Caffeine use disorder: Is your dependency on coffee going too far?

A Quick Guide

Caffeine use disorder is a clinical condition characterized by excessive and uncontrollable caffeine consumption, leading to physical and psychological problems. Managing it requires seeking professional help and gradually reducing caffeine intake.

Introduction

Do you consider yourself one of those people who cannot start the day without a cup of freshly brewed strong coffee? Or is it something you desperately need to kickstart your energy at lunchtime at work? If you agree, you are one of the millions of others who do the same. Nowadays caffeine consumption is quite high among coffee lovers worldwide. The marketing industry has come up with different types of coffee brands depending on individual needs. Thus, making coffee a go-to option when hanging out with friends, going on a date, staying awake the night before an exam, or boosting energy when you are exhausted. Despite its benefits, in the cases of some individuals, coffee usage may become problematic. Consequently, these people may undergo a state called caffeine use disorder.

Caffeine use disorder and Its Signs

The American Psychological Association has recently declared an excessive dependency on coffee as a clinical disorder.

Though this condition is yet to be researched further, there are a few signs which are indicative of problematic use of caffeine. They include:

• Preoccupation or persistent need to drink caffeine
• Increased tolerance to consuming large amounts of caffeine
• Inability to control caffeine consumption
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not drinking caffeine e.g. irritability, restlessness, etc.
• Excessively consuming caffeine despite being aware of its psychosocial ramifications.
• Recurrent consumption of caffeine may lead to interpersonal problems, medical problems, high-cost issues, failure to fulfill obligations at home/school/work, etc.
• The problematic use of caffeine occurs for at least one year. Its severity may vary across individuals depending on their usage and the level of impairment in overall functioning.

Medical and psychological problems associated with caffeine use disorder

People who consume large amounts of caffeine may experience the following medical and psychological problems:

• Stomach issues
• Heart problems
• Urinary problems
• Nausea or vomiting
• Mood disturbances such as anxiety, depression, irritability
• Trouble falling and maintaining sleep
• Difficulty in thinking and organizing thoughts

Vulnerability to caffeine use disorder

Problematic caffeine usage may begin in the early 30s onwards. A few researchers have indicated that there is a heritable component of heavy caffeine usage in families where alcohol, smoking, and tobacco use is highly excessive. Similarly, caffeine use disorder may cooccur with depression, anxiety, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine usage, and antisocial personality disorder.

How to manage excessive caffeine intake

If you think your caffeine usage is excessively high and you want to regulate it, you may try the following strategies:

1. Consult a mental health professional and formulate a treatment plan to control your caffeine consumption.
2. Consult your psychiatrist or physician. Ask them if it is possible to get medication to manage physical symptoms of caffeine withdrawal e.g. stomach issues, nausea, etc.
3. Note down your daily and weekly caffeine consumption. Gradually reduce ½ or 1 cup per day. Upon success, you may reduce and cut it down even further. For example, if you have 7 cups of coffee daily, try bringing it down to 6 for at least one week.
4. Whenever you experience the urge to consume caffeine, try drinking another beverage in its place e.g. green tea.
5. Make caffeine less accessible to yourself by cutting back on buying it on your grocery trips. Since when it’s not easily available at your home, you will be less tempted to drink it.
6. Ask for help from a friend or loved one to assist you in reducing your consumption of caffeine.

We hope you found the above tips useful and can successfully regulate your caffeine consumption to a healthy level.