"Claudia" contacted me for help with her caffeine
addiction. She had a hectic job as a teacher, and often
used caffeine as both a stimulant for her mood and body as
well as a relaxing agent. Initially, she reported that her
biggest concern about giving up coffee was suffering
withdrawal symptoms.
She had tried getting off caffeine before, and
struggled with terrible headaches, lethargy and abnormal
levels of fatigue. She also struggled with terrible
insomnia. Any form of substance dependence is usually
driven by underlying feelings. I knew we had to uncover
the "driving" emotions and reasons for Claudia's
dependence on caffeine for her to be successful at giving
up her "drug of choice."
I asked Claudia "What is the UPSIDE of quitting
caffeine?" She said she would (1) save money, (2) feel
better, (3) exercise more often, (4) improve blood sugar
levels, and; (5) feel calmer in general. While these
"UPSIDES" are logical, they often pale in comparison to
the "DOWNSIDE." So I asked her the more revealing
question, "What would be the DOWNSIDE of quitting?" Her
list was just as long and came just as easily to her: (1)
I would miss the social aspect of drinking coffee with
friends and colleagues, (2) I won't be able to relax
without it, (3) I'll suffer withdrawal symptoms, (4) I'll
feel deprived without my daily fix, and; (5) I won't feel
inspired to write without drinking caffeine.
Claudia was familiar with EFT so without much
explanation, we started tapping for her fears first:
"Even though I'm afraid I'll feel deprived
without it, I deeply and completely accept myself."
"Even though I can't afford to feel deprived, I
deeply and completely accept myself."
"Even though I can't imagine being without
caffeine, I deeply and completely accept myself."
"Even though I'm afraid of the withdrawal
symptoms, I deeply and completely accept myself."
Claudia noted she felt calmer about the thought of
giving up caffeine, and was ready for more tapping. She
had started the morning with a headache since she didn't
have her usual morning coffee, so we tapped for her
symptoms:
"Even though I'm already having a headache, I
deeply and completely accept myself."
"Even though I still have a little remaining
headache, I deeply and completely accept myself."
Claudia started feeling confident that she could give
up caffeine without a struggle. She said she didn't feel
so "foggy" in her head anymore and enjoyed the clarity and
calm she felt within her. Her headache began to subside
which relieved her tremendously as no other "technique"
had helped her in the past.
As we continued to tap, the social aspect around
drinking coffee emerged.
"Even though I'm afraid I'll feel lonely, I
deeply and completely..."
"Even though they might not accept me anymore, I
deeply and..."
"Even though I want to be part of the group, I
deeply and completely..."
I instructed Claudia to tap for
her cravings and emotions twice a day. Three weeks later
she checked in: "I really don't have the desire for
caffeine anymore... even have some coffee in my freezer
and I don't have any desire for it. It is so liberating
not to have to have that "fix" every day! I've been using
the tapping for emotions too... started feeling dizzy when
I was stressed out the other day and I stopped and tapped
for it. The tapping has also helped me with my insomnia
problems."
Three weeks later, I checked in with Claudia again:
"Ironically, the day you sent your email was the
first day in six weeks that I had had caffeine. I won't go
into my excuses for my slip, but instead of going off the
deep end and back into the caffeine habit, (which she had
done in the past) I just tapped about (1) feeling worried
that I wouldn't be able to keep off of it, (2) feeling
worried about getting a headache the next day, and (3)
feeling frustrated with myself that I did have caffeine in
the first place. I tapped again in the morning and just
went right back to my regular (non-caffeinated) routine
and have been fine since!"
"I think my most recent experience with tapping is
more proof of how powerful the method is. I'm still trying
to tap twice a day for whatever emotional things are
coming up and have found the technique to be especially
powerful for bringing me to the present moment and in
touch with what is really going on for me inside. Getting
to the emotional part was the key. Thank you again for
teaching me this incredible tool."
As long as Claudia continues to tap for her emotions,
she is unlikely to return to using caffeine as a
stimulant, a relaxant (smokers often use cigarettes for
both the calming and stimulating effect as well), a social
comforter, or for inspiration.
Whether you feel addicted to caffeine, sugar,
cigarettes or alcohol, the key to success is relieving the
underlying fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, loneliness and
emotional pain. EFT is the perfect tool to address every
angle of an "addiction" or unwanted habit since it can
target and treat immediate cravings, withdrawal symptoms,
the underlying driving feelings, and potential relapse
situations.
When I forwarded this article for Claudia's approval,
she remarked how happy she was that finally other people
will now have access to a tool for quitting the caffeine
habit successfully. She had more than once searched in
vain for a technique or tool that would help her and came
up empty every time. EFT was her last hope.
Stay tuned...
Carol Look
