If you can’t start your day without a cup of coffee, you are not alone. Many wake up daily, groggy and disoriented until they secure that first cup of caffeinated goodness. Yet, a dependence on coffee, it has been proven, can actually enter the territory of addiction. It is one thing to crave that morning jolt, but it is another if forgoing the fix causes a myriad of debilitating symptoms.
Many who try to stop the habit complain of headaches and irritability, but if these headaches become unbearable, there could be more to it than a simple withdrawal.
This past May, the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) featured two java-related diagnoses on the list: caffeine intoxication and caffeine withdrawal. Now, if you simply enjoy that cup of joe and it is not hindering your life or ability to function in any significant way, no need to rush to your doctor’s office. Read more.