Caffeineomania - the abuse of caffeine
For the first time, people began using caffeinated beverages around the 16th century, mainly in Africa and South-West Asia.Already in the XVI century the drink spread to European countries.Now coffee is considered the most popular drink.But caffeine, contained in coffee and tea, is not at all harmless.Few know that caffeine abuse is considered a mental illness, which is referred to the ICD under the heading "Mental and behavioral disorders caused by the use of other stimulants( including caffeine)."
How does caffeine-mania develop?
Caffeine is a substance found in beverages such as coffee, black and green tea, coca-cola.The greatest amount of caffeine( about 90-140 mg) is contained in a cup of coffee beans.In a cup of instant coffee contains 70 mg of caffeine, and in a glass of tea - 30-70 mg.
Caffeine abuse refers to the abuse of caffeinated beverages, followed by addiction and the development of
dependence.Why do doctors treat caffeine as an addictive substance?The bottom line is that use of caffeine has similarities with the dependencies caused by other psychostimulants.Thus, with a sharp cessation of caffeine consumption, withdrawal syndrome is also formed. Statistics say that about 30% of people who regularly drink coffee have signs of dependence on caffeine. 
Psychostimulating effect of caffeine
Caffeine is classified as a psychostimulant.It enhances the processes of excitation in the cerebral cortex.The substance stimulates a person's mental activity, increases mental and physical performance.
Many can not imagine their full-fledged morning without the usual cup of coffee. After receiving the drink, the following phenomena occur:
- Feeling of cheerfulness, high tide;
- Reduces fatigue and drowsiness;
- Heart palpitations;
- Increases blood pressure slightly.
It is noteworthy that small doses of caffeine exert a stimulating effect on the nervous system, while large doses of caffeine exacerbate.
Please note! According to a study published in The Daily Mail study of Melbourne University, caffeine is the most common in the world "psychoactive narcotic substance."When consuming more than 5 cups of coffee per day, a person can develop auditory and visual hallucinations .
Symptoms of caffeinomania
Feeling of cheerfulness, lifting of mood induce a person to drink a caffeinated drink again.With regular use of coffee, tea increases tolerance to caffeine.That is, there is a decrease in the response to repeated administration of caffeine, which requires an increase in the dose of caffeinated beverages consumed.In this case, after drinking a cup of coffee, a person experiences only a stimulating effect, but there is no question of objective reinforcement of mental and motor activity.
Overdose with caffeine
With excessive caffeine consumption, a condition called caffeine intoxication may occur.Poisoning occurs when you consume more than 300 mg of caffeine at a time( about 3 to 4 cups of natural coffee).It is worth considering that the degree of sensitivity to caffeine is affected by the physical condition of the body, the existing diseases.Theoretically, a lethal dose of caffeine is 1000 mg, consumed at a time.
Symptoms of caffeine overdose are:
- Irritability;
-
Excitation; - Anxiety, inexplicable fear;
- Confusion of thoughts;
- Insomnia;
- Rapid heart rate, arrhythmia;
- Rapid urination;
- Increased blood pressure;
- Nausea, vomiting;
- Headache.
If a person has ever experienced such symptoms, it is a signal that it is still worth reducing the number of cups of coffee consumed per day.Symptoms of intoxication, as a rule, pass independently after 4-6 hours.
Caffeine withdrawal syndrome
When a person who is addicted to caffeine does not receive a "dose" of a coffee drink, withdrawal symptoms occur. Let's say a person who is a coffee-dependent person woke up in the morning and could not drink a cup of coffee.He begins to worry about such symptoms as severe weakness, drowsiness, headaches, irritability, depression.In addition, noticeably worsened concentration of attention, reduced ability to work and learning.And people are always thinking how to drink a cup of coffee.
Chifirism
A variety of caffeine abuse is the use of strong tea - chifir.This is a very strong infusion of tea, which is prepared by repeatedly heating it.As a result of such a temperature treatment, different compounds are formed - not only caffeine, but also guanine, adenine. The effect occurs only ten to fifteen minutes after the use of the china and remains for another one to two hours.Abuse such a drink, as a rule, people in prisons, as well as adolescents in special institutions.
When using the chifire, the following phenomena occur:
- An excitement, a sensation of energy surges;
- There is a need for motor activity;
- The movements are somewhat sweeping and discordant;
- The person becomes very talkative;
- Heart palpitations;
- Increased blood pressure.
After a while, the inflow of energy is replaced by weakness, irritability and a depressed mood.
With regular use of the china, dependence develops.With abstinence from chifirnogo drink worries, depressed mood, patients feel exhausted. In severe cases, there are psychoses that resemble alcoholic, duration of no more than two days.
With prolonged abuse of the china, unlike coffee drinks, painful personality changes are formed. The patient becomes cynical, unbalanced, there are tendencies to aggression.Also characteristic of asthenia, manifested weakness.Externally dependent person looks older than he is.Teeth and tongue are dyed dark.The patient is constantly disturbed by nausea, vomiting, constipation, headaches, insomnia.
How to get rid of caffeine dependence
No special caffeine dependence therapy is required, since the person can easily cope with this dependence - refuse to take caffeinated drinks .If you manage the problem yourself, it's difficult to consult a doctor.
In order to eliminate the caffeinated drinks was comfortable, you can replace the usual coffee with green tea. It is also recommended to tidy your own regime of the day, to fully sleep, in this case the need for using stimulants will disappear by itself.The caffeine withdrawal syndrome also does not require medical intervention, because all unpleasant symptoms disappear within three to five days.
But with the abuse of the chifire, immediately abandoning the use of the drink is not so easy, because this is followed by a marked withdrawal syndrome.For more effective treatment of dependence on the chiferic patient can be shown drug treatment in the narcological hospital.
Grigorova Valeria, medical reviewer
