Caffeine and Mental Health: Spilling the Beans
If your day doesn’t really start until you’ve had that first sip of coffee in the morning, you’re not alone. Data from the National Coffee Association indicates that two-thirds of US adults consumed coffee in the past day, which represents the highest rate in twenty years! Despite how commonplace coffee drinking has become in our society, it may still come as a surprise that caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world. Dr. Holly Betterly MD, Board-Certified Psychiatrist in Weston, FL, spills the beans on how your coffee habit could be impacting your mental health.
This post is provided for educational purposes only, and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice. If you have questions, always reach out to your doctor for more information.
Struggling with your mental health? Reach out for professional support. Dr. Betterly is a board-certified psychiatrist in Weston, FL dedicated to helping you overcome depression, anxiety, and OCD. She offers appointments at her office in Weston, FL, conveniently located in Weston Town Center, as well as via telehealth for patients across Florida. Request an appointment today to start your journey to better mental health.
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What are the side effects of caffeine?
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a naturally-occurring psychoactive chemical substance found in various different plants, including tea, guayana, cocoa beans, and of course, coffee beans. Caffeine is a member of a class of chemical compounds known as methylxanthines. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, or CNS, and is commonly referred to as a “stimulant”.
How does caffeine work? The mechanism of action of caffeine (in other words, the way that it produces an effect on the body) involves blocking adenosine, a chemical that promotes fatigue and drowsiness. By blocking adenosine’s effects, caffeine promotes wakefulness.
In addition to coffee and tea, caffeine can also be found in other sources, including energy drinks, soda, chocolate, supplements (like “pre-workout”), and even some medications. On average, a cup of coffee contains around 70mg to 100mg of caffeine, but this can vary depending on the beverage.
What are the side effects of caffeine?
Caffeine can cause a number of different side effects, which vary in terms of severity. These may include:
Anxiety
Jitteriness
Restlessness
Irritability
Insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
Rapid or irregular heartbeat
Flushing
Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea or diarrhea
Increased urination
Muscle twitches
Seizures
Hallucinations & Psychosis
Caffeine Withdrawal
Those who consume caffeine on a regular basis may find that they experience withdrawal symptoms if they cut down on their caffeine intake abruptly.
Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal may include:
Headache
Drowsiness or fatigue
Brain fog
Depressed mood
Trouble concentrating
Irritability
How can caffeine impact mental health?
While many people are able to consume caffeine on a regular basis without experiencing any negative consequences, others are not so lucky.
Caffeine can cause or worsen anxiety as well as feelings of jitteriness, restlessness, agitation, and irritability. A 2022 article from General Hospital Psychiatry found that for people with panic disorder, caffeine can trigger panic attacks when consumed at a dose equivalent to about five cups of coffee.
Caffeine can also cause insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep. Sleep deprivation can have a negative impact on mood, cognition, and emotional regulation. For people with bipolar disorder, sleep deprivation can have potentially serious consequences, triggering mood episodes.
For people with schizophrenia, there is some evidence that caffeine consumption may potentially worsen symptoms of psychosis. There have also been case reports that suggest that caffeine may cause psychotic symptoms to emerge in otherwise healthy adults with no history of psychotic disorder.
If you feel that caffeine may be having a negative impact on your mental health, visit your doctor for a further evaluation of your symptoms. They can take a closer look at your daily routine and help you to figure out if caffeine consumption may be contributing to your symptoms, and if there may be a role for limiting your caffeine intake.
While you may not be a big coffee drinker, that doesn’t necessarily mean that caffeine isn’t sneaking its way into your system in other ways. Consider taking a closer look at the caffeine content of beverages, supplements, and medications. Energy drinks may contain large amounts of caffeine- so while you may think of it as “just one drink”, you could be consuming far more caffeine than you would with a standard cup of coffee. Additionally, many over-the-counter pain relief medications contain caffeine, so don’t forget to take a look through the bottles in your medicine cabinet.
Caffeine and the DSM-5
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition, or DSM-5, recognizes a number of different Caffeine-Related Disorders. These include:
Caffeine Intoxication
Caffeine Withdrawal
Other Caffeine-Induced Disorders
Caffeine-Induced Anxiety Disorder
Caffeine-Induced Sleep Disorder
Unspecified Caffeine-Related Disorder
