Why Therapists Ask About Caffeine: The Link Between Caffeine and Anxiety

When therapists ask about caffeine use, it’s not about judging your coffee habit. It’s about understanding how everyday substances can impact mental health—especially anxiety.

Caffeine is a stimulant, and in higher amounts it can mimic or worsen anxiety symptoms. Both anxiety and excessive caffeine intake can cause rapid heart rate, jitteriness, racing thoughts, and sleep disruption.

Because of this overlap, clinicians consider whether symptoms are driven by an anxiety disorder, high caffeine use, or a combination of both. This distinction helps guide accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

For people prone to anxiety, caffeine can increase physiological arousal and make symptoms feel more intense. In some cases, reducing caffeine alone can meaningfully decrease anxiety levels.

Guidelines suggest limiting caffeine to under 400 mg per day (about 3–4 cups of coffee). However, your individual tolerance matters most. Some people feel fine with coffee, while others notice anxiety after even small doses. Tracking how caffeine affects your mood, body, and sleep can provide helpful insight.