Q Is it okay to keep drinking coffee and alcohol while tapering? I can't sleep and I'm on edge lately.
A It's best to cut back on caffeine and alcohol during tapering. Caffeine can worsen anxiety and insomnia, and alcohol makes sleep shallow and mood unstable, which can worsen discontinuation symptoms. Start by cutting afternoon caffeine and bedtime drinking.
Detailed Answer
During antidepressant tapering, the brain and autonomic nervous system are sensitized and react more strongly to stimulants. Caffeine's stimulating effect can worsen anxiety, heart palpitations, and insomnia, while alcohol — even though it may seem to help you fall asleep — actually lowers sleep quality and destabilizes mood, worsening tapering symptoms. During tapering, it helps to cut afternoon caffeine, limit alcohol, and eat regularly to reduce blood sugar swings for greater stability.
Our Korean Medicine Clinic's Perspective
Dongjedang focuses on restoring the body's own ability to settle itself, rather than relying on stimulants to push through. We help calm rising heat and settle a sensitized body during tapering, supporting recovery of sleep and mood without leaning on coffee or alcohol. This too supports your doctor's tapering plan, and adjusting diet provides a solid foundation for the tapering process.
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