How Coffee can affect your mental health 

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Many El Pasoans say they enjoy drinking coffee on a daily basis. Kristine M. Glass, MD Psychiatrist, physician and assistant professor at Texas Tech Health El Paso says it's okay to drink coffee, as long as you do so moderately. She also says it's important to understand your threshold and how you react to caffeine.This means keeping an eye on how much you're having and how you're dosing it throughout the day.

The Food and Drug Administration says moderate coffee consumption can be part of a healthy diet, but they also warn that overuse can affect your mental health. Overuse can lead to side effects like feeling of unhappiness, insomnia, jitters, anxiousness, nausea, and headaches. Dr. Glass says caffeine affects everyone differently and advices you to measure how much you can handle, without prompting any negative side effects. You can do so by starting small and then adding the amount gradually.

Additionally, the FDA says that if you'd like to cut down on caffeine intake, you should do so gradually as well. Dr. Glass agrees and says stopping abruptly can affect your mental health by causing withdrawals, anxiety and nervousness. Dr. Glass also said she recommends about 2 milligrams of coffee a day. The good news is you can enjoy a daily cup of coffee, as long as you're following doctors orders and it's in moderation to protect your mental health. 

ABC-7 asked El Pasoans if they drink coffee and here are some of their responses:

"I'm a tea drinker."

 "I don't, No." 

"I do."

"You know what? Not really, but right now, I was just here. So you know, I got some." 

"I don't drink coffee whatsoever."

"I drink it straight from the bottle!"