Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2014 Sep;1(3):186-192.
doi: 10.1007/s40429-014-0024-9.

Caffeine Use Disorder: A Review of the Evidence and Future Implications

Merideth A Addicott  1
Affiliations

Caffeine Use Disorder: A Review of the Evidence and Future Implications

Merideth A Addicott. Curr Addict Rep. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

The latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) has introduced new provisions for caffeine-related disorders. Caffeine Withdrawal is now an officially recognized diagnosis, and criteria for caffeine use disorder have been proposed for additional study. caffeine use disorder is intended to be characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicative of caffeine use despite significant caffeine-related problems, similar to other Substance Use Disorders. However, since nonproblematic caffeine use is so common and widespread, it may be difficult for some health professionals to accept that caffeine use can result in the same types of pathological behaviors caused by alcohol, cocaine, opiates, or other drugs of abuse. Yet there is evidence that some individuals are psychologically and physiologically dependent on caffeine, although the prevalence and severity of these problems is unknown. This article reviews the recent changes to the DSM, the concerns regarding these changes, and some potential impacts these changes could have on caffeine consumers.

Keywords: DSM; Diagnostic and Statistical Manual; caffeine-related disorders; dependence; withdrawal.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Merideth A. Addicott declares she has no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013. DSM-5.
    1. Morelli M, Simola N. Methylxanthines and drug dependence: A focus on interactions with substances of abuse. In: Fredholm BB, editor. Handbook of experimental pharmacology. Springer-Verlag; Berlin Heidelberg: 2011. pp. 483–507. - PubMed
    1. Nehlig A. Are we dependent upon coffee and caffeine? A review on human and animal data. Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 1999;23:563–576. - PubMed
    1. Satel S. Is caffeine addictive? - A review of the literature. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2006;32:493–502. - PubMed
    1. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Association; 1994. DSM-IV.

LinkOut - more resources