Caffeine Addiction Is Real – Here’s How To Address It

Caffeine consumption is a common aspect of everyday life for many. In fact, it is estimated that over 90% of adults in the US consume caffeine on a regular basis. While caffeine can have beneficial effects, prolonged, regular use may become problematic for some. Caffeine dependence is a condition that can impact an individual’s physical, mental, and social well-being. Here, we’ll talk about what caffeine addiction is, how to tell whether you’re living with a dependence, and ways you can address this challenge.

Caffeine is commonly found in coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, and chocolate—the amount of caffeine in each source varies. The symptoms and health effects of caffeine on each individual varies as well, depending on the amount of caffeine the consume each day.

What is caffeine addiction?

Though the term caffeine addiction is common, problematic use of caffeine does not qualify as an addiction because it does not significantly impact the brain’s reward system. Rather, it is considered a dependence.

This dependence is often referred to as caffeine use disorder. 

Caffeine is a stimulant, a type of drug that arouses the nervous system and increases activity in the brain and body. These effects can improve an individual’s mood, provide them with energy, and make them more sociable. However, they can also weaken with sustained use, causing an individual to require larger and larger amounts of caffeine in order to experience them. This increasing tolerance is a common symptom of caffeine use disorder. 

Some people who are dependent on caffeine will experience a change in their blood pressure, heart rate, or sleep. Limiting one’s daily caffeine intake may improve the adverse physical effects.

While caffeine use disorder is not a recognized mental health disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V), the American Psychiatric Association, which publishes the manual, has stated that there is evidence of its legitimacy as a condition. This is because even small amounts of caffeine use can cause withdrawal symptoms, which are some of the primary characteristics of a drug dependency. Because of this, caffeine withdrawal was listed in the “Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders” section of the DSM-V. According to the DSM, caffeine withdrawal is marked by sustained daily use of caffeine that leads to at least three withdrawal symptoms, which can include fatigue, headache, low mood, and trouble focusing.

Symptoms of caffeine use disorder include:

• Trouble ceasing or scaling back caffeine consumption

• Use of caffeine even as it causes mental or physical health challenges

• Withdrawal symptoms (e.g., headache, fatigue, low mood)

• Increases in consumption over time

• Caffeine use causes difficulty fulfilling obligations

• Relationship conflict

• Increasing tolerance

• Spending a substantial amount of time seeking out or consuming caffeine

• A strong urge to use caffeine

If you believe you’re living with a caffeine dependency, a healthcare professional can provide you with screenings and determine whether further testing, diagnosis, and treatment are necessary.  

Causes of caffeine addiction

Caffeine addiction is thought to be the result of a mix of neurological, genetic, and behavioral factors. Neurologically speaking, caffeine can interfere with the function of adenosine, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycles. Because caffeine and adenosine have a similar structure, caffeine molecules are able to bind to adenosine receptors. This prevents the sleepiness-inducing effects of adenosine and instead causes an increase in energy and wakefulness. 

With frequent caffeine use comes an increase in adenosine receptors. More caffeine is then required to adequately block the effects of adenosine. Once the brain is used to this amount of caffeine, withdrawal symptoms can occur when the substance isn’t present. 

Interference with the adenosine receptors can also lead to increasing levels of dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone that helps facilitate the functioning of the brain’s reward system. This impact to the reward system is similar to the effects of similar stimulant drugs, like cocaine and amphetamines. And it is why caffeine is thought to have addictive properties—though they aren’t strong enough to qualify caffeine as an addictive substance. 

Behaviorally, caffeine addiction is thought to develop, in part, due to the positive effects it can induce. Caffeine can engender feelings of well-being, attentiveness, and enthusiasm. These effects can lead individuals to turn to caffeinated repeatedly in attempts to experience the same benefits.  

Additionally, caffeine is thought to increase the desirability of the products in which it is included. For example, in one study, participants were given either a caffeinated or decaffeinated version of the same flavored drink. Those who drank the caffeinated version rated its flavor higher over time than those who drank the decaffeinated version. 

Research also suggests that there is a genetic component to caffeine addiction. One twin study found that the heritability of sustained caffeine use and withdrawal may be 35-77%. 

Are you experiencing caffeine dependence?

It can be hard to know what constitutes an addiction to caffeine. This is partially because caffeine dependency can affect people differently. It’s also due to differences in caffeine tolerance and the varying caffeine content in products like coffee, tea, or energy drinks.

Though it’s recommended that you seek the opinion of a healthcare provider when trying to determine whether you’re living with caffeine dependence, it can help to ask yourself some questions regarding your caffeine use. Do you find that you need to drink more and more caffeine in order to experience the same effects? Do you experience headaches, nausea, irritability, excessive fatigue, or other withdrawal symptoms when you don’t consume caffeine? Do you struggle to function without caffeine? If you experience these or similar challenges, consider consulting with a mental health or medical professional. 

How to address caffeine dependence

If caffeine is creating physical, mental, or social challenges in your life, it may be time to evaluate your consumption and find ways to cut back. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your caffeine intake, which we’ll discuss below.

Know how much caffeine you consume

To start, it can be helpful to understand how much caffeine is in the beverages you drink—and how often you consume those beverages. If most of the caffeine you consume is from coffee, what type of coffee are you drinking? How many cups of coffee are you drinking each day? Lattes, cappuccinos, and other espresso-based drinks often have different caffeine content than black coffee, but it can depend on how many shots of espresso are included or how large the black coffee is. If you drink mostly tea, which type of tea are you drinking? Black tea, yerba mate, green tea, and white tea are some of the most caffeinated forms of tea.  

According to the FDA, 12 ounces of caffeinated soda typically has 30-40 mg of caffeine; eight ounces of tea contains approximately 30-50 mg; eight ounces of black coffee has around 80-100 mg; and eight ounces of an energy drink may have up to 250 mg. 

If you’re unsure how frequently you drink caffeinated beverages, try keeping track for a week. You can record the types of beverages you drink, how much caffeine (approximately) they contain, and the frequency with which you consume them. Once you have an idea of how much caffeine you drink, you can create a plan for cutting back.  

The stepwise method

If you’ve decided to reduce your caffeine consumption, experts recommend doing so gradually. A stepwise approach involves incrementally cutting back on caffeine until you arrive at the desired level. If, for example, you’re drinking three cups of coffee each day but want to get down to only two, you might try to drink two and a half cups for a couple weeks, and then make the change to two cups. The stepwise method can help you avoid withdrawal symptoms that may arise if consumption is reduced too quickly or drastically. 

The intake method

In place of, or in addition to, the stepwise method, you can change the way you consume caffeine. Drinking a lower-caffeine option can help you cut back and explore different beverages. For example, if you typically drink two cups of coffee a day, consider replacing one of them with tea, which typically contains less caffeine.   

Managing caffeine addiction with online therapy

Studies suggest that online therapy can help individuals reduce their dependence on substances. For example, in one study, researchers found that online therapy improved the rate of abstinence among participants living with addiction. The study also notes the ability of online therapy platforms to circumvent common barriers to treatment, such as high costs, lack of access to providers, and perceived stigma. 

If you’re living with caffeine addiction, online therapy is available to help. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a qualified mental health professional based on your needs and preferences, so you’ll have a good chance of working with someone who can address your specific concerns regarding caffeine dependence. Your therapist can also connect you with useful resources, such as at-home exercises geared toward helping you address caffeine dependence on your own time.