Altering body chemistry through better living

[bav]

I'm toying around with altered states of consciousness by reducing/giving up my vices.

CAFFEINE

I'm currently on day 2 of no caffeine intake. Been drinking juice, milk, and water. I suppose I got a small amount of caffeine from a few chocolate chip cookies tonight, but not enough that it really makes any difference. So far it's been ok. I've had a caffeine withdrawl headache hovering on the border all day, but has not kicked it (yet). My goal is to go until Friday where I might have a coke at City Club if I need it, but I really want to give up caffeine for a while.

Noted side-effects of giving up caffeine:

*Slight increase in irritation levels

*increased exhaustion rates

*able to nap after work (came home and passed out for 3 hours till the boys woke me up for gaming)

*increased ease in getting up when my alarm goes off

*greater amount of general spaciness

NICOTINE/CIGARETTES

This is the big one that I'm starting on. I've been feeling overly run-down lately, and in addition have been having some symptoms that are very much like allergic reactions to cigarette smoke. Increased pain and itchiness in my eyes in clouds of smoke for extended periods of time, eyes watering when smoking, nasty chunks of crap coming out of my sinuses, vague sense of queasiness when I smoke a cigarette, not being able to taste anything that is not extremely strong in flavor, and then the general asthmatic-smoker crap that I've lived with for a long time.

I started cutting back on my smoking today. My plan is to not smoke until after 5pm, and limit the number of cigarettes I do smoke in the evenings. I've had 4 cigarettes tonight since I got home from work and have only been able to finish one of them because it just tastes horrible and hurts.

The other step of the plan is to go this route of denial/cutting down until Purim. During Purim I will most likely be drinking heavily and thus smoking heavily as well. I will probably smoke myself somewhat sick during the party, and the next day go cold-turkey completely.

Side-effects from today's experiment in nicotine deprivation

*Increased irritation levels

*Sense of taste disappearing

*Highly increased sense of spaciness

*Slight body load/body buzz

*Slight light sensitivity (not sure why this is around)

*The feeling that there is a chunk of nastiness in my sinuses that I can't work out

*Short-term memory shot

*Cold chills

Now, I am aware that I may be fighting some sort of cold or sinus infection right now. Going through the deprivations will not make me feel better initially, but in the long run it is a good time to do so while I feel like ass, so that it all blends together.

MARIJUANA

Cutting back on this as well, particularly times of day when I smoke, when I do smoke it. I'm no longer smoking grass after 9pm because it seriously fucks my sleeping up. While it does make me tired (counteracting caffeine intake) and enables me to go to sleep at a decent time, I'm not able to get good sleep and wake up easily.

Cutting back on occasions of smoking grass will help clear tar out of my lungs as well. May give up completely for a while, depending on how things are going.

EPILOGUE

All in all, today has been somewhat surreal with my body going through withdrawl symptoms. It's interesting to be able to fuck myself up by reversing actions (not taking substances instead of taking something). I'll probably be making notes in the journal to keep track of how things are going.

A lot of this is also going to most likely precipitate some changes in my activities. For instance, I will be cutting back on bar time. Not sure if this means not going out as often, or going out but only staying for a little while. Another is that I'm actively trying to go outside to smoke instead of in my room.

I need to go shopping this week so I can start making changes in my diet as well. Start eating more green stuff is the number one priority. I will eat green beans and lettuce pretty much right now, but I'm looking at some experiments with asparagus and broccoli to start. Want to also start toying with various beans and lentils. The idea behind this is if I can work myself up to eating more vegetables, I may try going vegetarian for a month and see how I react to it.

Fun with (body) chemistry!

Wish me luck, all.

[Onyx]

wow. You're attempting a lot of changes at once. Might even be easier that way though, get all the miserable withdrawals over at once.

I did give up coffee for awhile and wish I could again. I got better sleep then and eventually felt more rested once I got past the irritable stage. The "spaciness" factor is what keeps me coming back to the caffeine. Most days I seem to need it by afternoon to keep my mind on my job.

hmmm

[Fierce Critter]

Damn. Good luck on all that, Bav. Hope you don't end up feeling too cruddy on your way to feeling wonderful.

[fallennon]

Changing all at once will at least get rid of it all at once! I give you props! I gave up weed first, caffeine second, and I'm still working on the smoking habbit!