I was really addicted. I probably averaged 80-90 ounces of caffeinated diet soda every day. Many days it was more than that. If I did not have a can of pop first thing in the morning I would feel a headache coming on by noon, and if I didn’t have any caffeine at all during the day, I would have a terrible headache by 5:00 in the evening.

It got to the point that if I knew I would be doing something where I would not have soda with me (like an all-day hike or a hunting trip) I would buy Excedrin and take them prophylactically to avoid the headaches. It was just ridiculous and I was constantly tired when I didn’t want to be, and wide awake when I needed to sleep.

So I quit cold turkey, suffered through about 6 days of pounding withdrawal headaches, and then I was fine. My sleep patterns became way more normal and predictable and I generally felt like I had more energy during the daytime hours.

Other people can handle caffeine way better than I could. My wife has a can or two of Mountain Dew every day, and she doesn’t seem to get addicted. Maybe I was just really sensitive to its effects. In any event, I have felt way better without it.