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Maybe you've done what I did this morning. Either you're not paying attention or because you choose to ignore past experience, you eat or drink something that can affect your mood in a negative way.

I went with my honey an hour ago and while she got coffee, I got Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. This is not the first time I've experienced this. As I type I can feel what some might call an elevated level of agitation. I certainly call it that! I have to pay attention so that I don't let this come out in the way I speak to those around me. I had scrambled eggs with a little butter and bell peppers & onions for breakfast a few hours ago and based on my experience, breakfast or the little bit of tea I had did not cause this.

Have you experienced this phenomenon ? If you haven't, that's great! Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so. Could it be that this affects 1/2 of 1% of the population, or 5% or 20% or 50%? I don't know what the numbers are. Is it the caffeine or the artificial sweeteners or the combination? Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper is not the only diet beverage that led me to this conclusion. I've tried others like Pepsi One and Diet Coke and just about any diet soda you can name. Maybe there are many people who are not affected this way at all. But, if you notice the elevated level of agitation, trying drinking water or something really mild for a week and see if you notice a difference.

So, if this DOES affect you, please pay attention. Don't take your changed mood out on those around you OR decide not to put that stuff in your body. Tell someone about the agitation you've noticed in yourself so that they can know and ask you how you're doing in changing the situation.

I realize that there are some really terrible substances that people put in their bodies that make this look mild by comparison. I also realize that if you or someone you know is putting something in your body that agitates you and you do it all the time, you may not even notice because that's simply the way you live your life. People around you may notice, too, and assume that's just the way YOU are. I know of someone who was more than slightly "wacko" because of legal diet pills for several years. While I have not taken diet pills, I believe that when I was drinking these substances, I agitated much of the time for years and only after noticing the agitation many times and making an effort to go off caffeine and these substances for a while did I really, REALLY see what was happening.

Again, maybe it's just me, but I don't think so. Please pay attention to how the stuff that goes into your body affects you and how that can affect those around you. If something legal seems to have a pretty big negative effect, I'm sure the illegal stuff that some use can have even larger negative effects. Love yourself and those around you enough to change what you consume or to at least pay attention enough so that it doesn't affect your behavior towards other people.

Learn more about this author, Charles Hicks-Moore.
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