Sweating, shaking and a week-long migraine – what I went through to quit Diet Coke | Cathy Reay

Going cold turkey was the only way to stop obsessing over a carbonated drink. But I'll never forget the thrill of that first sip

You sound like you're talking about quitting a class A drug," my friend said, incredulously. I'd been telling her about what happened when I tried to give up my Diet Coke habit - about the sweats and shakes that followed, along with a thirst that no amount of water could quench. I had a week-long migraine that made me see black spots every time they opened," I continued. I'm telling you, it was really tough."

I'd be lying if I said I ever managed to quit Diet Coke completely, but it's no longer a necessary fixture of my day. Ten years ago it was a different story. Back then I was living in Strasbourg, on the French-German border, directly opposite an innocuous little corner shop. I worked long days from home, teaching English - and one particularly hot and busy summer, with no time between tutoring sessions to venture further, my corner shop visits ramped up.

Cathy Reay is a freelance journalist covering disability politics, entertainment and culture