For the first time in my life, I am obsessed with coffee. I never used to be like this. See, I was always the one that thought coffee was not for me, but I grew up loving the way that it smells being that both of my parents are coffee connoisseurs.
Being that I am one that struggles with anxiety a bit, I do feel that I am more anxious and nervous after having a cup of coffee in the morning. If it is "one of those days," I definitely stick to decaf coffee, because I can still get the taste of my delicious morning coffee without the stress that is most often associated with the drink.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual V has stated that there are psychological and physiological dependence that has definitely been connected to caffeine and this does not include just coffee. These effects are not really recognized, because it is not commonly understood that caffeine can induce these symptoms.
The fact that coffee is consumed on a daily basis, sometimes even more than that in the morning, is pretty concerning, especially since stressed out college students and parents find comfort in that big warm morning cup of joe.
Caffeine Use Disorder has even been seen with those that are avid coffee addicts and is classified as being associated with high anxiety and physical dependence, according to the DSM V. Yes, it may help us function for those long days that start early in the morning, but my stress is not worth it.
One can also experience other anxiety-related symptoms, such as hyper awareness that can lead to induced panic and even go as far as to seriously affecting normal bodily processes. I know that for me, personally, I can feel my body overreacting and that I am more tense about stressful situations during my day that can easily be prevented by switching to a decaf cup.
I tell you this because I did not think about it either. I was one that saw my newfound coffee habit far from problematic. The only thing that I thought about was how the extra sugar in the morning would affect my skin. I failed to consider the psychological impact that caffeine had on my stress and anxiety.
Multiple studies from the American Psychological Association, renowned psycho-pharmacologists, Association for Psychological Science, and other scholars and organizations have published research into this topic, displaying the harmful effects that caffeine can have mentally and physically. Considering the way that I can be impacted definitely changes the way that I drink coffee.
When I know that I am going into a stress filled day, I am sure to drink something else in the morning to avoid any unnecessary, overbearing stress. Limiting coffee and sugar intake makes a big difference, as it is not good for you and can seriously prove itself to be harmful if it in ingesting in large doses throughout the day. While coffee may wake you up during your commute to work, it can also leave you with digestive issues, nausea, and fatigue that is enough to last the whole day.
Coffee doesn't have to be in your daily morning routine. Don't add on waves of anxiety to your already stressful, busy week, because you don't deserve that.
