Are You Addicted To Caffeine Or Do You Just Love Coffee?

Who here starts their day with a morning coffee? You wake up, head downstairs, and pour yourself a cup of the good stuff. It feels like a great way to kickstart the day’s activities - and the jolt of caffeine gives you a nice energy boost. ​

Perhaps you also have an afternoon coffee or go to a coffee shop with your friends as part of your daily routine. When you stop and think about it, you’re having one, two, or maybe three cups of coffee a day. Is this something you should be more cautious of or is there nothing to worry about? 

It’s a tricky question to answer, but many people are addicted to caffeine without realizing it. Some of you may say “Who cares if you’re addicted to caffeine anyway?”, it’s not like other drugs and you’re unlikely to start tripping out or doing something crazy. Any addiction is bad, regardless of how trivial it seems. That’s why it pays to figure out if your coffee habits are simply down to a love of these wonderful beans, or potentially something more sinister. 

What is caffeine?

As explained by Healthline, caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee, and cacao plants. When it enters the bloodstream, it stimulates your brain and central nervous system. That’s why you feel a sense of alertness after drinking coffee - the caffeine is absorbed and stops your brain from making you feel tired. 

Caffeine is also known to increase adrenaline in the body, which is why you may get the “coffee jitters” from time to time. Increased adrenaline also helps you stay more alert and focused.

What are the dangers of being addicted to caffeine?

In years gone by, people saw caffeine as a far more dangerous drug than it is now. It was proposed that this stimulant caused many adverse side effects, though research now shows this is somewhat false. 

If anything, caffeine can be good for the body and will help you focus while avoiding feelings of tiredness. The key thing to remember about any proposed benefits of caffeine is that they kick into action in low doses. The more you take, the more likely it is you’ll see some of the following side effects: 

• Anxiety
  
• Insomnia
  
• Body shakes
  
• Headaches
  
• Nervousness
  
• Needing to pee often
  
• A permanently increased resting heart rate
  
• A general sense of restlessness
  

This may scare some of the coffee lovers out there, but there’s no need to fret. Experts say that drinking up to 400mg of caffeine a day is perfectly safe and shouldn’t yield any negative side effects. Instead, you’re more likely to see the benefits of caffeine without the cons. 

How much is that in terms of cups of coffee? It’s generally around the 4-cup mark. If you’re consistently drinking more than that, then you may run into a few problems. 

Unlike other substances you can be addicted to, caffeine isn’t going to cause dramatic changes in your life. You won’t enter states of delirium or get high and do things that have negative consequences. The main worry is what caffeine addiction does to your long-term health. Additionally, there’s the slight fear that this addiction could lead you down a slippery path to others. 

You enjoy the benefits of caffeine and get hooked on the feeling. So, it stands to reason you might try other substances to get an even heightened sense of focus or alertness - like Adderall or other medications. This is when things start getting serious, and if you ever have feelings like this - or are tempted to make the step up from caffeine to something else - then you need professional help. Speak to someone at a drug rehab center and they can assist you in kicking your caffeine addiction. 

Telltale Signs You’re Addicted To Caffeine

Going back to the start of this post, we asked a simple question: 

Are you addicted to caffeine, or do you just like coffee? 

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day does not constitute an addiction. After all, lots of us simply love the taste of coffee. It’s fun to try different blends or beans, but we’re not addicted to the stuff! 

No, you’re only addicted to caffeine - or bordering on becoming addicted - if you spot these signs in your daily life/habits/routine: 

You get chronic headaches without caffeine

Are you waking up with a headache every morning? Do you constantly get these headaches throughout the day? They feel like a pounding sensation in your head and nothing gets rid of them. You take painkillers but they continue…until you drink a cup of coffee. 

Within moments, the pain goes away. 

This is an obvious sign you’re drinking too much caffeine and may be addicted. Your body is crying out for the stuff and it almost can’t function without it. In many ways, you develop a dependency on the stuff. 

Don’t ignore this as the headaches will get worse if you keep drinking more and more caffeine. Cut down on how much coffee you drink per day, and try some of these methods to cure a headache - or at least make it less painful. After a few days, your body will return to normal and the headaches will subside. 

You fail to concentrate without caffeine in your system

Again, this shows your body has adapted to having lots of caffeine and it won’t function properly without it. 

You depend on the stuff to help you focus or stay alert. 

It’s never a good sign when you need substances to make you concentrate. It’s especially bad if you struggle to concentrate and feel jittery or on edge all the time. You almost develop a sense of paranoia, which is a bad sign that you drink way too much caffeine. 

Go cold turkey for a while and reduce your caffeine intake until these feelings go away. It’ll feel bad at first, and you’ll probably stay awake at night tossing and turning. Stick at it and you’ll regain your sense of concentration without depending on caffeine anymore.

You’re drinking other things specifically for the caffeine

It’s okay to have a few cups of coffee a day. Even if you’re on the limit and have 4 every single day, that doesn’t mean you’re addicted to caffeine. Think about why you’re having these drinks. 

Do you like the taste? Are you drinking them to be social and spend time with others? Do you simply enjoy a daily routine that involves having a cup of coffee while reading a book or walking the dog? 

Loads of people are like this and it is purely because they love coffee. A great way to tell if you’re maybe becoming addicted to caffeine is when you choose other drinks instead of coffee. Have you started drinking lots of energy drinks lately? They’re packed full of caffeine, so if you start adding these to your diet instead of coffee, there’s a very strong chance you’re addicted to caffeine! 

If all you care about is the taste of coffee, you’re not addicted, so don’t worry! 

Healthy Coffee Drinking Habits Worth Following

Reading this post may get you thinking about your coffee-drinking habits. Having your morning coffee (or enjoying your mid-afternoon treat) is perfectly fine. But if you’re worried or wish to avoid seeing any side effects of too much caffeine, here are a few healthy tips to follow: 

• Stick to the recommended dose of no more than four cups a day - it’s extremely easy, and you shouldn’t struggle with this! 
  

• Consider decaf coffee if you have multiple cups per day, just to reduce your caffeine intake. 
  

• Avoid drinking coffee after 3 or 4 pm as it can keep you up later in the evening when you’re trying to sleep. 
  

• Remind yourself why you’re drinking coffee - if it’s constantly to try and stay alert, then you may wish to cut down or seek other ways of staying focused
  

Coffee isn’t bad for you at all. Like everything in life, you will see side effects when you take things too far. Hell, if you eat too much fruit and veg you’ll end up with digestive problems or other possible health issues! Moderation is the key to living life to the fullest, so keep that in mind when drinking coffee. 

All in all, it should be easy for you to see if you’re addicted to caffeine or just one of the billions of coffee lovers out there. Look for the telltale signs mentioned earlier and pay close attention to why you’re reaching for a cup of coffee. If you hate the taste of the stuff but drink it purely to be stimulated, then you’ve got a problem. There’s help out there if you need it - and it’s worth seeking it before your caffeine addiction turns into something more sinister. 

For the most part, having a few cups of coffee a day is fine. It will actually bring a few health benefits, so don’t cut it out of your diet completely. As mentioned above, keep it below four cups a day and you’ll be alright!

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