Coffee…the Gateway Drug? Hallucinations!

There was a time back in the 1960’s when “mind expansion” was the pursuit for many and magic mushrooms and LSD became part of the national conversation for the strange experiences experimenters reported.  Well, forget about hallucinogens… if you want to start seeing and hearing things, drink lots of coffee.

Really? Researchers studied 200 students and found that those who drank seven cups of coffee a day were three times more likely to see "dead" people, things that were not there, and also hear voices, than those who had just one cup.

Whoa…who green lighted a study like this? The Brits…Strawberry Fields, etc.  The scientists at England's University of Durham believe the caffeine in coffee triggers the release of the hormone cortisol, which is also released by stress, and that may lead to hallucinations. But head researchers Simon James also noted that "stressed people may simply drink more coffee and that could cause them to see people and things that are not there." The scientists noted that caffeine is also present in tea, energy drinks and chocolate. So WHAT IS IT!  Now I’m STRESSED!!  Another cup?