It is muggy hot this morning, clothes sticking to your back on the short walk from the Metro to your office, and what do you decide you need right then?

A piping hot Starbucks coffee.

Might the consumption of hot coffee on a hot day, when you are already trying not to sweat stain your suit, be a sign? A sign that you have an addiction.

To get rid of this addiction first alternate between decaf and regular, then slowly change to more decaf and taper off regular coffee. Gradually reducing your caffeine consumption over a period of two to three weeks will help you successfully change your habit without causing withdrawal symptoms.

In general, the more caffeine you are used to consuming, the more severe the withdrawal symptoms are likely to be, click to see more. Symptoms of withdrawal begin 12 to 24 hours after the last caffeine intake and can last two to nine days.

Caffeine can be a useful tool for an adult who needs help waking up and concentrating. But, it can also cause problems if you’re not careful with it. Don’t use caffeine too much or you could become dependent or have insomnia or headaches. Otherwise, enjoy that coffee or chocolate!

That you need to admit that you are powerless over caffeine – that your life has become unmanageable. That you may need to quit this monkey, if only to save you the embarrassment of perspiration in your profession, not to mention the $5 you spend each morning on your fix.

This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs