At least 80% of adults in western countries consume enough caffeine to affect the brain – the same part of the brain as cocaine. Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. [1]

Caffeinism is poisoning resulting from excessive intake of caffeine, whether via coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, over-the-counter medications, or other caffeine-containing products. Its symptoms are both physiological and psychological. The amount of caffeine needed to generate caffeinism depends on individual sensitivity. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... For biological toxicity, see toxin and poison. ... Caffeine molecular structure Anhydrous (dry) USP grade Caffeine Caffeine, also known as trimethylxanthine, coffeine, theine, mateine, guaranine, methyltheobromine and 1,3,7-trimethylxanthine, is a xanthine alkaloid found naturally in such foods as coffee beans, tea, kola nuts, Yerba mate, guarana berries, and (in small amounts) cacao beans and Yaupon... Roasted coffee beans and a cup of coffee Coffee is a beverage, usually served hot, prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant. ... A cup of hot tea A tea bush. ... Chocolate comes in dark, milk, and white varieties with cocoa solids contributing to the brown coloration. ... A soft drink is a drink that contains no alcohol. ...

It is commonly assumed that only a small proportion of people exposed to caffeine develop symptoms of caffeinism. However, because it mimics organic mental disorders, such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and psychosis, a growing number of medical professionals believe caffeinism victims are routinely misdiagnosed and unnecessarily medicated. A study in the British Journal of Addiction declared that "although infrequently diagnosed, caffeinism is thought to afflict as many as one person in ten of the population" (JE James and KP Stirling, 1983). Anxiety is a complex combination of the feeling of fear, apprehension and worry often accompanied by physical sensations such as palpitations, chest pain and/or shortness of breath. ... The Scream by artist Edvard Munch, who is now regarded as probably having suffered from bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, also sometimes called manic-depressive disorder, is a mood disorder in which a person experiences episodes of mania without other etiologies to rule out the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. ... This article is about the mental state. ...

Shannon et al (1998) point out that: "Caffeine-induced psychosis, whether it be delirium, manic depression, schizophrenia, or merely an anxiety syndrome, in most cases will be hard to differentiate from other organic or non-organic psychoses....The treatment for caffeine-induced psychosis is to withhold further caffeine."

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) states: "The 4 caffeine-induced psychiatric disorders include caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, caffeine-induced sleep disorder, and caffeine-related disorder not otherwise specified (NOS)." The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States and other countries. ...

The fact that caffeine is known to exacerbate organic mental illnesses (Hughes et al, 1998) can make accurate diagnosis difficult.

References

• JE James and KP Stirling, "Caffeine: A Summary of Some of the Known and Suspected Deleterious Habits of Habitual Use," British Journal of Addiction, 1983;78:251-58.
• Hughes JR, McHugh P, Holtzman S. "Caffeine and schizophrenia." Psychiatr Serv 1998;49:1415-7. Fulltext. PMID 9826240.
• Shannon MW, Haddad LM, Winchester JF. Clinical Management of Poisoning and Drug Overdose, 3rd ed.. 1998. ISBN 0721664091.
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ISBN 0890420610

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States and internationally. ...

External links

• caffeineawareness.org Features the Caffeine Calculator for determining caffeine intake
• Johns Hopkins University Caffeine Dependence Study
• Erowid Caffeine Vault
• L Tondo and N Rudas, "The course of a seasonal bipolar disorder influenced by caffeine," Journal of Affective Disorders, 1991;22 (4):249-251 Abstract
• eMedicine Caffeine-Related Psychiatric Disorders
• DC Mackay and JW Rollins, "Caffeine and caffeinism," Journal of the Royal Naval Medical Service, 1989;75(2):65-7. Abstract
• K Gilliland and D Andress, "Ad lib caffeine consumption, symptoms of caffeinism, and academic performance," American Journal of Psychiatry, 1981; 138:512-514 Abstract
• American Psychiatric Association, 158th annual meeting. Abstract #NR45. "First Graders' Behavior Problems Linked to Caffeinated Cola." Fulltext
• JA Sours, "Case reports of anorexia nervosa and caffeinism," American Journal of Psychiatry, 1983; 140:235-236 Abstract
• The Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs, Caffeine-Part 1
• The Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs, Caffeine-Part 2