In this engaging video, Evan, our resident mental health and addiction therapist, tackles the ubiquitous topic of caffeine consumption. From our cherished morning coffee rituals to the chocolate treats of childhood, caffeine accompanies us from cradle to grave as a go-to source for an energy and mental boost. But amidst the flood of information, what are the real benefits and drawbacks of caffeinated beverages like coffee? Evan will guide you through the pros and cons, culminating in his expert opinion. Join us to demystify the effects of your daily cup.
As a central nervous system stimulant, caffeine creates more activity in our minds and bodies. When caffeine is used to excess, it can also create problems with sleep. Overuse of caffeine can lead to heart problems. Like any substance, when you become dependent on it, the opposite things happen.
Coffee in and of itself, has a ton of antioxidants, which lowers risks of things like Parkinson's disease, diabetes, a lot of different types of cancer. In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the risks if you drink coffee in moderation. Do you take your coffee black or with cream and sugar?
Alright. How good or bad for you is coffee? This is a question I get all the time. There's a lot of controversy around this. When I do videos about addiction, people always want to talk about caffeine addiction. And I find that this is actually pretty complex and nuanced. But it's also extremely important because so many people drink coffee or consume caffeine. So let's talk about some of the benefits of coffee, and if there's any drawbacks. Now, let's go ahead and start with some of the downsides.
And most of those tend to come from the caffeine, the sticks stimulant property that gives us that good feeling we really like. Now, as a central nervous system stimulant, caffeine creates more activity in our minds and bodies, which can be a very good thing. However, when people already have too much activity, for example, someone who has anxiety, this can create more of it. It could exacerbate those symptoms. It could create more stress. And people don't often realize it because they're so used to drinking caffeine all the time.
Now, when caffeine is used to excess, it can also create problems with sleep. And sleep is the foundation of so much of our health. So loss of sleep can lead to stress, other health conditions. And that is really problematic. Also, overuse of caffeine can lead to heart problems. That overstimulation includes things like your heart and other parts of your central nervous system. That can be a problem. When you overuse caffeine and you have that intense, stimulating feeling, you often have an equal and opposite reaction.
Like any substance you put in your body. When. When your body becomes dependent on it, when you stop doing it, the opposite things happen. So if you're feeling happy, euphoric, a lot of energy on the other end, you're going to feel the opposite. You're going to feel sluggish down. You could even feel depressed. Often having horrible migraine headaches. Now, before I paint too bad of a picture, let's talk about some of the benefits of caffeine, but also its delivery system, coffee in general. Because what people don't always understand is that coffee in and of itself, has a ton of antioxidants, which lowers risks of things like Parkinson's disease, diabetes, a lot of different types of cancer.
And also the mental focus and stimulation you get from caffeine could have a benefit for those things as well. Now, even though there's ups and downs to how we feel depending on the caffeine intake we have, when we use something like coffee moderately. It does show that there is a net positive. When it comes to depressive disorders and other disorders that lower our mood. Now, with any controversy, things are not always black and white with coffee. There are some downsides, however. In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the risks.
However, this is if you drink coffee in moderation. In my view, the only controversy should really be. Do you take your coffee black or with cream and sugar? In this case, I'm a purist. I drink it black. What do you think?
