How Caffeine Addiction Can Affect Your Health

How Caffeine Addiction Can Affect Your Health Addiction Addictive Behaviors Caffeine Print Caffeine Addiction Symptoms and Withdrawal By Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Elizabeth Hartney, BSc, MSc, MA, PhD is a psychologist, professor, and Director of the Centre for Health Leadership and Research at Royal Roads University, Canada. Learn about our editorial policy Elizabeth Hartney, BSc., MSc., MA, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on July 23, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on November 27, 2019 More in Addiction Addictive Behaviors Caffeine Internet Shopping Sex Alcohol Use Drug Use Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery Caffeine addiction is the excessive and/or harmful use of caffeine over a period of time, which has negative effects on your health, social interactions, or other areas of your life. As caffeine is a widely accepted and used drug, many people dont believe caffeine can be addictive. While most caffeine users feel they enjoy many of the effects of caffeine, like a good morning boost, they may not be aware of some of the negative effects the drug is having, such as disrupted  sleep, irritability, and anxiety.  Many people, for example, get into a vicious cycle of drinking coffee to increase energy, only to find themselves both fatigued and unable to relax at bedtime.   Some people experience significant problems as a result of their caffeine use, have difficulty coping without caffeine, and experience other unpleasant side effects as a result. There have even been isolated cases of caffeine overdose. What to Know About Caffeine Addiction Caffeine is one of the most widely used addictive substances, and it is heavily marketed to adults, teens, and even children. While coffee is probably the most frequently used source of caffeine, it  is also present in many common foods and drinks, so your caffeine intake might be higher than you realize. Caffeine intoxication is recognized in the DSM-5, the manual used by clinicians to classify and diagnose mental health concerns, and caffeine use disorder is identified as requiring further study. Caffeine intoxication and caffeine withdrawal can both be very unpleasant, physically and psychologically, but either can easily be mistaken for a variety of other conditions. For example, people who are intoxicated with caffeine can exhibit similar symptoms as  people with attention deficit disorders; caffeine withdrawal shares similar symptoms with mood disorders. Caffeine addiction can cause and exacerbate many different health problems.?? Gradually reducing your daily caffeine intake by increasingly mixing caffeinated beverages with non-caffeinated drinks is the best way to quit caffeine without withdrawal symptoms. Caffeine: Everything You’ve Been Afraid to Ask Symptoms of Caffeine Addiction As caffeine is a stimulant drug, caffeine intoxication causes a cluster of symptoms associated with stimulation of the brain and nervous system. While caffeine users enjoy the increased energy and alertness that caffeine gives them, unpleasant symptoms experienced by many consumers, especially  those who are addicted, include: RestlessnessNervousnessExcitementDifficulty sleepingAgitationMuscle twitchingRambling flow of thoughts and speechFlushed faceIncreased heart rateStomach upsetIncreased urination Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal Caffeine withdrawal typically causes a rebound effect, producing symptoms that are the opposite of the effects of intoxication. This effect can be profound in those who are addicted to caffeine. The symptom most often noticed by people going through caffeine withdrawal is a severe, intense caffeine withdrawal headache. When coming off caffeine, people often feel very tired and even drowsy. They may have difficulty concentrating, and feel depressed or irritable. Occasionally, people withdrawing from caffeine also experience flu-like symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, or stiffness. As with all addictions, the pattern of intoxication and withdrawal can mask emotional difficulties that  are avoided by seeking out the pleasurable effects of caffeine. Lack of energy, lack of motivation, and depression may underlie caffeine addiction. It can also overlap with work addiction, as some  people use the stimulating effects of caffeine both to increase energy for and interest in the mental and physical activities associated with their jobs. Similarly, caffeine addiction can mask the avoidance of more fulfilling activities and relationships. How Skipping Your Morning Coffee or Tea Can Lead to a Headache How Caffeine Addiction Can Look and Feel Like Other Disorders Again, the stimulating effects of caffeine can cause physical symptoms and behaviors that can look and feel like, and therefore be easily confused with, other disorders. Therefore, it is important to let your doctor or psychologist know how much caffeine you are consuming, and how  frequently you are doing so if you are being assessed for any condition. For example, caffeine intoxication produces symptoms that can