The first step to overcoming an addiction, is admitting that you have one. So yes, I have an addiction. I’m addicted; to the taste of it, the feeling it gives me, the energy I have after it seeps into my body, the satisfaction after indulging. And when it’s gone, I feel like I can’t survive without it. That’s right, I’m addicted to caffeine.

It all started when I tasted my first cookie and had my first sip of a soda pop, I had to be about four years old. The sugary, sweet, instant taste of satisfaction immediately got me hooked. From then on, I would always have trouble denying the urge to indulge.

It’s debatable whether or not caffeine is actually considered to be addicted.. However, you can become addicted to anything. You hear stories about people being addicted to the most undesirable, health-troubling substances, all you have to do is watch an episode of My Strange Addiction to find that out. So, if a woman can be addicted to something as disgusting as laundry soap, then I believe my constant urge to indulge in coffee and sweets can also be considered an addiction.

I started drinking coffee my sophomore year of high school, and ever since then it’s been a morning routine to have a cup or so. Eventually, I’ve gotten the urge to drink a caffeinated beverage all throughout the day, and even making me feel sick when I don’t. The amount of tiredness I feel without a cup of coffee or caffeine-filled drink has drastically changed to how tired I would feel before I ever drank coffee every morning. It seems the more caffeine I drink, the more tired I become.

Now, it’s hard for me to slowly wean myself off of my routine. The best option for drinking caffeine responsibly, is to do it every so often and a lower amount of it. It’s proven that caffeine can obviously have it’s positive side effects, like a boosted mood or instant energy, but turning it into a habit can have the opposite effect, turning you into a life-less, energy-sucked zombie, walking around mindlessly until you’ve had an extra boost of caffeine to wake you up. Caffeine can stunt your growth, cause anxiety and block creativity flows. I’ve become so accustomed to consuming it all the time, it’s not good for my health. I’m struggling to lower my amounts of consumption, but it’s better for my overall health. Plus, coffee gives you bad breath and it’s pretty bad for your teeth.

So remember kids, drink responsibly.