Coffee

Why am I so obssessed?


From the first time I took a sip from my mom's coffee around age 9 I knew I'd never want to drink this awful tasting liquid again. Well I was wrong because now I'm hooked. For the past couple months I have been an avid coffee drinker and since I can remember the only thing that's bothered me about coffee is not understanding why it's so addictive. Is it the taste? The asthetic? Or that it's helping me to write this blog right now? Whatever the case I need some authentic information to solve this question.

In May of 2013 caffeine withdrawal was included as a mental disorder in the 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). So how exaclty does the effect of coffee enter our brain? First it is "absorbed through the small intestine and dissolved into the bloodstream. Then it penetrates the blood-brain barrier and enters the brain" (Stromberg). 

Since "caffeine closely resembles a molecule that's naturally present in our brain, called adenosine (Stromberg)" it makes our body believe the effects of caffeine are normal. Overtime the adenosine becomes acustomed to these recpetors the caffeine gives off and produces a feeling of fatigue. This is why we continue to drink coffee when in reality we are just setting ourselves up to be even more fatigue later on.

Through these new foundings I've learned that coffee addiction is a combination of the chemical processes happening in our brains but also a habit that we've developed over time. As for me I will continue to enjoy a cup of coffee here in there but will try to limit how much I consume so I can lessen the effects caffeine gives off.





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