Lesson 1: Clinical Disorders – Part F

Description

Donna, a 35 year-old secretary, sought treatment for what she thought were anxiety attacks. She informed the clinician that her attacks happened about mid-afternoon. She said that she became fidgety, anxious, and easily excited. She also noted that she was sometimes flushed and sweaty as well. Her colleagues commented to her that she was very talkative in the afternoon. After further questioning by the clinician, it was learned that Donna drank five or six cups of coffee each day about mid-afternoon.

Diagnosis

Her account gave evidence that Donna displayed at least five indicators of caffeine intoxication.

The indicators, in the absence of other factors to indicate

anxiety, clearly show that she had caffeine intoxication. Her admission that she drank five to six cups of coffee before each attack, coupled with the knowledge that the minimum amount of caffeine necessary for intoxication is 250 mg (one cup of coffee has, on average, 125 mg of caffeine), means her DSM diagnosis for Axis I is caffeine intoxication.