As we reported yesterday, people with a higher caffeine intake, from sources such as coffee, tea and caffeinated energy drinks, are more likely to report hallucinatory experiences such as hearing voices and seeing things that are not there.

When under stress, the body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. More of this stress hormone is released in response to stress when people have recently had caffeine. It is this extra boost of cortisol which may link caffeine intake with an increased tendency to hallucinate, said the researchers.

This isn’t likely a concern for most people, as most people don’t consume 7 or more cups of coffee every day. (And if you do, you might have more problems than simply hearing the occasional odd voice or whatnot.)

But it has a direct impact on people who might already be at greater risk for hearing voices or seeing things — for instance, people with schizophrenia. People with schizophrenia who also drink large amounts of caffeine may be inadvertently putting themselves at greater risk for future hallucinations (medications or not).

The upshot is if you’re seeing things that are not really there, or hearing an occasional voice and no one’s around, and you drink an enormous amount of coffee or tea (or Coca-Cola or other caffeinated beverage), those hallucinations may be caused by the caffeine, not a mental disorder. Cut it back to something under 6 or 7 servings a day, and you may notice a decrease in such concerns.

Read the full article: High Caffeine Consumption Linked to Hallucinations

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

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    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 16 Jan 2009
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