Addiction | Teen Ink

Addiction

January 7, 2009
By Anonymous

The American heritage dictionary defines addiction as “the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.” One is considered addicted when the product controls the consumer.
Half of Americans drink coffee every day, and just in these last years coffee houses have been adding exotic flavors, and developing appealing vibe in their shops all around the country. Coffee is actually a stimulant beverage that is definitely an essential part of modern life. It is a known fact that coffee is addictive but the extremism of coffee has advanced so much in this current generation. Everyone has heard of how coffee is addictive, and it ‘stunts your growth’ and even have accepted it. In one cup of coffee there is about 115-175 mg of caffeine that can set your body up to series of highs and lows just about to the point of exhaustion. Coffee is not the addiction, but caffeine is in general. It is true that some energy drinks have up to 158 mg of caffeine in them as well as in some over the counter medicine like Vivarin, or even just Advil that can have 200 mg in one dose. Its addictive in the way that, when the artificial high dies off many people go for more coffee, caffeine, or medicine which can turn into a pattern that can be repeated several times throughout the day. It is true that more than half fail when attempting to quit drinking caffeine. An addict is someone who either physically or psychologically depends on a substance, and is someone is who is always going to want more. Studies show caffeine addicts can suffer significant depression for several months after quitting. When are you really addicted?
Drinking 5 cups of coffee a day? When you take caffeine medicine to make it to the night? When you can’t stop relying on it and need it to get through everyday? Are you an addict?



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