Ten Days Between Hell and Eden

Ten Days Between Hell and Eden

From Live Unwired : Life After Caffeine by Al Kushner

April 7, 2026 · 21 min · Season 1 · Episode 8

About this episode

The episode explores a Wall Street trader's journey through caffeine addiction and the transformative experience of an accidental detox.

She was a Wall Street trader running on 64 ounces of diet cola before she even reached her desk. For nearly two decades, caffeine wasn't a habit — it was a career strategy. The trading room demanded it. The MBA nights demanded it. The pregnancies, the babies, the mergers, the divorce — all of it powered by an ever-present can of diet cola. Being caffeinated was a badge of honor. She wore it proudly, covered the caffeine hives with makeup, and started the cycle again every morning. Two premature births. One baby who didn't survive. Cyst-filled breasts so painful she couldn't sleep on her stomach. A marriage dissolving while she stayed awake all night rather than get into bed next to a man she no longer recognized. And still — she reached for the soda. Then the flu hit. For three days she couldn't keep anything down — not even diet cola. What followed were ten of the most brutal, transformative days of her life. The headaches. The tremors. The confusion. And then, slowly — dreams she hadn't had in years. Skin clearing. Silence replacing the constant hum of anxiety. Ten days between hell and Eden. What You'll Hear in This Episode The high-pressure Wall Street culture that treated…

People in this episode

Host: Al Kushner

Topics covered

  • caffeine addiction
  • Wall Street culture
  • personal transformation
  • health challenges
  • detox experience
  • mental health

Keywords

  • caffeine
  • diet cola
  • withdrawal
  • anxiety
  • personal story
  • health
  • transformation

Mentioned in this episode

Products: diet cola

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