America has a love affair with caffeine. While coffee boasts some proven benefits, in moderation, doctors say caffeine addiction can be a very real problem. In fact, some are trying to make caffeine withdrawal an official diagnosis.
It's in coffee, soda, energy drinks, candy, and even gum. Millions of Americans count on it to get through the day.
But for some, caffeine becomes a consuming habit they can’t shake. Recovering caffeine addict Sarah Kamsheh said, "As long as I can remember, I would start my day with caffeine. I would have anywhere between 10-15 cups to servings a day."
She's a diagnosed caffeine addict and is actually in treatment at a program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She said she knew she had a problem when, "I literally would make choices throughout the day, even certain restaurants I would go to or certain friends' houses, making sure that the caffeine beverages would be there."
Sarah is one of dozens taking part in a Johns Hopkins study that tracks caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Researcher Dr. Chad Reissig said, "Even though it's widely available and it's legal, it is a very real drug."
Dr. Reissig and his colleagues are trying to get caffeine withdrawal included as an official, clinical diagnosis in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. There is research showing caffeine can have possible benefits for some people in moderation. So how much is too much? And how can you tell if you're addicted? Dr. Reissig said, “The most telling sign is if they try and quit or decrease their consumption and they're not able to, or they feel that their use of caffeine is disrupting some aspect of their life."
Addicts suffer withdrawal symptoms, which can be incredibly debilitating. Dr. Reissig added, "The classic hallmark of caffeine withdrawal is headache. General confusion, fatigue, lethargy, nausea, vomiting."
If your plan for quitting includes decaf there are test strips that promise to let you know what you're drinking. Professor Scott Schaus tested four cups of coffee at a lab. Once he confirmed two as caffeinated and two as decaf, he dipped the strips for a few seconds. He said, "The strips, in fact, do work. They will indicate whether or not your cup of coffee is caffeinated."
Patients, like Sarah, visit the clinic five times for their treatment. Dr. Reissig's study is ongoing. You can buy a box of caffeine test strips
online for around $10.
