Yes. Caffeine is a drug because it has the potential for dependence, intoxication, and withdrawal syndrome. It is a stimulant drug that is a category of drugs that speed up the brain’s messages to the rest of your body. Examples of other stimulant drugs include nicotine, cocaine, khat, amphetamines, and more.
Caffeine can be extracted from the leaves, nuts, or seeds multiple plants including:
- Thea Sinensis (makes tea).
- Coffea Arabica (makes Coffee).
- Theobroma cacao (an ingredient in cocoa and chocolate).
- Cola acuminata (an ingredient in tea, nut, and soft drinks).
- Paulina cupana (an ingredient in energy drinks and guarana).
It is important to understand how caffeine works, its uses, effects, and control to ensure you use it safely. Substance use disorder is a disease where an individual is compelled to use a substance despite its effects. It is also important to decide to get addiction treatment. You can get treatment for substance use disorder at AmHealth Behavioral in Los Angeles. We offer personalized care and treatment programs that ensure medical safety, comfort, and long term recovery.
How Does Caffeine Work In Your Body?
Caffeine is present in numerous products. Each product has a different amount of caffeine. It is highly advisable to check the product label to help to confirm the amount present.
Caffeine stimulates the heart, the central nervous system (CNS), which controls the blood pressure, and muscles. People who use caffeine all the time experience an increase in blood pressure. Moreover, caffeine can increase urine flow if you use it regularly.
What Are the Uses of Caffeine?
Caffeine has numerous uses and effects. It is used effectively for uses like:
- It helps control neonatal apnea in infants. Infants, especially premature ones, can experience breathing pauses, low heart rate, and infant oxygen levels. If the breathing pauses are at least 15 seconds long, it could be neonatal apnea. Caffeine has demonstrated it can reduce neonatal apnea episodes. Medical professionals administer caffeine citrate instrumental (IV) or via the mouth.
- It helps ease tension headaches. Caffeine and painkillers have demonstrated that they can alleviate a tension headache.
- It can act as a bronchodilator in respiratory diseases.
What Are The Benefits of Caffeine? People use caffeine products for benefits such as:
- Increase, wakefulness, concentration, and alertness.
- Enhance cognitive, mother, and cognitive performance.
- Decreases mental and physical fatigue.
What Are Some Effects of Caffeine Use? It is essential that you exercise caution before and when you use any drug. The effects of caffeine will depend on:
- The amount you take.
- Use alongside other drugs.
- If you are a regular user.
- Your size, health, and weight.
Short-term Effects
Caffeine users may experience the following effects from at least 5 minutes to 12 hours after last use:
- Higher body temperature.
- Irritating and anxiety.
- Dehydration.
- Urinating more frequently.
- Feeling more active and alert.
- Dizziness, excitability, and restlessness.
- Stomach pains.
- Lack of concentration and headaches.
- Faster heart rate and breathing.
Long-term Effects
Heavy regular caffeine use (more than four coffee cups a day) mutually causes:
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Irritability.
- Muscle tremor.
- Weakness and fatigue.
- Nervousness.
- Poor appetite.
- Increased third.
- Vomiting.
- Delirium.
- Confusion.
- Ringing in the ears.
- Dizziness.
- Irregular heart rate.
- Nausea.
- Diarrhea.
- Low blood pressure.
Caffeine Overdose
A caffeine overdose is possible if you take a large amount. You will experience various overdose symptoms. In rare cases, an individual can die if you consume 80 cups of coffee equivalent to 5g to 10 g. Children can suffer from caffeine if they take 1 g of caffeine, equivalent to 12 energy drinks.
Some caffeine overdose symptoms include:
- Tremors.
- Seizures.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Panic attack.
- Confusion.
- Irregular heart rate.
Caffeine and Other Drugs
The body metabolizes caffeine and makes it possible to react with other substances. For example, taking caffeine and other stimulants can cause high blood pressure, increase the heart rate, and make you feel jittery.
You are advised to avoid mixing with stimulants and other substances like alcohol. Alcohol use disorder is one of the most common addictions. A combination of caffeine and alcohol tends to cause headaches, jitteriness, and increased heartbeat.
Does Caffeine Have Withdrawal Symptoms?
Caffeine use is associated with withdrawal symptoms, which occur within 24 hours since the last use and last for about 36 hours. Heavy users can experience withdrawal symptoms for a longer period.
The symptoms include:
- Drawings or fatigue.
- Headache.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Irritating, dysphoria, or depressed mood.
- Flu-like symptoms, including vomiting, nausea, muscle pains.
Cutting Back on Caffeine
The following tips will help you cut back on your caffeine addiction safely and effectively:
- Monitor your intake.
- Get a lot of rest.
- Gradually lower your intake.
As you lower consumption, consider switching to more healthy drinks like water or caffeine-free drinks.
What Kind Of Addiction Treatment Can You Get At AmHealth Behavioral?
AmHealth Behavioral is an organization that offers all levels of use of disorder treatment and care. We have an experienced staff dedicated to deliver comprehensive wellness programs and to help individuals with substance use disorder or mental health issues.
We aim to heal your body and mind with our advanced network of facilities and treatment programs. They include NOVO Detox for detoxification, 310 Residential for Impatient treatment, Overland for partial hospitalization, The Bluffs Sober Living as part of intensive outpatient and sober living programs.
Contact us now to discuss your treatment needs and to develop a personalized program for long term recovery.
Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Caffeine is a drug. It is a stimulant drug. Caffeine speeds up messages coming from the brain to the body. Moreover, it has the potential for misuse, dependence, intoxicated, and withdrawal effects.
Caffeine has its benefits, uses, and effects. People mostly use it to increase concentration, alertness, and more. It has medical purposes like to treat apnea in children. However, regular heavy caffeine use can cause various short-term, long-term, and withdrawal effects.
Caffeine also has different reactions when you use it alongside other substances like alcohol, other stimulants, and more. You are strongly advised not to mix stimulants because they pose adverse risks like high blood pressure.
It is important to control your caffeine addiction. You should monitor your caffeine intake, cut back gradually, and get enough rest.
Get help for other substance use disorder cases and mental health issues at AmHealth Behavioral in Los Angeles, California.