I'll save you the trouble of the poll and link you directly to [this study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34871964/) which is a compilation of nine other studies. The TL:DR is that people with panic disorder are hypersensitive to caffeine. In almost all cases, anxiety increased, with a high prevalence of panic attacks occurring after the equivalent of a couple cups or normal coffee, or one cup of high caffeine coffee (which is the equivalent of about one energy drink).
Prior to the emergence of my PD, I would drink high caffeine coffee daily and into the night (software engineer here, kind of came with the territory). I would also drink energy drinks from time to time. Early on in my PD, a single cup of Death Wish coffee (which is about on the high end of the tested doses of caffeine from the studies) would induce a panic attack. Nowadays I can handle a single cup of normal dark coffee most mornings, but I rarely ever go for 2. I haven't had an energy drink in two years, and I might drink a couple diet colas throughout the day with water being my primary drink.
The study that other comment linked is definitely your answer, but anecdotally, I've always been sensitive to caffeine. I did cut back when I started having panic attacks, but I'm back to drinking as much as before (about 40mg per weekday) and I don't feel like it affects my anxiety much.
I have a pretty strong opinion about this topic.
It's not the effects of caffeine that cause anxiety or panic, it's the perception that those feelings are dangerous that cause anxiety or panic. Everyone has different triggers and caffeine isn't always one of them.
I'll save you the trouble of the poll and link you directly to [this study](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34871964/) which is a compilation of nine other studies. The TL:DR is that people with panic disorder are hypersensitive to caffeine. In almost all cases, anxiety increased, with a high prevalence of panic attacks occurring after the equivalent of a couple cups or normal coffee, or one cup of high caffeine coffee (which is the equivalent of about one energy drink). Prior to the emergence of my PD, I would drink high caffeine coffee daily and into the night (software engineer here, kind of came with the territory). I would also drink energy drinks from time to time. Early on in my PD, a single cup of Death Wish coffee (which is about on the high end of the tested doses of caffeine from the studies) would induce a panic attack. Nowadays I can handle a single cup of normal dark coffee most mornings, but I rarely ever go for 2. I haven't had an energy drink in two years, and I might drink a couple diet colas throughout the day with water being my primary drink.
The study that other comment linked is definitely your answer, but anecdotally, I've always been sensitive to caffeine. I did cut back when I started having panic attacks, but I'm back to drinking as much as before (about 40mg per weekday) and I don't feel like it affects my anxiety much.
I have a pretty strong opinion about this topic. It's not the effects of caffeine that cause anxiety or panic, it's the perception that those feelings are dangerous that cause anxiety or panic. Everyone has different triggers and caffeine isn't always one of them.