easily be confused with anxiety disorders, such as panic attacks. Using too much caffeine can also worsen symptoms of anxiety disorders in people who are affected, intensifying feelings of worry; increasing racing thoughts; making it difficult to quiet the mind; increasing agitation and shakiness; and preventing relaxation and quality (or any) sleep. However, as with other addictions, you might experience your use of caffeine as calming and temporarily relieving of anxiety. You may feel and even believe it helps you cope. Other health concerns caffeine intoxication can be confused with:?? Manic episodesPanic disorderGeneralized anxiety disorderSleep disorderMigraine and other headachesViral illnessesSinus conditionsIntoxication from other substances (amphetamines, sedatives, hypnotics)Medication-induced side effects, such as akathisia It can also be mistaken for, and worsen symptoms of, withdrawal from other substances, such as amphetamines  and cocaine. Stimulant drugs are often cut with caffeine, increasingly the likelihood that caffeine withdrawal is involved in withdrawal from these drugs. Caffeine Can Induce Other Disorders When a disorder is induced by a substance, although it is triggered by substance use, it does meet the criteria for the disorder, rather than simply being an effect of intoxication or withdrawal. Caffeine-induced disorders include caffeine-induced anxiety disorder  and caffeine-induced sleep disorder. How Caffeine Can Affect Your Health Caffeine has various effects on the body, which are potentially harmful to health. Caffeine increases heart rate  and can cause abnormalities in the heartbeat, so is not recommended for people with cardiovascular problems.?? It also increases blood pressure and affects bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. What to Do If You Think You Might Be Addicted to Caffeine Addiction involves not only excessive use of caffeine but also relying on caffeine to cope with life, typically in spite of negative effects. To figure out whether you might be addicted, go through the following steps: Assess your intake: Calculate how much caffeine you are actually consuming on a typical day, including gourmet espresso,  lattes, and cappuccino, which are typically much stronger than regular drip or instant coffee, soda, and other common caffeine-containing foods and drinks. Pay attention to how you feel: Make a note of any side effects of caffeine, as well as withdrawal symptoms that happen if you miss a regular dose of caffeine. Consider the effects: Think about the effects of caffeine or withdrawal symptoms you experience if you miss a regular dose, and how they have affected your feelings, functioning, and relationships??. For example, do you get irritable if you have too much or too little caffeine? Do you experience headaches or fatigue if you miss a dose of caffeine? Most importantly, do you feel you need caffeine to get through the day? Next Steps to Consider If you feel that your responses to  any of the above seem alarming, speak to your healthcare provider. If you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor about your caffeine intake as soon as possible. Similarly, if you have another health problem that might be impacted by your caffeine use, such as a cardiovascular problem, discuss options with your doctor right away.?? The vicious cycle of addiction happens with caffeine, just as it does with other addictive substances. As the effects of caffeine wear off, you might feel a crash in energy  and that you cant keep going without another boost of caffeine.?? As withdrawal can make you feel worse, it is important for most people  to reduce your caffeine intake gradually rather than abruptly to get the maximum benefit from quitting or reducing caffeine. Your doctor can help you devise a plan. 1:40 7 Quick Tips to Help with Caffeine Withdrawal If you feel you are using excessive amounts of  caffeine to cope with an ongoing emotional problem, such as depression or anxiety, also  talk to your physician about options for treating these problems. The right treatment could make a huge difference for you. Caffeine addiction often overlaps with other behavioral addictions,?? such as sugar addiction, so you might find that evaluating your caffeine intake opens up a Pandoras box of other behaviors that need to be addressed. If you dont feel you are addicted to caffeine, but you do feel you are consuming more than is healthy, you can choose to either reduce your caffeine intake  or cut out caffeine altogether. The most common mistake, in either case, is to cut down by too much too soon, causing you to relapse due to an intense headache.?? Instead of cutting your caffeine intake in half, try reducing your regular intake by about 10 percent every two weeks; reduce the strength of your last caffeinated drink of the day by diluting it with an uncaffeinated drink. A Word From Verywell Caffeine addiction is so common we dont even notice it most of the time. But the feeling of getting back in touch with your own natural energy, and having the ability to relax when night falls, is unparalleled when you able to greatly reduce or quit caffeine.