There are growing voices in politics and the media to ban energy drinks such as Monster and RedBull for children. The energy drinks are said to be unhealthy and children may get into trouble later as adults as a result. This is not entirely untrue, but eventually children have to learn to deal with energy drinks and other fun things in life, so it remains to be seen how wise this is.
For example, as an adult and as an adolescent, you can become addicted to energy drinks, want to know how to get rid of this again? Then read on.
Getting addicted to energy drinks
Energy drinks actually have two ingredients in them that can be addictive under certain circumstances. On the one hand sugar and on the other hand it contains caffeine. It also contains taurine which has an uplifting effect.
As you know, you can become addicted to sugar. This is because sugar blocks the signal to your brain that you are full when you eat. As a result, you often stop eating too late, such as when your stomach really expands and you feel bloated.
The sugar in energy drinks also often makes you feel like you have more energy.
The other addictive substance is caffeine which can be so addictive precisely because it gives you extra energy. This substance is also held responsible for coffee addiction by many people. You suffer from it if you drink more than 5 cups/mugs of coffee a day.
When you take these two ingredients together, it can be incredibly addictive if you have a lot of energy needs.
Getting addicted during your adolescence/adolescence
Adolescents have different sleep needs than adults. Instead of 8 hours of sleep, they need 9 hours of sleep, and in addition, adolescents fall asleep much later because melatonin is produced later in the day. Yet they have to get up early again, and this can cause a (chronic) energy deficit.
Coffee can seem like a solution in the morning, but the taste is often not good enough for the average adolescent and a sugary drink is much more enjoyable anyway.
In this way, an adolescent can be introduced to energy drinks, and because they contain sugar and caffeine, you can become addicted to them, just like chocolate.
Especially if there is no additional sleep on weekends, this lack of energy can be really problematic for a child in adolescence. This includes taking the first steps into nightlife, and then again you need to stay awake longer.
At American Universities, for example, it is very popular to mix energy drinks with alcoholic beverages, because then you feel less under the influence. Of course, you are then just under the influence, but subjectively it doesn't feel that way.
Still, this has unpleasant consequences. These students are more likely to be male than female, according to the 2008 study Caffeinated Cocktails: Energy Drink Consumption, High-risk Drinking, and Alcohol-related Consequences among College Students. The quarter of U.S. college students who do so are also more likely to experience drunkenness, sexual harassment or do so themselves more often, are more likely to drive a car with a drunk driver, and are also more likely to be injured for which they need medical attention.
Now fortunately, an addiction to energy drinks is not the same as an addiction to energy drinks with alcohol, but this can be a precursor to this behavior.
Addicted as an adult
Even as an adult, you can become addicted to energy drinks because of the sugar and caffeine in them. Despite the fact that an adult can often get by on 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night, more and more adults also suffer from fatigue.
Insomnia is also a growing problem among the adult population.
Most working adults only get 6 hours of sleep a night. That people are then more likely to reach for coffee or energy drinks is only logical.
What to do about this addiction?
In itself, it is quite logical that when you have an energy deficit you start drinking energy drinks, can you already speak of an addiction? Yes indeed, if this drink causes you to prevent yourself from taking good care of your body and start "cheating" with energy drinks you have a problem.
Ultimately, you are not doing your body and mind any favors with energy drinks. The sugars in energy drinks cause higher levels of inflammation, often identified by extra pimples, and on top of that, this can also be bad for the brain (even though it runs on glucose).
What is especially obvious, as when energy drinks are mixed with alcoholic beverages, is that you have the illusion of energy. Maybe you recognize this. You think you have energy. You go about your work nicely. Meanwhile, you do drop all kinds of things out of your hands and bump into every table point and door handle. This kind of clumsiness is a good symptom of hidden fatigue.
Therefore, you must first confess to yourself that energy drinks are not a good long-term way to energize yourself.
Instead, you can take the following steps:
Keep a sleep diary
Do you currently have no idea how much sleep you're getting? Then keep a sleep diary. Each morning write down what time you went to bed and what time you woke up. Then after a week, take a look at how many days you actually got the 8 hours of sleep you need as an adult human being at a minimum to function properly.
This can be a confrontation to choose your own sleep after all.
Do you have trouble falling asleep? If so, you can take sleep hygiene into account and you really should stop drinking energy drinks from 3 p.m. anyway.
Move
Finally got the 8 hours of sleep but still don't have enough energy? Then exercise between work. You'll find that it makes you more creative and gives you more energy. Especially if you have an office job.
You can also exercise more often. Sign up at the gym or join a soccer club (or other fun sport) so you also experience that sociability.
Eat Healthy
A third practical tip is to eat healthy. Eating a lot of fat and sugar puts a lot of strain on your gut, which in turn costs you energy. This can be seen, for example, in the after-dinner dip. That tired feeling you can get after a big plate of pasta, pizza or French fries.
In fact, by eating lighter and eating fewer carbohydrates, you can do a lot to get more energy. For example, instead of having an energy drink at lunch, have a green smoothie and an extra glass of water. This way you get more nutrients and less sugar. You will see that you get more energy.
Consider why you think it's so important to have lots of energy
Have you implemented all the previous tips? Have you actually been sleeping 8 hours for weeks, you exercise regularly and also your diet is otherwise healthy but that energy drink is just not something you can stay away from?
Then you really cheat with your energy level compared to other people.
Then go over for yourself why you think it is so important to have so much energy? Beliefs about your energy level and about energy drinks, for example, you can find out with hypnosis if you find this difficult to do yourself. This can be done, for example, with a socratic conversation.
Regression to find out why
Another way to figure out the "why" of your energy drink addiction is with regression. A regression helps you go back to a moment that was important in creating the belief that you need energy and that you can use anything to do that, such as energy drinks.
Surprising results can emerge during regression. In fact, many beliefs are formed between your5th and 8th years of life.
Changing beliefs about energy drinks
When you know what beliefs you have and why you have them, hypnosis can help change those beliefs. This can be done, for example, through hypnotic suggestions and through visualizations.
For example, you may be convinced that you can't function properly without energy drinks because you just can't imagine it. Instead, you may think that you are actually lifeless on the couch if you don't have energy drinks.
A visualization can then help you change your imagination. You will first relax and pay attention to your breathing, then the hypnotherapist can help you with a visualization such as:
"You wake up and take a big glass of water. That already refreshes quite a bit. You have a healthy breakfast with a piece of fruit and you notice that your body comes alive even more. While at work, you also notice that your snack of a cruesli bar is enough to keep you going until lunch. At lunch, you eat your sandwich with toppings and have another healthy green smoothie with it. You feel how the healthy ingredients of the smoothie nourish your body and mind which also makes you feel rested in the afternoon and you also feel lighter than usual. You also finish work on time for a change and run smoothly through everything. When you get home you can look back on a productive day. Dinner with your family is enjoyable and you can also have a great chat and look at your children's crafts. Living with healthy food and drink suits you."
This is just an example of a guided visualization by a hypnotherapist. Depending on your symptoms and beliefs, you may receive a different visualization.
Want to learn more about hypnosis? Then come to the playshop and check out Hypnosis Institute Netherlands' training programs.
Sources:
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1553-2712.2008.00085.x/full
