Caffeine before psilocybin -- what you notice
234 replies · Harm Reduction
Collecting data on caffeine + psilocybin. I typically drink 2-3 cups of coffee in the morning and I've noticed that on session days when I don't reduce caffeine, my anxiety during the experience is noticeably higher. Anyone else tracking this?
Caffeine is a significant anxiety amplifier on psilocybin for me. Both act on the nervous system -- caffeine as an adenosine antagonist that increases norepinephrine; psilocybin's cardiovascular stimulation. The combination in my experience reliably produces more anxious, more frenetic sessions compared to sessions where I haven't had caffeine. My rule: no caffeine after midnight before a morning session.
Worth noting: caffeine withdrawal itself causes anxiety and headaches, especially if you're a heavy daily coffee drinker. If you suddenly cut caffeine on session day, withdrawal symptoms could contribute to the session's difficulty. Better to taper for 2-3 days before rather than abrupt cutoff.
Minor counter-opinion: a small amount of caffeine (half a cup) doesn't meaningfully affect my sessions and I drink it as part of preparation ritual. The dose matters. There's a difference between having had no caffeine and having had 2+ cups before dosing.
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