In the 80s ? 90s ? the question about if caffeine is ‘addictive’ was the subject of dispute within NIDA (or whatever it was called then). It was clear that there was a moral dimension to the question: is there anything wrong with being ‘addicted’? What if you enjoy being ‘addicted’? What should the NIDA attitude be to coffee? What should they be doing about it? Should medical researchers be doing medical research into addictive drugs on themselves?
The case was made by the non-coffee drinkers that caffeine fell within the same biological category as opiates, and should be banned within the NIDA. The case was made by the coffee drinkers that it wasn’t doing any damage, was moral overreach, and that alcohol prohibition had poor epidemiological support and had been rejected by the voters.
The outcome was that the coffee drinkers won. The agreed medical and legal meaning of ‘addictive’ includes ‘harmful’ Coffee isn’t addictive by agreed definition. For better or worse, that’s were the line is drawn.
The LDS church regards drinking coffee a sin, but not an addiction.
As a former caffeine addict… I am a software engineer, a career basically fueled by coffee.
At my worst, in a high stress job, I was working 12 to 15 hour days, and I needed that boost to get me through the day. And gradually got stronger and stronger and more frequent brews to keep the caffeine up.
And then, it was weekend, and I could feel a need for something although I could not really identify what it was.
Caffeine is still the only addictive chemical for which I can’t identify the craving. In my misbegottem youth, I could identify certain illegal chemicals which I might crave based on their unique effects, but caffeine, I always had to think about it.
As an example, I hypothetically do a few lines of cocaine, eventually go to bed. In the morning, I would know precisely what my brain craved. I would not have any, at that point, and I am reasonably sensible so I did not act on that desire to get more.
But miss a cup of coffee? That was tough. I eventually learned the subtle signs, but at that point I was giving up caffeine (and cocaine) anyway.
I’m like, 8 years free of caffeine and over 12 years past cocaine. Caffeine was way more difficult to give up. More than nicotine.
My pithy take.
If you use drugs because they make you feel good, that’s not a problem. But if you use drugs because they are the only thing that make you feel good, that’s a problem.
I don’t think a daily caffeine habit is an addiction. It might be a dependency, in that you don’t feel good if you go off of it, but unless the caffeine use rises to a dysfunction in one’s daily life, I don’t think it rises to the level of addiction.
As an example of that distinction, Harry Truman started each morning with a shot of bourbon. I don’t think he was addicted, though, unless this morning ritual interfered with his daily functioning, or if he went to extreme lengths to complete the task.
Good news for my caffeine habit
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2844764
A moderate intake of caffeine is associated with a reduced risk of dementia. This follows on other studies that found moderate drinking of coffee and tea are associated with slightly longer lifespans.
It’s only an association. Maybe people who are developing dementia don’t enjoy the effects of caffeine as much, and use less. Still, it’s reassuring and adds to a growing buddy of research that doesn’t show any harm from a caffeine habit like mine.
I think I’ll head downstairs and enjoy a morning cuppa soon.