Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T15:12:18.109Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Caffeine abstention in the management of anxiety disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. S. Bruce*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
M. Lader
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Malcolm S. Bruce, Department of Psychiatry. Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF.

Synopsis

Caffeine toxicity remains a rarely reported condition, which may mimic anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorder patients do not consume toxic amounts of caffeine. However, increased sensitivity to caffeine in these patients has been suggested as contributing to their symptoms. Six cases of anxiety disorder are presented who improved with only caffeine abstention, and remained well for at least a six-month follow-up period.

Type
Brief Communication
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association, (1980). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 3rd ed.American Psychiatric Association: Washington. DC.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Caffeine intoxication. 305–90. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 3rd ed revised. American Psychiatric Association: Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Barone, J. J. & Roberts, J. (1984). Human consumption of caffeine. In Caffeine, Perspectives from Recent Research (ed. Dews, P. B.). pp. 5973. Springer-Verlag: BerlinCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boulenger, J. P. & Uhde, T. W. (1982). Caffeine consumption and anxiety: preliminary results of a survey comparing patients with anxiety disorders and normal controls. Psychopharmacology Bulletin 18, 5357.Google ScholarPubMed
Boulenger, J. P., Uhde, T. W., Wolff, E. A. & Post, R. M. (1984). Increased sensitivity to caffeine in patients with Panic Disorder; preliminary evidence. Archives of General Psychiatry 41, 10671071.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Breier, A., Charney, D. S. & Heninger, G. R. (1986). Agoraphobia with panic attacks. Archives of General Psychiatry 43, 10291036.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bruce, M. S. & Lader, M. H. (1986). Caffeine clinical and experimental effects in humans. Human Psychopharmacology 1, 6382.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bruce, M., Scott, N., Lader, M. & Marks, V. (1986). The psychopharmacological and electrophysiological effects of single doses of caffeine in healthy human subjects. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 22, 8187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Charney, D. S., Heninger, G. R. & Jatlow, P. I. (1985). Increased anxiogenic effects of caffeine in panic disorders. Archives of General Psychiatry 42, 233243.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Clark, D. M., Salkovskis, P. M. & Chalkley, A. J. (1985). Respiratory control as a treatment for panic attacks. Journal of Behavioural Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 16, 2330.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Griffiths, R. R.Bigelow, G. E. & Liebson, I. A. (1986). Human coffee drinking: reinforcing and physical dependence producing effects of caffeine. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics 239, 416425.Google ScholarPubMed
Hout, M. A. van den, Molen, G. M. van der, Griez, E., Lousberg, H. & Nansen, A. (1987). Reduction of CO2-induced anxiety in patients with panic attacks after repeated CO2 exposure. American Journal of Psychiatry 144, 788791.Google ScholarPubMed
Robertson, D.Wade, D., Workman, R., Woosley, R. L. & Oates, J. A. (1981). Tolerance to the humoral and hemodynamic effects of caffeine in man. Journal of Clinical Investigation 67, 11111117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wells, S. J. (1984) Caffeine: implications of recent research for clinical practice. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry 54, 375389.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wolpe, J. (1987). Carbon dioxide inhalation treatments of neurotic anxiety. Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 175, 129133.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed