Energy Drinks: Agitation, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Arrhythmias

[DISCLAIMER]

In childhood, my late mom often took my sisters and me out for soft drinks at Toot’n Totum (convenience store in Bomb City; colloquially referred to as “Fart’n Fetch ‘em”). In retrospect, my mom may’ve maintained powerful behavioral habits and strong cravings for sugar.

As an example, it was a rare occasion that she didn’t have some form of sugary drink in her immediate vicinity. Soft drinks and sweet tea were her go-to sources of liquefied sugar distribution. In between these beverages, she constantly used/abused sugary chewing gum.

Whether due to nature, nurture, or other circumstances – as I accept personal responsibility and accountability (collectively “ownership”) for my own outcomes in life – I developed the nonadaptive behavior exhibited by my mom. Still, I own my unhealthy relationship with sugar.

For instance, when serving in the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps (1996-2007), I participated in rotating shiftwork while conducting military police (MP) patrols. During that time, I favored various flavors and varieties of Mountain Dew (colloquially known as “hillbilly holy water”).

I’d consume a couple 20-U.S.-fluid-ounce hillbilly holy waters per shift. At that time, and even dating back to grade school, I suspected that I had undiagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). One obvious symptom was related to how caffeine affected me.

Mountain Dew contained a significant amount of caffeine, and it also had a substantial amount of sugar. When consuming one bottle of hillbilly holy water, my level of energy (vigorous exertion of power) spiked for about half an hour, though the caffeine thereafter depressed my system.

Regarding caffeine, I stated in Euphoria: Walking on Clouds, “Back when I used to attend raves and concerts, always partying sober, with exception of caffeine and guarana, I often experienced euphoric nights. It was delightful!” Noteworthy, the soft drinks I consumed had lots of sugar!

Among other factors, this up and down effect of sugar and caffeine led me to seek psychometric examination, as I was then diagnosed with ADHD. At the time, I opted not to be prescribed stimulant medications. Rather, I unhealthily stuck with sugary and caffeinated beverages.

Overlapping with military service, I gained employment in the field of nuclear security (2004-2008). The position involved rotating shiftwork similar to MP patrols, as I then began to use/abuse energy drinks, which the American Psychological Association (APA) thusly defines:

[A]ny of a group of widely available liquids that may contain large quantities of caffeine as well as sugar, taurine, gingseng, gingko biloba, B vitamins, antioxidants, and artificial sweeteners and that are used to increase energy, alertness, and endurance. Overuse has been associated with agitation, anxiety, insomnia, and arrhythmias.

Caffeinated alcoholic beverages are also considered to be energy drinks. In 2010, in response to concerns about the safety of these beverages, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration labeled caffeine an “unsafe food additive” to alcohol and effectively banned its use in alcoholic beverages.

The APA noted four conditions which require definitions. First, the APA defines agitation as “a state of increased but typically purposeless and repetitious activity, as in psychomotor agitation.” For example, for about half an hour after consuming energy drinks, my legs rapidly bounced.

Second, the APA defines anxiety as “an emotion characterized by apprehension and somatic symptoms of tension in which an individual anticipates impending danger, catastrophe, or misfortune.” With my energy drink consumption, I found that anxiety actually dissipated.

Third, the APA defines insomnia as “difficulty in initiating or maintaining a restorative sleep, which results in fatigue, the severity or persistence of which causes clinically significant distress or impairment in functioning.” This element incontrovertibly wasn’t an issue for me.

As an example, when working in the field of nuclear security, I favored drinks such as 5-hour Energy, Red Bull, NOS, and Rockstar Energy. I consumed these beverages when working and in my time outside of work. (And no, I didn’t enjoy Monster Energy—no matter the flavor!)

I could drink two 24-U.S.-fluid-ounce Rockstar Energy or NOS cans (colloquially known as “tallboys”) and fall into a deep asleep within about half an hour after consuming the second can. After a period of time, I then began using/abusing unhealthy energy drinks as a form of sleep aid.

This maladaptive behavior then led to the last condition mentioned by the APA, as it regards arrhythmia, which the APA defines as “any variation from the normal rhythm of the heartbeat.” My heart often raced when using/abusing over-the-counter stimulants, as I stated in Self-Image:

[I]t’s worth noting that caffeine has a calming effect on my system and so stimulant use was a challenge. As it was legal at the time, I used ephedra products that contained 300 milligrams (mg) of caffeine and 20 mg of ephedra per pill.

