It does it to me. I seem to have a very small therapeutic index for coffee. I usually have one a day. If I have two, I get wildly anxious and feel my heart beating through my chest.

So yes, I think it could do it.

Also, that sucks.

Coffee does that to me. The first time I had espresso I called my mom crying and told her that my skin was too small for my body and that my heart was tripping. She laughed at me and told me to drink water. I was ok.
Caffeine is not the best drug for everyone.

Caffeine is a startlingly powerful drug if you're not used to it. I consume a ton of the stuff, but periodically I waaaay overdo it and get the OH NOES MY FACE IS TOO TIGHT AND THE WORLD IS CRUMBLING AWWWWWGH feeling.

I seem to have a very small therapeutic index for coffee.

Yessss, this is a beautifully economical expression.

It's not just the coffee, there's all kinds of stupid stress, but it was so intense and unremitting. I hope this isn't going to be an everyday occurrence, I don't think I can take it.

What are you doing with smoking? If you've changed your smoking habits lately the caffeine could be hitting you differently.

I'm not smoking, I just had one the other day. I'm just having outsized anxiety reactions and they seem to be getting worse if today is any indication. It's all so much irrationality triggered by stress. I'm quite the mess. I just figured the coffee sent me over the edge.

You're probably right in your last post, ethylene. And there are meds (and non-meds) for dealing with anxiety if it continues.

I don't drink coffee (I do drink a lot of diet cola) and had no idea coffee could be that intense.

So are you quitting smoking? That's the reason I asked. If you are in nicotine withdrawal, anxiety will naturally be higher, and caffeine will exacerbate that.

A good solution is exercise. It seems to run througb the extra anxiety chemicals in the body and leaves you feeling calmer.

of course caffeine can do that. I mean, that's what it does. all that changes is your tolerance

not sure about the intense physical feelings you guys are reporting though, haven't experienced those

Best cure I know for a panic attack is to get as cold as possible, by any means necessary. Like jump in the shower or just splash water all over yourself, don't dry off, and then stand in front of the air conditioner. Works better in winter, of course.

I've seen caffeine have that effect, too, eth. I'm pretty fortunate in that my anxiety issues seem to have abated a LOT in the last couple years, as personal life stress issues were dealt with.

I have found, lately, that I can keep minor anxiety at bay the same way I dealt with weird pot-induced brownouts. I just keep telling myself that I can't die from this. It will pass. And it does.

hope it gets better for you soon, eth.

Smoking is not an issue and it seems the coffee was the trigger for whatever that was. I don't think it was a panic attack because it didn't pass after a few minutes and I wasn't quite overwhelmed, just very nearly for a long block of time. Thanks for the responses and support. I'm feeling particularly vulnerable and in need of support. It helps to know it was the coffee and not just something inevitable or random. Too bad, I do like the ritual. At least tea doesn't seem to cause the same problems.
Thanks again for dealing with me in my time of neediness.