SC.11: Deep Dive – Addicted to Caffeinated Soda

Approximate reading time: 2 minutes

Kromann and Nielson (2012) reported on a case study of a 40-year-old woman who suffered significant ill effects from her use of caffeine. The woman had used caffeine in the past to boost her mood and to provide energy but, over the course of several years, she increased her caffeine consumption to three litres of soda each day. Although she was taking a prescription antidepressant, her symptoms of depression continued to worsen and she began to suffer physically, displaying significant warning signs of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Upon admission to an outpatient clinic for treatment of mood disorders, she met all of the diagnostic criteria for substance dependence and was advised to dramatically limit her caffeine intake. Once she was able to limit her use to less than 12 ounces of soda a day, both her mental and physical health gradually improved. Despite the prevalence of caffeine use and the large number of people who confess to suffering from caffeine addiction, this was the first published description of soda dependence appearing in scientific literature.