Because my system rapidly processes stimulants and the effects wear off relatively quickly, I’d pop two of the pills. With 600 mg of caffeine and 40 mg of ephedra in my system, it was like I could feel my hair growing and teeth vibrating from the inside. I was high!

I’d tear through workouts like a wild animal and enjoy the soothing experience of my body’s counterbalance to the stimulants following workouts. To the skeptical reader who wonders about how healthy my behavior was, I don’t think there was much about those stimulants that was healthy for the average person.

The matter of healthiness regarding stimulant use/abuse is the primary focus of this blogpost. To be exceedingly clear, I maintain the position that energy drinks are unhealthy, and it’s a matter of personal ownership regarding outcomes of consumption. For context, one recent source states:

Energy drink sales are soaring but concerns about teenagers consuming too much caffeine from those drinks are increasing as well, which is evident by recent actions taken in Texas and England.

Legal action in Texas began after a 17-year-old girl died from an enlarged heart after consuming caffeine. Ken Paxton, attorney general for Texas, in June [2026] launched an investigation into Celsius Holdings, Inc. based on the company’s representation and practices in marketing energy drinks to teenagers.

Celsius owns Alani Nutrition, LLC and its Alani Nu energy drink. Each 12-oz can contains 200 mg of caffeine.

When irrational forms of appeal to emotion are used with the death of minor-aged individuals, other members within society often lead the charge to limit use of products for everyone else. This occurred in 2003, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned ephedra products.

While the current blogpost isn’t intended to criticize the aforementioned 17-year-old, her family, or manufacturers of energy drinks, I maintain that it’s important to speak truth about reality. This is in accord with personal ownership of outcomes. For instance, one source states:

For most adults, a daily caffeine habit may be safer for the heart than many people assume. A new American Heart Association review found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, roughly three to five cups of regular black coffee, is generally safe and may even be linked to lower risks of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and Type 2 diabetes. But the source matters: highly concentrated energy drinks and shots can sharply raise blood pressure and trigger irregular heart rhythms.

My mom’s use/abuse of sugar was arguably unhealthy, as has been my consumption of sugar, caffeine, ephedra, and guarana. Nevertheless, I take personal ownership of my own outcomes, rather than irrationally appealing to emotion, as others engage in their own unhealthy behavior.

Parents and caregivers of minor-aged people are responsible and accountable for their own children. Yet, blaming manufacturers of energy drinks or other entities for the behavior of minors isn’t helpful if or when parents and caregivers ostensibly reject their own ownership.

If I die of cardiac arrest, due to years of use/abuse of over-the-counter stimulants, then so be it! Likewise, if hypothetical minor X dies in a similar manner when one’s parents or caregivers have apparently abdicated responsibility and accountability, then why is that the problem of Texas?

Although my rational position may seem callous, allow me to outline the basis of my belief. For this demonstration, I invite you to consider a major tool of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

REBT uses the ABC model to illustrate that when an undesirable Action occurs and you Believe an unhelpful narrative about the event, it’s your unfavorable assumption, not the occurrence itself, that causes an unpleasant Consequence. This is known as distress or disturbance.

Noteworthy, with virtually any undesirable Action that occurs, it’s your unfavorable Beliefs which cause unpleasant distress or disturbance (Consequence). Given this framing of self-distress and self-disturbance, it’s worth noting that one REBT source states (page 71):

REBT conceptualizes [distress] as healthy even though it is intense. Other approaches to therapy have as their goal the reduction of the intensity of negative emotions. They take this position because they do not keenly differentiate between healthy negative emotions (distress) and unhealthy negative emotions (disturbance).

Now, REBT keenly distinguishes between healthy distress and unhealthy disturbance. Healthy distress stems from your rational beliefs about a negative activating event [Action], whilst disturbance stems from your irrational beliefs about the same event.

Complete elimination of distress is highly unlikely in an impermanent and uncertain world wherein people conceptually suffer, struggle, and battle with, or merely experience hardship. Still, individuals often make matters worse for themselves by disturbing about such instances.

In particular, there are four predominate irrational beliefs which people often use to distress or disturb themselves: global evaluations, low frustration tolerance, awfulizing, and demandingness. When contemplating these unproductive scripts, think of the acronym GLAD.

