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Research indicates 9 in 10 people in the U.S. use some form of caffeine on a regular basis. And according to numerous independent studies, over half of the people who use caffeine regularly are dependant.

The American Psychiatric Association clearly defines the withdrawal symptoms individuals may suffer when they stop using caffeine after prolonged consumption. These symptoms indicate physical and psychological addiction to caffeine.

Caffeine has also been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, panic attacks, stomach and GI issues, and a number of other very real health issues. Aside from the major risks, anyone with a coffee habit will tell you about the irritability, fatigue, insomnia, and high levels of nervous tension caused by regular caffeine consumption.

The fact is, caffeine is a very powerful, highly addictive substance. And it's readily available to people of all ages in a very wide range of forms.

Coffee, energy drinks, a variety of black teas, and even diet supplements are consumed in large quantities by the majority of the population in the U.S. and other nations. In many ways it is both surprising and disturbing that an addictive substance has grown to such rampant levels of use and even acceptance in our society.

Caffeine is not associated with health risk in the minds of the average consumer. Most people truly believe several cups of coffee every single day is a harmless habit.

And this fact makes the problem all the more serious! Because people fail to grasp the very real danger of using caffeine very liberally, there is no real incentive to decrease intake or stop altogether.

Caffeine floods the bloodstream with adrenaline and stress hormones. Additionally it increase heart rate significantly while at the same time constricting blood vessels.

These facts alone make caffeine a substantial health risk. Add to this the confirmed findings about the addictive nature of caffeine and we have a severe issue on our hands.

It's interesting that caffeine is the most commonly consumed beverage in a nation where heart disease is the most common terminal illness. It is highly unlikely these statistics are mere chance.

It seems clear that modern culture is knowingly condoning mass consumption of a chemical that has been proven to instigate or worsen heart problems, nervous disorders, digestive issues, and high blood pressure. Caffeine addiction, while not a problem that typically results in fatal overdose, is as lethal in the long-term as many other chemical dependencies and it's crucial that Americans (and citizens of other nations with high usage of caffeine) wake up to this clear and present danger!

When faced with this suggestion, the average coffee drinker will scoff. However, if caffeine is not an addictive substance why do most users report severe headaches, irritability, and even depression after only 12 to 24 hours of abstinence?

Extreme discomfort as the result of not consuming a particular substance is a clear sign of addiction. We should all shudder to think that we are virtually pushing products loaded with caffeine on young children and teens on a daily basis!

Caffeine addiction is serious business and until it is viewed in the proper perspective millions more people will suffer needlessly. Like all addictions, there is help and there are proven methods in place to help individuals overcome.

But the first step is accepting the fact that a problem exists.