Impacts of caffeine consumption in the workplace: from moderate use to dependence

Impactos do consumo de cafeína no ambiente de trabalho: da utilização moderada à dependência

Resumo

The central focus of the article is the use of caffeine in the workplace context, with its main objective being to analyze from continued use, without leading to more serious consequences for the user, to that which leads to the development of a proper dependency. Through a review of literature relevant to the topic, a reflection is proposed that, among other aspects, classifies drug consumption into two modes, functional and dysfunctional, where in the former, it is used as a "tool" for work, without causing impairments to its performance, and in the latter, there is a change in consumption pattern, severely affecting professional performance. In the transition from functional to dysfunctional use, the drug ceases to be a means to become an end in itself, and although this does not occur with the majority of users, the conclusion is that, even in functional use, the individual's relationship with their activity is essentially adaptive, and therefore cannot be considered healthy.