You should definitely try to taper off it gradually, this is what I did and I feel much better without it. I now only drink about three cups of coffee per week, compared to drinking about six-to-eight cups per day previously. It's surprising, you don't really realize that you're addicted until the day comes where you have to go without, and then you feel tired and without energy all that day and feeling like you desperately need a coffee just to be able to wake up and function properly.
I thought of this the other day too. I was meeting my brother for dinner the other night, took a bus ride up to Seattle. Naturally, it drops me off near a Starbucks so I can't resist wanting to go in and get a mocha even though it's 6:30 in the evening. Hi! My name is Renee and I am a coffee addict. It's been less than a day since my last cup of coffee.
Maybe it's something that happens when you get older (my godfather said it happens to him too ... he's about 30 or 40 years older than me, & I'm 33), but I can't drink coffee past 5 or 6 o'clock without being possibly-beset by Night Terrors that night!
The funny thing about caffeine is that it is fairly healthy when taken in moderation. You can actually consume a somewhat large amount of caffeine daily without adverse effects. You can also get to the point where it becomes less effective because, as you consume more caffeine regularly, you actually will start to need more in order to feel the same effects as before. Some people become dependent upon caffeine and increase their consumption of coffee or energy drinks without realizing how it works. If you cease caffeine consumption for a short period of time and then start drinking coffee again, then your body will once again respond more to those smaller amounts of caffeine.
After reading this question I had to do some research because even though I know caffeine is a drug I wondered could it truly be addictive according to my research it can be addictive if the person has a dependance on the substance. According to a survey it is estimated that the average American consume 280mg/day of caffeine. Heavy caffeine consumption is considered 6,000 mg/day. It would take forty-four, eight ounce cups of regular brewed coffee to consume 6,000 mg. Now that is a lot of coffee! Withdrawal symptoms for coffee can include headache, fatigue , irritability just to name a few.An interesting fact to consider is that Coffee can kill you if it was consume in a massive amount in a rapid consumption of 80-100 cups , but as much as our body needs water that can also kill us if consume in a massive amount leading to water intoxication. I think that when consuming substance we should really think about the effect it will have on our bodies and use them in proper moderation.
Caffeine addiction or dependency is easy to develop with routine use, and actually very common. Basically, if not drinking any coffee tomorrow would cause you to get a headache, you have some level of caffeine dependency. The good news is that caffeine is pretty easy to get off of if you really want to. I have done it a few times, going from about 4 cups a day to none in less than 2 weeks. I just reduced my intake every day until I was down to half a cup, then none. I have also done it cold turkey, which causes headaches, but I got through that in just a few days. It was easy to manage the headaches with an advil. I am currently drinking about 2 cups of coffee per day. I probably would not want to go completely without caffeine all day, but I don't consider this a problem in my life because I know I am capable of going without, of pushing through the headaches and being fine. If I lost access to caffeine, I would be disappointed, but not devastated or anxious.
Yes, coffee is healthy when taken in moderation and can actually help prevent diseases like bowel cancer. Hmm, 6,000mg is an awful lot. However, the DSM-IV-TR psychiatric manual did list 'Caffeine Intoxication' as an official mental health disorder (not addiction). I'm not sure about DSM-V though. With regards to water, what you're referring to is Hyponatremia - the salt levels in the blood become too diluted which causes swelling that puts pressure on the brain and can lead to death. A few Ecstasy users have died from this.
Yes, anything in excess can be harmful or bad whether it is considered as a good substance. If you drink too much of coffee, you can experience palpitations which is what I usually read to be one of the side effects of too much coffee.
Coffee always puts me in a good mood though! Otherwise i'm severely depressed. As soon as I take the first sip I'm good! It sucks that people can't make themselves happy without the help of coffee or otherwise.
That is only one definition of "addiction". It is really more of an individual interpretation. The best description of "addiction" I ever heard was when a person is doing something to excess, and it starts to interfere in their lives (work, school, relationships, etc.) and they continue to do it anyway. So that really could apply to almost anything.
Caffeine is a stimulant and some people can certainly get addicted to it. I think most people can handle it in moderate amounts. I am currently trying to reduce my level of caffeine consumption because I am trying to conceive our third child.
Sure it can. My mom has been addicted to caffeine for decades. She gets some pretty bad withdrawal symptoms like headaches, migraines, and nausea when she doesn't get her caffeine. Watching her have to deal with that is what has kept me away from coffee. I don't want to rely on coffee to wake myself up, nor do I want to become addicted.
Coffee actually can be harmful. It reduces nutrient absorption. Coffee has been associated with low birth weight and miscarriages. I believe it causes long term health issues, there are organic coffee alternatives that are healthy and not harmful for those who would like to kick the coffee addiction. They may not satisfy your coffee cravings but they will help lessen them.
People can get addicted to anything. I once watched a show with some people addicted to drinking urine. I don't think coffee is totally harmless but it's probably way less harmful than most other substances. As always, it should be up to the consumer as to how to go about it, unless we would want the government to intervene again and ban coffee this time around to protect us from ourselves.
Coffee is definitely an addictive substance. I have a friend who doesn't seem to function properly if he doesn't have his 4-5 cups of coffee per day. I can tell by his skin color how far away he is from his next coffee "injection". He usually starts going pale after about three hours without caffeine. And not just that, he also gets quite cranky if he can't get his coffee "on time". So, to circumvent his touchy behavior, I always bring along some chocolate-coated coffee beans when we go out together, for "emergencies".
I need my morning cup of coffee or I don't feel energetic and right the rest of the day. I suppose I have that habit of drinking it to the point where it has become somewhat of a small addiction to the caffeine.
My quesiton to the OP is, are you addicted to the caffeine or the sugar. Sugar is highly addictive as well.
Coffee is harmful. It is a drug. People get really wired on caffeine. There are many health hazards to consuming it. My friend would sweat and shake from too much coffee. This is the problem people don't realize that it is actually bad for you.
a small addiction? is that something like "a slight decapitation"? ... Thinking about it for a second, this may just be my 'slight addiction' to "drama." But something in me wants to give "addiction" more of an absolute quality---like it's the edge of a cliff; you're just as 'addicted' whether you just "step off" or you "take a flying leap." Nothing "bad" happens (as long as you keep it to '4-or-5 cups-a-day' or less). A habit doesn't become an "addiction" until using it harms you somehow, yeah? EVERYTHING is bad for you if you have TOO MUCH OF IT. Everything is GOOD in moderation!
Maybe not to the same extent as other drugs, but there are definitely side effects that have an impact on overall health. I think when people feel the need to consume several cups each day just to function, it seems like more of a hassle than anything, and not worth the feeling of going without. At the same time, caffeine can be beneficial in small amounts, especially when you need to feel focused and awake.