced that my entire day would feel the same way if I didn't get a Dr. Pepper in me pretty soon.  My physical and emotional state is also much more consistent through the day.  I don't get jittery and irritable like I did on a sugar-and-caffeine rush, and I don't tank afterward.  My mood and energy swings weren't even from good to bad; they were from up-bad to down-bad.  Now, if I have a loss of self-control, I don't have anything to blame it on.

I lost 6 lbs. in a week just from ditching the DP and drinking water instead.  I don't expect that trend to continue, but there is no doubt I was steadily gaining weight from drinking sodas.  Getting rid of the DP seems to be making it easier to make other changes in my diet also, like eating less fast food and junk food.  Fruit doesn't taste bad when your tongue hasn't already OD'd on corn syrup.  Trust me, I'm a Doctor.