Lily23

Would you consider excessive intake of caffeine as "substance" abuse? Obviously you hear all the time how people are quote on quote "addicted" to caffeine - and in my office the amount of coffee consumed daily is ridiculous! I myself have a problem with consuming large amounts of red bull every morning....

I just wanted to know people's opinions on the subject. In regards to other substances caffeine is obviously the least of my worries at the moment, but I just wanted people's POV.

Thanks!!

Sugah

Does it interfere with your life? Is it affecting your health?

I drink coffee, but my consumption has not progressively increased. I'm at the same three or four cups a day I've always drank. If I'm down to my last pot, I don't refuse to share. I won't stay up till 4am just to drink coffee or keep drinking it till I run out.

I don't consider it a problem. Others might have a different view.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

navysteve

Not to the degree of narcotics or alcohol, but yes, anything that is excessive is abuse. Living serenely is about balance. Anything that takes me off that is a problem. I was over 12 years clean when I put down cigarrettes. I am still going back and forth with coffee. There is a fellowship that deals with all chemicals:

Chemically Dependent Anonymous Online Resource Center - CDA

Latte

It doesn't consume my every waking moment so I don't consider it a problem.

sailorjohn

Have yet to hear of anyone going to jail, losing their family and friends, or losing all of their possessions because they spent too much time at Starbucks. On that scale, caffeine is the very least of my worries.

Sugah

I've never rolled anyone for a pound of Columbian roast...

Peace & Love,
Sugah

navysteve

not trying to play doctor, but:

Coffee-Caffeine

The Ellsworth American - Wake Up: Too Much Caffeine Can Make You Sick

Timebuster

Thanks Steve,

Very informative information.

I been in denial with my coffee consumption.

Your links are a wake up call.

Ivan

iljchia

You can be physicaly addicted and withdrawl from caffine (hense the caffee headaches). But I've never met anyone who has a problem with it. People (well after 9am) don't obsess about the next cup; nor does the coffee alter their behavior.

However I have heard a number of addicts who try to clean themselves from all addictive or synthetic substances starting with drugs/alchol, then cigarettes, then caffine, and some even refined sugars.

bval

I'm beyond quote-unquote addicted to caffeine.

I'm a full-blown caffeine junkie.

Fortunately, it's cheap, easily acquired, and legal, thus, it is really not a problem for me. Or maybe I should say, I don't CARE if it actually is ... because I'm not constantly made painfully aware of problems stemming from this particular addiction, like I was with an illegal and expensive dope habit.

Missybuns

I am going to say yes. Excessive means American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ex·ces·sive (ĭk-sěs'ĭv) Pronunciation Key
adj. Exceeding a normal, usual, reasonable, or proper limit.
ex·ces'sive·ly adv., ex·ces'sive·ness n.

and yes caffeine is a substance.

the definition of excessive ought to answer the "abuse" question. We may not be able to see the damage...and thanks for the link navysteve! caffeine is pretty bad for us....and in excess....yes it's abuse.

Does it ruin your life? maybe not in a view of just today... but it is really hard on our bodies.

I drink more coffee than I should. Yes I am damaging my body doing it.

I did manage to stop smoking tobacco. I no longer smoke at all. Will I ever quit caffeine? It's a good goal!

I did stop my caffeine intake when I stopped smoking cigs one year into my recovery. It made it possible for me to not light up that first two weeks! I smoked my last cigarette on sept 20th 2006. After the cravings (about a month) were far enough in between I started drinking coffee again..just a little at a time.


Thank you for posting this topic because it has me looking at how much caffeine I take in.

navysteve

That is not entirely true.

lostbutterfly

Caffeine - hopeless addict and have no intentions of changing that! Attempt to take my Red Bull and tea away from me and blood shall be shed!!

Now, even tho my codeine habit is legal and relatively cheap, it is a problem, as is alcohol. I actually found illegal stuff easier to stop taking coz I could keep myself away from those situations where I would be tempted.

Timebuster

Steve,

I can identify/relate, to what your link Coffee-Caf-feine has to say. Am one of those who can drink 3 shots of espresso and go right to sleep. And now I know why.

I stop abusing drugs in 2004, I smoked my last cigarette in 2006. Now that I look at my inventory for the last couple of years, I have notice how my coffee consumption has increase dramatically. Time to quit.

Am in big time denial though. My addict mentality is all ready working overtime. Should I start tapering. Should I replace one addiction with another and switch to decaffeinated.

I thought my detoxing days were over with. Does anyone here have any experiences with either one or the other? Any successful detoxes?

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies.

Ivan

Jane63

I usually have about 2-3 cups of coffee in the morning...LOVE the smell of it brewing and that first cup when it is good and hot!
Not often but sometimes I will have a cup of tea after dinner or mix one of those energy drink packets with my bottled water during the day but other than that, I have anxiety issues and know I have to be careful with my caffiene consumption or suffer the consequences! (*hanging from the ceiling!*)
Jane

madriley

Our bodies need to consume food and water every day, are we addicted to that too? I have been a coffee drinker since my early teens, I have a cup in the morning and about 2 or 3 more cups during the day. It does not affect my sleep, or my life. It is actually a part of the day I look forward to- early morning when everyone else is still asleep, sit down with a nice cup of coffee and enjoy the quiet.

Obviously if someone had a medical problem and could not consume caffeine then I could understand that would be a problem. But if not, what's the big deal for? Every year these studies come out with more and more issues that we need to be aware of and you can't eat corn syrup, or drink soda, or use regular sugar because you may die or get cancer or have a heart attack. There is a point where the madness needs to stop. You don't get a high off of caffeine and are not able to drive, work, read, walk, write or anything else, it is legal and enjoyable for most people.

Some people do not like coffee, my husband has never drank it, and that is fine also but there is a fine line between clean and obsessive or should I say Straight Edge? I know people who belong to that do not put any type of artificial substance in their bodies as well as chemicals, etc. That is great for them but for all of the coffee drinkers out there, keep drinking!

madriley

Oh yeah, for some reason since I have started detoxing 10 days ago I have not had a cup of coffee. I tried one morning and I wanted to vomit. But I am looking forward to having a nice hot cup some day soon!

Peter

Coffee is a "substance" and it can be abused.

windysan

I used to drink those diet Rockstars and a good bit of coffee. Now I just have one cup of really good coffee in the morning and on rare occasions I'll drink one in the afternoon if my butt is dragging like one of those dogs scooting across the carpet scratching his @ss.

TTOSBT

Bahahaha
Sugah, I luv you!
But yep, since I have been sober my coffee drinking has increased a thousand fold. Why? Because I am an addict. But I have not gone to jail over it....yet.