--- title: "Caffeine Craze | Denver Psychiatry Blog" description: "There has been a lot of attention in the news lately about energy drinks and their use (and sometimes abuse) by teenagers. A big reason that some teenagers will guzzle these drinks is to get a buzz. 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For children and adolescents, this includes integrated meetings with parents. By the end of 1-2 visits, you'll have a clear clinical formulation and personalized treatment plan." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Does Denver Psychiatry treat both children and adults?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, Dr. Steve Sarche is board certified in both general psychiatry and child & adolescent psychiatry. Denver Psychiatry provides comprehensive care for patients ages 10 and older, with age-appropriate treatment approaches." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What mental health conditions does Denver Psychiatry treat?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Denver Psychiatry treats a wide range of mental health conditions including anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, PTSD, situational stress, behavioral problems, and relational difficulties. 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The staff will help you find a convenient time and answer any questions about your first visit." } } ] }, { "@type": "Blog", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#blog", "name": "Denver Psychiatry Mental Health Blog", "description": "Expert insights and articles on mental health topics from Dr. Steve Sarche, board-certified psychiatrist in Denver, Colorado.", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/blog", "author": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#physician" }, "publisher": { "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/#organization" } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Caffeine Craze", "description": "There has been a lot of attention in the news lately about energy drinks and their use (and sometimes abuse) by teenagers. A big reason that some teenagers will guzzle these drinks is to get a buzz. I...", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dr. Steve Sarche", "jobTitle": "Board Certified Psychiatrist" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Denver Psychiatry", "url": "https://denverpsychiatry.com" }, "datePublished": "2006-11-03T21:57:01+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://denverpsychiatry.com/article/caffeine-craze" } } ] --- [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [](tel:303-393-8808) [ Denver Psychiatry Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. ](#home) [Home](#home) Services ### Conditions We Treat [ ADHD Treatment Child & adult ADHD specialist care ](/adhd)[ Anxiety Treatment Generalized anxiety, panic, social anxiety ](/anxiety-treatment)[ Depression Treatment Major depression, bipolar, mood disorders ](/depression-treatment)[ PTSD & Trauma Treatment Trauma recovery focused on full healing ](/ptsd-trauma-treatment) ### Specialty Care [ Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship-trained, ages 10 and up ](/child-adolescent-psychiatry)[ Performance Optimization Precision psychiatry for high performers ](/performance-optimization)[ Medication Management Expert prescription and monitoring ](#services) #### Talk to Dr. Sarche Call to schedule your initial evaluation [Call Now](tel:303-393-8808) About ### About Us [ Dr. Steve Sarche, D.O. 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Learn what to expect at your first visit [Learn More](#services) Contact ### Get In Touch [ Contact Form Send us a message ](#contact)[ Call Us (303) 393-8808 ](tel:303-393-8808)[ Our Location 720 S Colorado Blvd, Suite 910N ](#contact) [Call Dr. Sarche](tel:303-393-8808) [Back to Blog](/blog) Child & Adolescent # Caffeine Craze Dr. Steve Sarche Board Certified Psychiatrist • Friday, November 3, 2006 • 4 min read Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fcaffeine-craze)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fcaffeine-craze&text=Caffeine%20Craze)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fcaffeine-craze&title=Caffeine%20Craze)[]() There has been a lot of attention in the news lately about energy drinks and their use (and sometimes abuse) by teenagers. A big reason that some teenagers will guzzle these drinks is to get a buzz. I believe that one of the recent drinks out there, "Cocaine" was just pulled off the shelves at 7‐11. I guess the idea of teenagers trying to get buzzed shouldn't be too shocking; teenage years are very common years to begin experimenting with drugs and/or alcohol. Much of the experimentation that goes on is relatively harmless but still concerning. Most of you parents of teens out there probably already know that you cannot stop your child or children from being exposed to substances and potentially trying them. To do this, you would practically have to lock them in the house and we all know that doing something like that probably would not go over well with them (or social services for that matter.) As for all of you teens out there, my guess is that you feel that you have to be allowed freedom to see what is out there in the world and learn about things so that you can make your own decisions on what to do. Let's be honest; you are getting closer to being independent and you have to start learning how to take care of yourselves. This process does seem to be enhanced when you are able to talk to you parent or parents about certain issues. On that note, lets get back to the issue in this entry; energy drink abuse. Energy drinks are getting more and more popular with ever increasing varieties. Most have two things in common; lots of sugar and caffeine. Too much sugar can cause weight gain and dental problems, on top of shifts in energy that can be uncomfortable. It is not as dangerous, however, as caffeine, because caffeine can cause toxicity. Most people have symptoms of caffeine intoxication when they consume 250mg or more of caffeine (the equivalent of 2‐3 cups of coffee) within a few hours. Energy drinks have varying amounts of caffeine, but generally range from 70 mg per can to 150mg. Common symptoms of caffeine intoxication include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, irregular or rapid heart beat, psychomotor agitation, periods of inexhaustibility, insomnia, flushing of the face, and a rambling flow of thought and speech. There are also case reports of violent behavior, irrational behavior, mania, and psychosis during caffeine intoxication. My guess is, with enough caffeine, one could potentially have a fatal heart problem or stroke, just like what too much speed or other "upper" could do. I like to think that the best way to talk to teens about these risks is "active listening". With active listening a person sits and listens closely to what a person has to say about a topic, without interrupting or interjecting his or her own opinions. It is helpful for parents to ask their kids what they know about drugs, and the positives and negatives the teen sees with them. The next step in active listening is to have kids further explain what they are saying. The thought on this is that as a teen starts to talk about their experiences and thoughts with potentially dangerous substances, they come to their own conclusions about whether or not they should indulge and to what degree they should indulge. Finally, ask to see what people are saying on sites like "MySpace" and again, see what the teenager has to say about it and have a conversation about it, avoiding judgments. Active listening tends to be a much more effective communication tool for talking to teens than traditional lecturing. (I can just picture a teenager now, sitting in his or her living room, being lectured by the parents, nodding his or her head in order to speed up and end the lecture and thinking, "I wonder if Red Bull is on sale?". Remember, there will always be things that teenagers can do to scare the hell out of us adults and make us worry about them that much more. I think that one of the best things to do for this is to accept that fact and be involved and work towards good communication. Oh yeah; remind them that milk or real juice is a great beverage and that good sleep and diet are the best ways to increase energy. Share: [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fcaffeine-craze)[](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fcaffeine-craze&text=Caffeine%20Craze)[](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrsteve.lovable.app%2Farticle%2Fcaffeine-craze&title=Caffeine%20Craze)[]() ### Need Help With Your Mental Health? Dr. Steve Sarche provides compassionate psychiatric care for children, adolescents, and adults in the Denver area. [Call to Speak With Dr. Sarche](tel:303-393-8808) ### Get new articles from Dr. Sarche We'll only email you when Dr. Sarche publishes a new article. Unsubscribe anytime. 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