Caffeine Intoxication: A New Kind of Mental Disorder?

The aroma of coffee can spell two things today.  It could be the aroma of sweet flavorful healthy well being or it could be the stinking aroma of a mental disorder.  Coffee drinkers, be warned, caffeine intoxication is not safe after all.  It is now a new kind of mental disorder?

With the recent edition of the mental health manual, the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder ( DSM-5), enumerates caffeine intoxication as  among the many mental disorder.

According to the research if you feel any of the following symptoms, enumerated below, during or just right after drinking your coffee, chances are, you are caffeine intoxicated.

• Red face
• Nervousness and restlessness
• Gastro Intestinal upset
• Muscle Twitching
• Rambling Speech
• Sleeplessness
• Rapid and irregular heartbeat

Caffeine withdrawal is included in the section under the heading,  “Caffeine related disorders” Although the feeling is temporal, DSM groups this disorder with others associated with substances from alcohol, nicotine, cannabis to hallucinogens.  The use of mind altering substances can alter behavior, mental processes and physical symptoms as noted from the Live Science.

One of the group member of DSM-5 Alan J. Budney was working for the inclusion of caffeine withdrawal in the revised guide wayback 2011.  As noted, he said, “ We feel that there is enough data to support the caffeine withdrawal syndrome.  There are enough people who go into the withdrawal – that if they don’t get caffeine, it becomes a real syndrome and can affect work, sleep, or whatever they need to do.  So we’re suggesting that  it make the big leagues and become part of the DSM to make sure everyone is aware of it.”

THE CAFFEINE:

Caffeine is a bitter substance that stimulates your  central nervous system.  It keeps you mentally alert and retain your focus.  Average consumption of coffee must not be more than 500 mg. or equivalent to four cups of coffee per day.

The study may show that it has been brought to our attention since most of us have already been invaded by this caffeine culture.  We may not be aware of it but it is found in our daily consumption of beverages.  In our coffee, tea, chocolate , energy drinks  and  alcoholic beverages  It is also an added ingredient in the headache medications that we take.   In  the U.S alone,  it is known that 65% of Americans, on the average, consume thirteen (13) cups per week.  How much more in other  key cities like Istanbul, Turkey or Paris, France were coffee is considered as the “ favorite drink of the civilized world,” quotes  Thomas  Jefferson.

IS CAFFEINE GOOD OR BAD?

Continuous discussions among medical researchers whether caffeine is good or bad for the health have been ongoing.    David Brooks of New York Times,  is still weighing on the debates that about the latest edition of DSM-5.  But whatever it is, let me take  you  the other school of thought wherein caffeine have also has its own merits.  As taken from the 2008 Doctor’s blog, it enumerates the following.

1.  It can benefit people who are high risk of liver disease
2. It has 39% decreased rate of head and neck cancer
3. Increases muscle strength
4. Protecting against Diabetes
5. Reduce the incidence of Parkinson’s disease.

And what are the ill-effects of Caffeine:

1.  Unfiltered coffee raises blood cholesterol
2. Coffee consumption is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease
3. Can increase the risk of high blood pressure
4. It can haster osteoporosis
5. It can increase heartburn.

Is caffeine intoxication a new kind of mental disorder?  It’s for you to decide, the bottomline is, “drink moderately.”

By Anthony Derayunan