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Caffeine Caffeine is a psychoactive substance that works as an adenosine antagonist in its consumers. This substance is unregulated and can be found in a wide array of consumables in various amounts. 80 to 90% of North Americans report daily consumption of caffeine. Studies show that on average 250mg of caffeine are consumed per person per day.

Caffeine Dependence Studies show that it takes as little as 100mg a day to form a physical dependence to caffeine. Such an amount of caffeine can be reached with just one cup of certain brewed coffees. When viewing consumption of caffeine in terms of amount consumed vs. bodyweight, children are more likely to consume greater amounts of caffeine. This issue is what puts youth at risk for forming a dependence to caffeine that may result in an addiction in adulthood. The dependence may make an individual build up a tolerance to some of caffeine’s acute effects making consumption of caffeine increase in order to avoid withdrawal symptoms. In such a situation the individual may find it difficult to stop the consumption of caffeine.

Caffeine and Anxiety Caffeine may cause anxiety in the individuals who consume it. This effect may be due to a variety of factors, including age, medical background, and amount of caffeine consumed.

Children are likely to have their caffeine intake monitored by adults, such as parents and school officials, therefore the effects resulting from the consumption of caffeine may differ in children as compared to adolescents and adults. If a dependence to caffeine is formed in childhood then an addiction may form in adulthood.

One study chose to focus on whether or not caffeine affected anxiety and depressive symptom in children and adolescents. While depression was linked to both groups through caffeine consumption, anxiety seemed only to be related with the older adolescents. Meaning the point at which caffeine becomes a trigger for anxiety may be encountered at some point between childhood and adolescence.

Results may differ between the two age groups because of the availability and amount of caffeine consumed. Younger children will most likely have their intake of caffeine monitored by an adult. Therefore the consumption of the caffeine could be spread out over a long period of time. Older adolescents have the ability to control their own consumption of caffeine. In these cases the adolescent may choose to regulate their intake if they are aware of the possibility that caffeine may be responsible for some of the negative affects, such as anxiety, they may be experiencing.

Diagnosis for caffeine induced psychiatric disorders has not been fully established in the United States. Such that it may be difficult to properly treat patients whose disorders are being misdiagnosed as something other than caffeine related when caffeine consumption is causing such symptoms. Caffeine-induced anxiety disorder is a particular disorder that has been recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. In people with this disorder consumption of large enough amounts of caffeine can trigger anxiety severe enough to require professional help.

A particular study demonstrates that large amounts of caffeine are likely to trigger panic attacks in individuals who have some form of panic disorder as well as their first degree relatives. The study shows that when a large amount of caffeine (480mg was used in this study) is consumed panic attacks may be triggered not only in those who already have such attacks but in their first-degree relatives as well.

A similar large amount of caffeine consumed could increase symptoms of anxiety in healthy individuals. When subjects who had no history of panic disorder consumed the same amount of caffeine as those prone to panic attacks results did differ. While panic attacks were not observed in these individuals, other symptoms of anxiety were seen.

Caffeine has the ability to induce anxiety in the individuals who consume it. The anxiety can present itself as general feelings of anxiety to panic attacks. Obsessive compulsive and phobic behaviors have also been found to result due to caffeine consumption.

In order to avoid such effects from caffeine consumption, moderation is suggested. If properly moderated then caffeine can be consumed with little worry of anxiety like symptoms presenting post consumption.

References 1. Childs E, de Wit H. 2006. Subjective, behavioral, and physiological effects of acute caffeine in light, nondependent caffeine users. Psychopharmacology. 185: 514-523.

2. Torres FM. 2009 Apr. Caffeine- induced psychiatric disorders. Continuing Education Topics & Issues. 74-78.

3. Luebbe AM, Bell DJ. 2009. Mountain Dew® or Mountain Don’t?: A pilot investigation of caffeine use parameters and relations to depression and anxiety symptoms in 5th- and 10th- grade students. Journal of School Health. 79(8): 380-387.

4. Nardi AE, et al. 2008. A caffeine challenge test in panic disorder patients, their healthy first-degree relatives, and healthy controls. Depression and Anxiety. 25(10): 847-853.

5. Ozsungur S, Brenner D, El-Sohemy A. 2009. Fourteen well-described caffeine withdrawal symptoms factor into three clusters. Psychopharmacology 201: 541-548.