Additionally, from a psychological standpoint, people distress or disturb themselves using a Belief-Consequence (B-C) connection. Of course, this isn’t to suggest that in the context of the naturalistic or physical world there is no Action-Consequence (A-C) connection.

From an A-C view, hypothetical minor X consumes energy drinks (Action) and experiences agitation, anxiety, insomnia, arrhythmias, and then death (Consequence). Herein, I’ve provided evidence for the unhealthy nature of energy drinks, as death may result in extreme cases.

Still, imagine that hypothetical minor X dies (Action) and one’s parents or caregivers Believe, “Energy drink manufacturers are worthless [G], and can’t be tolerated [L], because it’s terrible that hypothetical minor X died [A], so Texas must do something to punish manufacturers [D]!”

Rather than enduring negative, but healthy grief, bereavement, and mourning that stems from an accommodating Belief, this unaccommodating GLAD Belief could lead to negative, though unhealthy anger and aggression (Consequence). That’s what drives unnecessary blame!

Addressing how people upset themselves with unhelpful attitudes, the ABC model incorporates Disputation of unproductive philosophies of life in order to explore Effective new beliefs. Whereas rigid beliefs cause self-disturbance, flexible beliefs result in an un-disturbed condition.

It’s worth noting that in REBT, personal ownership is practiced regarding unpleasant outcomes. Instead of blaming others for one’s own self-disturbed reactions to undesirable events, which is disempowering, people are encouraged to empoweringly own the Consequences of their Beliefs.

Therefore, my rational belief concerning energy drink-related deaths isn’t callous. It’s merely recognition of what is, not what one rigidly believes ought to be the case. So, even though I’d prefer that the U.S. government wouldn’t have banned ephedra, that’s something that happened!

Apparently, from an A-C view, too many people died or were otherwise harmed from consumption. Therefore, regarding a healthy B-C perspective, I experience self-distressed disappointment (Consequence) stemming from my accommodating Belief about the matter.

Namely, what others ingest and which thereafter leads to their death preferably oughtn’t to prevent me from using/abusing sugar, caffeine, ephedra, guarana, or other over-the-counter stimulants. However, that’s precisely what has occurred (i.e., is). Oh well, c’est la vie!

Now, I invite you to consider use of the ABC model, rather than needlessly blaming others for your own unpleasant reactions. This requires personal ownership. And while it may be true that use/abuse of energy drinks may result in your death, you will have owned that outcome, too!

Drink responsibly (or not), think responsibility (or not), and hold yourself to account (or not). Otherwise, you’ll end up irrationally blaming others for your outcomes—punishing all of society, because you or those within your care didn’t behave responsibly or accountably.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

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Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2023, April 20). Self-image, part 3. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-image-part-3

Hollings, D. (2026, April 21). Self-upset. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-upset

Hollings, D. (2026, June 11). Shaping: Force of habit – No rewarding bad behavior! Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/shaping-force-of-habit-no-rewarding-bad-behavior

Hollings, D. (2025, August 23). Stoking tensions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/stoking-tensions

Hollings, D. (2024, February 27). Suffering, struggling, and battling vs. experiencing. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/suffering-struggling-and-battling-vs-experiencing

Hollings, D. (2022, December 23). The A-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-a-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2022, December 25). The B-C connection. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-b-c-connection

Hollings, D. (2025, October 22). The construct. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-construct

Hollings, D. (2022, November 2). The critical A. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-critical-a

Hollings, D. (2022, December 14). The is-ought problem. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-is-ought-problem

Hollings, D. (2026, February 21). The preferences versus expectations paradigm: Love is not enough, though virtue is. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-preferences-versus-expectations-paradigm-love-is-not-enough-though-virtue-is

Hollings, D. (2025, October 5). Things simply are. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/things-simply-are

Hollings, D. (2025, April 15). This cake smells unpleasant. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/this-cake-smells-unpleasant

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2025, April 18). Tolerable FAD. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/tolerable-fad

Hollings, D. (2025, January 9). Traditional ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/traditional-abc-model

Hollings, D. (2026, March 14). Trolley problem: Distress or disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/trolley-problem-distress-or-disturbance

Hollings, D. (2024, March 18). Unhealthy vs. healthy negative emotions. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unhealthy-vs-healthy-negative-emotions

Hollings, D. (2024, October 26). Unhelpful expectations. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unhelpful-expectations

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