Caffeine addiction: Need for awareness and research and regulatory measures.
Caffeine consumption has been constantly growing in India especially among children and youngsters. Addictive potential of caffeine has long been reported, still there is lack of awareness about caffeine abuse in India. There is an intense need for appropriate public health regulatory measures and awareness about addictive potential & harms related to caffeine. To the best of our knowledge this is first case from India highlighting several important issues with progressive caffeine abuse resulting in dependence leading to physical, psychological, academic and social consequences; psychotic symptoms during intoxication; predisposing factors as impulsivity and novelty seeking traits in pre-morbid personality; psychosis in family; poor awareness of health hazards even among medical professionals. Widely variable caffeine containing products are available but caffeine content or its safety limit is not mentioned on caffeine products in India. Due to harmful consequences, legal availability to children, growing consumption of caffeine products, it is utmost essential to recognize caffeine as addictive substance and impose regulatory measures on sale, advertisement, maximum caffeine content, health consequences and safety limits of caffeine containing products. Further school teachers, parents and medical practitioners need to be made aware of health hazards of caffeine. Caffeine use shall always be enquired from patients presenting with psychiatric complaints. Further research and survey are required on caffeine use and related problems.
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi 221005, India. Electronic address: dr.shobhitjain@yahoo.in.
Shobhit
S
Jain
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi 221005, India. Electronic address: adya_shanker@yahoo.com.
Adya Shanker
AS
Srivastava
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi 221005, India. Electronic address: raghunath.verma86@gmail.com.
Raghunath Prasad
RP
Verma
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi 221005, India. Electronic address: gauravm1902@gmail.com.
Gaurav
G
Maggu
D000328:Adult; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D003069:Coffee; D002110:Caffeine
Caffeine intoxication; Caffeine related disorders; Caffeine use disorder; Stimulant