How bad is it to self-medicate for depression using caffeine?
I have been struggling for years to find a medication for depression that works. In addition to sadness, my symptoms include being constantly tired, sleeping ~14 hours a day, and having no motivation to do anything. The only thing I have found that temporarily helps is drinking coffee, usually 2-3 cups a day. It gives me enough energy to somewhat function during the day. Will this have negative effects on my mental health long term?
Answers ( 1 )
Speaking only from my own experience, an occasional cup of coffee is an upper, but the second cup just jangles your nerves, and the third cup is a downer. The fourth cup actually makes me sleepy!
Again speaking only from my own experience, the only reliable remedy for depression is a good hard workout or a run. Sprinting is better than long distance running and intense workouts are better than gentle ones because anaerobic exercise activates a completely different set of metabolic hormones than aerobic exercise.
Your mileage may differ.